IT HOMEWORK

Before you begin this assignment, be sure you:

1.    Read the “UMUC Haircuts Case Study” & review “Walmart Example.”

2.    Review your instructor’s feedback on all previous assignments.

Purpose of this Assignment This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the concepts of this course to address the selection, planning, development, implementation and on-going management of a technology solution for the UMUC Haircuts business.  This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcome to enable you to: ·       identify and plan IT solutions that meet business objectives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview of Outline of IT Solution and Next Steps for UMUC Haircuts

For your Case Study Stage 1 assignment, you performed a Five Forces Analysis and justified Myra’s chosen strategy for competitive advantage and the business process that she would like to improve through the application of technology.

For your Stage 2 assignment, you identified the inputs, processing and outputs of Myra’s selected business process.  Those inputs, processing and outputs form the functional (business) requirements for an IT system to improve the process. 

In Stage 3, you identified the IT requirements by evaluating their applicability and importance in a new system to be implemented to improve the identified business process for UMUC Haircuts.  

Following your analysis of the business environment and the business and IT requirements, Myra Morningstar has decided to move ahead and implement an IT solution.  She has asked you to identify an IT solution and explain what the steps would be to implement it.  For this assignment, you will develop an annotated outline that identifies an appropriate IT solution and the next steps to implement the solution.  Resources to assist you in developing the annotated outline follow the Assignment Instructions below.

In Stage 4, you will prepare an annotated outline of your proposed IT solution and the next steps in the implementation of that solution.  The next steps will include:  project management, system development life cycle, process changes, training and measurements of success as they apply to the process being improved and the IT solution you are proposing. 

Since UMUC Haircuts is a small business, Myra should take advantage of a Software as a Service (SaaS) or cloud-based system that has already been developed and is maintained and operated by a vendor.  You should do some research and find a vendor-provided solution that will support the process that is being improved.  Refer to the process model and your Stage 2 inputs, processing and outputs that define the business requirements; and refer to your Stage 3 IT requirements as you select an appropriate solution.  Consider the cost of the solution as you make your choice, so that your recommended solution will be affordable for Myra.

Assignment:  Outline of IT Solution and Next Steps

Your annotated outline will define and explain the IT solution you are proposing and address each of the next steps shown below that UMUC Haircuts will take to implement your technology solution.

I.               Project Description: 

A.              Introduction

1.             Strategy for competitive advantage: (just name the strategy)

2.             Business process to be improved: (just name the process)

B.             Proposed solution and IT components needed to implement the project

1.             Selected system

a)             Identify the vendor and the system you selected to improve the process at UMUC Haircuts.

b)            Explain why you selected that system over others, including how it best meets the business requirements (see Stage 2) and IT requirements (see Stage 3) of UMUC Haircuts.  Explain if/how cost was a factor in your selection.

2.             Major hardware needed – list the hardware components that Myra will need to install at UMUC Haircuts in order to implement your proposed solution.

3.             Facility requirements – identify where Myra should place the hardware.

4.             Telecommunication needs – identify what kind of telecommunications will be needed for the solution, including local connectivity inside UMUC Haircuts and internet access, if appropriate, and whether it will be used for data, voice and/or video.

C.            Business resources needed to complete the project.

1.             It Skills & Services – identify the technical skills needed to implement the solution including application knowledge, social media skills, and technology installation, and who should perform the tasks.

2.             Cost of proposed solution – you do NOTneed to show the costs for the system.  Instead, you should state what aspects of your proposed solution make it cost-effective for Myra’s small business.  Be sure to consider the Total Cost of Ownership, which includes the ongoing maintenance, update and replacement costs of any hardware, software, telecommunications, etc., in your explanation of cost-effectiveness. 

II.           Project Management – the system implementation is a small scale project, but it still requires project management, especially in the areas listed below.

A.             Triple constraints – explain how Myra can control the scope, schedule and cost of implementing the system.

B.             Human resource management – identify who Myra should involve in implementing the system and what function each would perform.

C.      Risk management – Identify the major risks associated with your proposed solution and what should be done to mitigate those risks (prevent them from occurring). You should include at least 3 risks (business risks, technical risks, project risks, security risks or implementation risks, etc.) and corresponding mitigation strategies.

III.         System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) – even though Myra is implementing a system that has already been developed and is in use by other small businesses, the phases of the SDLC still apply as there are things Myra should consider or do in each phase.  For each phase, explain what Myra needs to do to implement your proposed solution.

A.  System Investigation

B.  System Analysis

C.  System Design

D.  Programming or System Configuration

E.  Testing

F.  Implementation

G.  Operations and Maintenance

IV.          Business Process Changes – explain how the business process(es) will need to change once your technology solution is implemented (what will be done differently).

V.             Employee Training – explain the training that employees will need to use the new system effectively, and how and when it will be conducted.

VI.          Defining Success – identify at least 3 things that can be “measured” to determine if the process has been improved and other ways that Myra will know if the IT solution has helped her business.

References:

Incorporate at least one external resource (NOTE:  two or more external resources are required to receive all possible points) into your paper on an area of your choice.  An external resource is a resource other than those provided in the class or text book.   Incorporate a properly formatted APA citation in the text of your document.  Then, place an APA style list of resources in this section. 

 

 

 

Formatting: 

 

For academic writing, the writer is expected to write in the third person. In third person, the writer avoids the pronouns I, we, my, and our. The third person is used to make the writing more objective by taking the individual, the “self,” out of the writing. This method is very helpful for academic writing, a form in which facts, not opinion, drive the tone of the text. Writing in the third person allows the writer to come across as unbiased and thus more informed.

 

·       Write a short concise outline:  3-4 pages of content.

·       An annotated outline provides the basic information in full sentences, but in outline form rather than in paragraph form. 

·       You should provide all of the important facts, without the expanded discussions used in full papers.

·       Each entry should be single spaced; double spacing should be used between entries, as shown in the assignment outline above.

·       Make sure all entries in your annotated outline are complete sentences.

·       If you need to use multiple sentences for an entry, use the outline format and list them individually.  Do not write paragraphs or more than one sentence per outline entry.

·       Use at least one external resources with APA formatted citation and reference.

·       Include a title page and a reference page.

·       Compare your final work to the rubric to be sure you have met content and quality criteria. 

·       Submit your paper as a Word document, or a document that can be read in Word. 

·       Your submission should include your last name first  in the filename:     Lastname_firstname_Stage _4

 

Outline Resources:

 

Create a document outline in Word from Microsoft: 

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/create-a-document-outline-RZ006105145.aspx?section=1

 

Information for creating outlines in all versions of WORD:

http://web.archive.org/web/20121015174117/http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-use-word-2010s-outline-view.html

 

You Tube:  How To Create an Outline in Microsoft Word     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfu1AnJappg

 

 

An outline example.  (Please note that full sentences are required for this assignment): It is recommended that you use no more than 3 levels for clarity.  Use Roman Numerals for the highest level entries.  Using the automatic outlining format in Word will help: