Software Requirements Specification (SRS)

Date	Author	Description
10/7-8/2012	Felix, Adam	Draft
10/19-10/21	Felix	User cases
10/22	Adam	Review
11/7	Felix	Version Info change
11/16 - 11/28	Felix	Updated User Case
11/30	Felix	Hopefully finalize, everything...(make any needed changes)

1. Introduction

1.1 Intended Audience and Purpose

Intended Audience: The set of stakeholders includes the team members of By Thursday, the project and overseeing managers, and potential users of our stock market simulation.

Team Members - can use this document to gain a detailed understanding of the requirements needing to be met by our product from both user-centric (ConOps) and design-centric viewpoints.
Managers - can use this page to assess the level of detail the group is working from to guide development.
Potential Users - can view this page to gain deeper insight into the program specifications if they are interested in the development process.

Purpose: to fully document the expected functionality and requirements for our Stock Market Simulation Game.

1.2 How to use the document

Concept of Operations gives a user-oriented, high-level overview of our Stock Market Simulator.
Behavioral Requirements gives a more-detailed vision of the simulator's operations, which is better suited to developers and those interested in the technology.

2. Concept of Operations

2.1 Background

This intention of this project is to simulate a stock exchange environment for users to learn the basics of stock exchange. This learning process can be simple, stress free, and enjoyable in a gaming environment. This environment allows players to hone their skills through competition with other players using virtual money to buy and sell stocks based on a real stock market. Each player can to formulate their own strategy and assess their performance through our user-friendly, web based stock exchange simulator. Through experience, players will gain confidence in their investing abilities using a variety of stock exchange techniques, which have been implemented in our software. We hope to make the difficult task of learning to invest in a high risk, stock exchange market an enjoyable experience.

For more detailed information about the capabilities of the current software version and what we expect to implement in future versions, please read section 5, Expected Subsets.

2.1 System Context

Web-based application - HTML based application written using the Django web framework

Includes:

registration/login system
game cycles
user history - all data saved for user portfolio available for reference during a login session
user interface - for viewing portfolio, watch list, and making transactions
real world stock data - downloaded from Yahoo Finance through the Yahoo API

Compatible with major web browsers
Server side database system for information storage

2.2 System capabilities

Users will find the following capabilities present in our stock market simulator based on the currently released version. The first publicly available version will be Version 1.5.

Basic System Capabilities (Included in Version 1.5):

Users are able to sign in and view the contents of their profile
Upon signing in, users can view their current status of the assets (stocks + money) they currently own as well as their interested stocks (track list)
A search bar will be available to users so they can search for stocks that they wish to purchase, view, or track
Upon viewing a stock item, users can decide to purchase shares of stocks, sell their currently owned shares of stock, and track the stock if they do not own any shares of said stock
User sessions are saved so that when viewing other elements of the page, they will not be logged out unless they wish to

Advanced Features (Included in Version 2.0)

Players can start games their own customized settings
Dartboard Agents will provide randomized competitors for the user to compete against
Virtual will have varying stock trading strategies to compete with the user
An API available for users to test various stock buying strategies
Stock strategy analysis will be available based on overall user performance

3. Behavioral Requirements

3.1 System Inputs and Outputs

3.1.1 Inputs

Pre-processed, HTML-formatted document
Username and login information stored in database
Previous session data, which shows the changes the user has made during the previous login
User inputs:

stock ticker names for search
clicking on a stock element would display more information about the stock
specify the buy of a stock
specify the amount of certain stocks they wish to sell from their assets
enter game creation information
User click game name and select it to join

3.1.2 Outputs

Processed stock data returned from Yahoo API
Processed transaction based on buy and sell from the user
Game created and its information is stored in the database

3.2 Detailed Output Behavior

3.2.1 Use Case: Registration

Actors: User

Preconditions: User at homepage

Triggers: User clicks the sign up link

Flow of Events:

3.2.1.1 Basic Flow: Registration

User clicks "sign up for a new account"
User inputs required information
Clicks "create the username"

3.2.1.2 Alternative Flow

Click the "Sign In" tab
Click the "Create an account"
User inputs required information
Click "create the username"

3.2.1.3 Exceptions

User creates username/password combination outside the stated limitations

Post conditions:

User taken to their profile page

3.2.2 Use Case: Log in

Actors: User

Preconditions: User has an account and is not currently logged in

Triggers: User clicked the "Sign In" tab

Flow of Events:

