EVENT PLANNING SUPPORT SYSTEM

Abstract

Abstract Event planning in Batticaloa is difficult because there is no central system to connect all types of Customers including the individual who need to organize their events too with local vendors or to manage event tasks easily. Right now, the customers (individual or event organizing person) must contact each vendor one by one through phone calls or direct meetings with them. This is leading to frequent miscommunication, delays, and extra work. This project aims to build an Event Planning Support System (EPSS) that brings customers and local vendors together on one platform, to confirm the services of the specific vendors as early as possible according to their availability, which supports reducing the planning time with other works and making booking simpler and clearer. This project focuses on a web-based platform for personal events, such as weddings, birthdays, and family gatherings. There are three types of users in the EPSS, such as Customers, Vendors, and Administrators and each has different types of activities. Customers search for and request to book vendors at a time based on their requirements of services, send messages, and manage their bookings. Vendors can list their services, update their availability, and confirm bookings according to their schedules. The Administrator maintains everything to keep the platform running smoothly. The primary features of the system include vendor discovery, booking and canceling of services, feedback, and payment management. The project follows an iterative waterfall approach to development, and a mid-range design strategy was chosen to balance features with resources. The system is built using Laravel as the backend framework, PHP for server-side coding, and MySQL for database management. Frontend technologies are HTML5, CSS3, JS, jQuery, Ajax, and Bootsrap5, ensuring it is scalable and user-friendly. Additional features include notifications and profile management. Testing and evaluation are essential in developing EPSS. Manual testing was performed to assess the system’s functionality, performance, and user experience. An online survey was also done to check usability and key features. The results showed that users were happy with the registration, vendor search, and booking management. They also liked the system’s responsiveness. While the booking request and cancellation processes were positive, some users suggested improvements in the advanced payment process and rating feature. Users recommended better notifications, an improved calendar, and adding online payment options. These suggestions will help make the system better and improve the event planning experience in future development as well