Perancangan Sistem Informasi Layanan Surat Menyurat Berbasis Web Menggunakan Pendekatan Project-Based Research Di Fakultas Sains Dan Teknologi Universitas Nias

Abstract

This study aims to design a web-based correspondence service information system to address the manual administrative process for student letter requests at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Nias. A Project-Based Research (PBR) approach with a qualitative orientation was used, integrating problem identification, requirement formulation, artifact design, and evaluation. Data were collected through direct observation, semi-structured interviews with students, administrative staff, and faculty leadership, and documentation studies of existing standard operating procedures. The findings reveal six major problems in the manual process, including the requirement for students to be physically present, the absence of status tracking, signature delays caused by leadership absence, and disorganized physical archiving. Based on these findings, eight functional requirements and six non-functional requirements were formulated, leading to the design of a web-based information system named SIMSURAT. The system architecture follows a three-tier model consisting of a presentation layer, a PHP Laravel-based business logic layer, and a MySQL database layer, supporting three role-based dashboards for students, administrative staff, and faculty leadership. Evaluation with participants indicates that the proposed design is considered feasible and responsive to real field needs, particularly in enabling online submission, real-time status tracking, and digital archiving.