3.2.2.1 Basic Flow: Logging in

User inputs account information (Username:Password)
Clicks the login button

3.2.2.2 Alternative Flow:

User is a homepage
User clicks "Log in to your account"
Inputs login information (Username: Password)
user clicks the login button

3.2.2.3 Exceptions

If User does not have an account
User input name/password wrong, will prompt to re-enter log in information

Post conditions:

User taken to their profile page

3.2.3 Use Case: Searching Stock

Actors: User

Preconditions: User is at site

Triggers:

Flow of Events: Stock Search

3.2.3.1 Basic Flow:

At any point of browsing the site
user clicks the "Stocks" tab at top
A popup module appears
Enter the stock you want to search with its Ticker name in the "Ticker" field
Hit Search to be redirected to the information page related to that stock

3.2.3.2 Exceptions

None, user clicks wrong tab?
Ticker Name not defined, Error will be generated

Post conditions:

User taken to a page that displays information relevant to the searched term

3.2.4 Use Case: Stock Buying

Actors: User

Preconditions: User is logged in

Triggers: User has searched the stock

Flow of Events:

3.2.4.1 Basic Flow: Buying

User selects "Buy" at transactions drop-down menu in the "Buy/Sell" tab on the page
Enters the quantity to buy
Click Trade
Shares brought added to User's Assets
Money deducted from user's account

3.2.4.2 Alternative Flow:

User is at their portfolio page
next to the stock they wish to purchase, Click the "Trade" button
A popup module will show up
select "Buy" at transaction drop down menu, and then input it's quantity to buy
Click "Trade" button within the module to complete the transaction

3.2.4.2 Exceptions

If User does not have an account
User does not have enough money to purchase stated share amount

Post conditions:

User taken to their profile page

3.2.5 Use Case: Tracking Stock

Actors: User

Preconditions: User is logged in

Triggers: stock detail displayed upon search

Flow of Events:

3.2.5.1 Basic Flow: Tracking a stock

User clicks the "watch" button in the "Buy/Sell" panel
stock added to user's track list

3.2.5.2 Exceptions

If User does not have an account

Post conditions:

User taken to their profile page

3.2.6 Use Case: Selling Stock

Actors: User

Preconditions: User owns shares of a given stock and is logged in

Triggers: User has searched the stock or User is in portfolio page

Flow of Events:

3.2.6.1 Basic Flow:

User selects "Sell" at transaction drop-down menu in "Buy/Sell" panel
User enters the desired share amount to sell
User clicks the "Trade" button
stated amount of shares deducted from User's account
money added to user's total money pool

3.2.6.2 Alternative Flow:

Trade button is clicked next to stock (in portfolio)
Select "Sell"
Enter quantity to sell
Submit the transaction

3.2.6.3 Exceptions

If User does not have an account
User does not own any shares of the stock
User enters an amount that would exceeds their current money

Post conditions:

User taken to their profile page

3.2.6 Use Case: Remove Stock from Track list

Actors: User

Preconditions: User has the stock marked as"Watched"

Triggers: User Clicks the Un-watch button on profolio page next to the stock

Flow of Events:

3.2.6.1 Basic Flow:

Stock listed under "Watched" is removed

3.2.6.1 Alternative Flow:

User buys shares of the stock
Stock removed from their track list and moved to owned stocks

3.2.6.2 Exceptions

If User does not have an account
User is not currently tracking the stock

Post conditions:

User taken to their profile page

3.2.7 Use Case: Creating a Game

Actors: User

Preconditions: User is logged in

Triggers: Game tab is selected at top panel

Flow of Events:

3.2.2.1 Basic Flow:

Select "Create a new game!"
User redirected to game creation page
User inputs desired parematers for the game
Hit the "Create the game" button

3.2.2.2 Exceptions

wrong input formate
Game name already exist

Post conditions:

Redirected game page for the newly created game, listing the user as a participant

3.2.8 Use Case: Joining a Game

Actors: User

Preconditions: User not already in the particular game, and is logged in

Triggers:

Flow of Events:

3.2.2.1 Basic Flow:

In the desired game information page
User clicks the "join this game" button

3.2.2.2 Exceptions

None

Post conditions:

User redirected back to their own portfolio page with the game listed under "Current Games"

3.2.9 Use Case: Adding Agent to Game

Actors: User

Preconditions: Game already created, User is the one that created the game

Triggers:

Flow of Events:

3.2.2.1 Basic Flow:

Select the game to add agent for under "Active Games"
input Agent name
Select the Agent Type
Select the aggression Level for the AI
hit the "Add Agent"

