Purpose of this Assignment
This assignment
gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge of the areas to be considered
in planning and implementing a technology solution. This assignment
specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:
- analyze
internal and external business processes to identify information systems
requirements
- identify and
plan IT solutions that meet business objectives.
For your Stage 2 Project, you proposed a technology
solution to improve a business process at the UMUC Haircuts business. In evaluating and implementing an IT
proposal, there are several areas that need to be considered. These considerations are listed in the table
provided below in this assignment.
Depending on the specific technology solution you proposed, some of the
considerations would be more important than others and some may not need
specific consideration for the initial implementation of your proposed solution. (If a consideration is not relevant for the
solution as described or for its implementation, but might be something for the
future, mark it “N/A”. If for instance
cloud computing is not in the solution being implemented, but may be considered
in the future it would be N/A and not required for the solution. Please note that even N/A items require an
explanation.) The responses that you
enter into the table for each consideration must be aligned to the one specific
solution you proposed and appropriate to the UMUC Haircuts business.
Assignment
Using the technology solution you
proposed in Stage 2, you should briefly explain it and then copy the table
below and complete the remaining two columns.For each area of consideration, you
should rank it as high, medium, low, or N/A (Not Applicable) in importance or
relevance at time of implementation (and not some time in the future) for the
specific technology solution you proposed for UMUC Haircuts. Then, provide a brief explanation, a minimum
of two sentences for each, to justify that ranking or the N/A. Do not try to create a reason if there is
none, but carefully analyze each consideration and determine whether it applies
and how. Explanations must provide
enough information to convey the reasoning behind the ranking. DO NOT
copy definitions into the table; your own words should demonstrate your
understanding of the concept as you provide your explanation for the
ranking. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered everything. Submit your paper with answers to parts 1 and
2 below as a Microsoft Word document (or in a Word compatible document) with
your last name included in the filename.
Part 1: Briefly explain your proposed technology
solution. Identify what the solution is,
what it is expected to do for UMUC Haircuts, and what major hardware, software
and communications components will be used, summarizing the information you
provided for Stage 2. Also, please
include the information that you provided at the end of Stage 1 (with any
modifications recommended by the professor) at the top of your paper:
Generic
Strategy:
Strategic Business Area:
Process to be improved:
Part 2: Table of IT
Considerations. The Areas for
consideration are defined in the section “Concepts” which follows the table of
considerations below. An example for one
entry is also provided. Click on the
upper left corner of the table to copy it into your paper.
|
Area
|
High/Medium/Low
Importance or Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A)
|
Explanation
for Ranking
(minimum 2 sentences for each, linked to
specific technology solution proposed)
|
|
Usability
|
|
|
|
Maintainability
|
|
|
|
Scalability
|
|
|
|
Reliability/
Availability
|
|
|
|
Extensibility
|
|
|
|
Portability
|
|
|
|
Security
|
|
|
|
Data Quality
|
|
|
|
Authentication
|
|
|
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Encryption
|
|
|
|
Cloud Computing
|
|
|
|
Enterprise Systems
(ERP, CRM, SCM)
|
|
|
|
Communications
|
|
|
|
Database, Data
Warehouse, Data Mining
|
|
|
|
Business
Intelligence
|
|
|
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Transaction
Processing
|
|
|
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Decision Support
|
|
|
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Executive
Information
|
|
|
|
Business-to-Business
eCommerce
|
|
|
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Business-to-Consumer
eCommerce
|
|
|
Course Resources (for Weeks 1-4) that define
the Areas:
Usability: The 7
Software “-ilities” You Need to Know(Week 3)
Maintainability: The 7
Software “-ilities” You Need to Know(Week 3)
Scalability: The 7
Software “-ilities” You Need to Know(Week 3)
Reliability/Availability:
The 7 Software “-ilities” You Need to Know(Week 3)
Extensibility: The 7
Software “-ilities” You Need to Know(Week 3)
Portability: The 7 Software “-ilities” You Need to Know(Week 3)
Security: The 7
Software “-ilities” You Need to Know(Week 3)
Data Quality:Characteristics
of Data Quality (Week 4)
Authentication:Protection
and Security(Due) (Week 4)
Encryption:Protection
and Security(Due) (Week 4)
Cloud Computing: Video:
Cloud Computing(Week 3)
Enterprise Systems
(ERP, CRM, SCM):Various readings from Week 3
Communications:Solution
Building Module (Week 3), and Network
Basics (Rojo) (Week 3)
Database, Data
Warehouse, Data Mining: Data Mining, Data Warehousing, and Data Marts(Penn State Univ)
(Week 4)
Business
Intelligence: Video
intro to BI (Week 4)
Transaction
Processing:Information SystemsModule (Week 4)
Decision
Support: Information
Systems Module (Week 4)
Executive
Information:Information SystemsModule (Week 4)
Business-to-Business
eCommerce: Categories of
Electronic Commerce (Abeywardena) (Week 2)
Business-to-Consumer
eCommerce: Categories of
Electronic Commerce (Abeywardena)
(Week 2)
|
Example: If the technology solution being proposed
was to have a kiosk for customers to use to pay for their haircuts or salon
visits, then for the area of Usability, the following might be entered. (The definition of Usability is provided
here for clarification. Definitions
are not required to be entered into the table above.) Note the thorough explanation of the
ranking.
|
|
Area
|
High/Medium/Low
Importance or Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A)
|
Explanation
for Ranking
|
|
Usability
[“how
effectively end users can use, learn, or control the system” from The 7 Software “-ilities” You Need to Know]
|
Medium
|
Since the customers will use the kiosk to make their payments, it must
be easy to understand and easy to use. If it is too complicated, customers will not
use it. It is ranked “Medium” because
it is important for any customer who chooses to use the kiosk to be able to
do so quickly, easily and intuitively. However, it is not “High” since there
are other methods of paying.
|
The
"right" and "wrong" answers have to do with whether or
not you correctly ranked each consideration as it relates to your proposed
technology solution and have provided a well-supported explanation for
the ranking you assigned. Your responses
will be evaluated on whether they are applicable to the solution, correctly
ranked, adequately explained, and are appropriate to the UMUC Haircuts business. Use the Rubric below to be sure you have
covered all aspects.
GRADING RUBRIC:
|
Criterion
|
Exceeds
Expectations
|
Meets
Expectations
|
Does
Not Meet Expectations
|
Total
Possible Points
|
|
Explanation of
Proposed Solution
|
Brief
explanation of solution provides enough information to set stage for
rankings.
|
Explanation
of solution is not adequate to set stage for rankings.
|
No
explanation of proposed solution provided.
|
10
|
|
High/Medium/
Low/NA Rankings
|
Rankings
are appropriate to proposed technology solution and case study; demonstrate
understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.
|
Rankings
are lacking relationship to proposed technology solution and/or case study,
and/or in demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis, and/or
critical thinking.
|
No
rankings provided.
|
40
(2 points each)
|
|
Explanations
|
Explanations
justify rankings, are linked to proposed technology solution and/or case
study, and demonstrate understanding of course concepts, analysis, and
critical thinking.
|
(Some)
explanations are not linked to proposed technology solution and/or the case
study, and/or do not adequately justify rankings; may be lacking in
demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis, and/or critical
thinking.
|
No
explanations provided.
|
40
(2 points each)
|
|
Table Format
|
Informationis
professionally presented; uses correct sentence structure, grammar, and
spelling.
|
Information
is not professionally presented, and/or contains grammar and/or spelling
errors.
|
Paper
is extremely poorly written and does not convey the information.
|
10
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL Possible Points
|
100
|
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