4. The data entry operators at Melanie Julian Construction have been making errors when entering the codes for residential siding products, which are as follows: U = stUcco, A = Aluminum, R = bRick, M = Masonite, E Z = E Z color-lok enameled masonite, N = Natural wood siding, A I = pAInted finish, S H = SHake SHingles. Only one code per address is permitted.

Question

a. List the possible problems with the coding system that could be contributing to erroneous entries. (Hint: are the classes mutually exclusive?)
b. Devise a mnemonic code that will help the operators understand what they are entering and subsequently help their accuracy.
c. How would you redesign the classes for siding materials? Respond in a paragraph.
d. Some of the materials coded in Problem 4a. above natural wood siding, brick, shake shingles and E Z color-lok enameled Masonite) are being used in innovative ways for scenic design for stage plays by some of the consultants for Melanie Julian Construction. Develop a code for the residential products you coded in 4b. above so consultants will recognize that they can be used on stage for scenic design as well.

Answer 1

a. The codes fail to provide a meaning or an easy way to remember. Some codes are two letters.

b. A possible way to redesign the siding product codes to eliminate input errors is to use the first three letters of shingle material:

S T U: Stucco
A L U: Aluminum
B R I: Brick
M A S: Masonite
E Z C: E Z color-lok enameled masonite
N A T: Natural wood siding
P A I: Painted finish
S H A: Shake shingles

c. A redesign of the classes for siding materials would be to classify them as either wood
based products, or non-wood based.

d. Products that can also be used on stage for scenic design will have a lower-case ‘s’ appended to the end of the code: N A Ts, B R Is, S H As, E Z Cs