3.2.2.2 Exceptions

Agent name already exist (in any possible game)
User is not the game creator

Post conditions:

Agent added to game and is listed under Participating Users

3.2.10 Use Case:Making Orders

Actors: User

Preconditions: User is logged in and has a portfolio linked to a game

Triggers:

Flow of Events:

3.2.2.1 Basic Flow:

Search the stock to make an order for
Select Ordres at the right panel
choose the "Order Type"
Choose the "Trade Type"
input the "Trigger price" and the "Quantity"
Hit the "Place Order" button

3.2.2.2 Exceptions

Selected "Stop Loss" + "Buy" combination

Post conditions:

Order made, and redirected back to portfolio.

(action will occur when conditions for the order are met in the future of game play)

3.2.2 Use Case: Log out

Actors: User

Preconditions: User has an account and is logged in

Triggers: User logged in

Flow of Events:

3.2.2.1 Basic Flow: Logging out

User clicks the "sign out" tab

3.2.2.2 Exceptions

If User is not logged in

Post conditions:

Logout message is displayed on page

4.1 Quality Requirements

Security:

User's account information will stored so that each user can only view their profile
Login information will be stored as hash data

Consistency:

Previous changes will be available to users upon reentries to the system

Maintainability:

The code should be divided into modules based on expected changes. Functions that are expected to change together should be placed in the same module.

5. Expected Subsets

This section gives an outline of our goals for each version of the stock trading game. These requirements are intended to be as unambiguous as possible to facilitate clear and consistent vision for production goals during each development Iteration.

Note : More detailed information about our process of assigning these development divisions can be found under the Version Discussion tab.

Version 1: Application Basics

The basic application will provide a simple web based UI for users to create a profile and participate in a timed stock trading game with a fixed amount of initial investment dollars. The initial application will support basic stock transactions.

Front Page
User login/register
User profile

Player’s Assets (money, stocks)
Player’s Current investments (stock the player owns)
Player’s Track List (stocks the player is currently tracking but does not own)
Opponent’s Current Asset value (amount of money the player has + stock’s value)

User Stock Portfolio

For each stock

company
purchase date
current price
net gain/loss - since purchase date

Version 1.5: Additional Features

User Profile

Graphical Representation of Stock (own/tracking)
Stock view improvement
Tracking list
Track list view improvement

Mechanics

User can buy/sell shares of stocks from any company
User can track stocks they are interested in

Product Logo

Version 2.0: Creative Challenges

Game Cycle System

Ranking System (of players total assets)
System Controls

brokerage fees - commission for trades
The ability for a group of users to define their own league with specific rules and parameters

Virtual players (agents) with varying stock strategies

Dartboard Stocks

More complex stock trading strategies

Limit orders
Stop-loss orders
Short sales

User Profile

View improvements
Mechanics improvements

6. Fundamental Assumptions

API may change in terms of syntax, functions, usability, etc.
Commonly used web browsers will have no major changes in the near future
Users will not have real-time data
Data obtained from API will not be real-time data
More modules will be added

7. Expected Changes

The complexity of stock exchange:

Iteration 1: simple buy and sell
Iteration 2: more complex stock exchange techniques are available
Iteration 2: more markets available to trade in

The display of information:

Iteration 1: simple and plain page(s) to display data and enter transactions
Iteration 2: better looking UI with more advanced organization and display of portfolio/historical data

The complexity of AI:

Iteration 1: virtual player does simple tasks with a single stock (used as a simple example for compare their performance to)
Iteration 2: virtual player makes more complex transactions and can have more than one stock in its portfolio

Database information storage formate
UI views

8. Appendices

8.1 Definitions and acronyms

8.1.1 Definitions

Keyword	Definitions
Short-Sell	The trader borrows stock (usually from his brokerage which holds its clients' shares or its own shares on account to lend to short sellers) then sells it on the market, hoping for the price to fall. The trader eventually buys back the stock, making money if the price fell in the meantime and losing money if it rose.
Margin Buying	The trader borrows money to buy a stock
Brokerage	A service that offers advice and management of an individual's investment account
Stocks	Shares of a company that individuals can purchase for ownership claim to a company. Two types: Common Stocks, Preferred Stocks
Limit Order	An order placed with a brokerage to buy or sell a set number of shares at a specified price or better. Limit orders also allow an investor to limit the length of time an order can be outstanding before being canceled.

8.2 References

For definition and domain research: