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I have a full workload at work and in school this semester. I would really love some help doing this semesters papers. The main paper is split into 4 different sections. Attached are all the documents I was given. The first part is do Jan 20th. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Very Respectfully,
Tank
10/30/2017 1
FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution Company (FWDC) IT Strategic Plan, Part
1
Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution
Company Case Study” and all the course content from Weeks 1 and 2.
Purpose of this
Assignment
This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the course concepts to begin development of an
Information Technology Strategic Plan (ITSP) to support the strategic direction of FRAJO Warehousing &
Distribution Company (FWDC). This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes to
enable you to:
• identify, define, and explain the concepts of information technology governance and
management
IT Strategic Plan for FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution Company
Fran, the new CIO at FWDC, has asked you to write an IT Strategic Plan that she can use to guide the
direction for her organization. The ITSP will be developed in two parts. This assignment covers Part 1;
Part 2 will be covered in the next class assignment. Together, they will form an ITSP that has been
tailored to the course material covered in this class. You may work for an organization that has an ITSP,
and it would be a good idea for you to look at it, but it will likely be structured a little differently from this
one. Each organization develops an ITSP that will work for them.
Assignment
You will develop Part 1 of the ITSP for FWDC Distribution Company, using the outline below. Each of the
topics to be included in your outline is covered in the course content readings assigned thus far. In
addition to the course materials, at least one external resource (resource other than those provided in
the class) must be used. Two or more cited references will earn top credit. Use a separate
References page to list just the references you have cited. Remember to use the APA formatting
rules and correctly cite and reference your sources with APA format. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure
you have covered everything. Submit your paper as a Microsoft Word document, or a document that can
be read using Word, with your last name included in the filename.
Please use this outline to build your IT Strategic Plan. Use the numbering and headings shown below.
Part One
1. Business Statement – Summarize in one paragraph, in your own words, the business of FWDC.
Include the location of the company/terminals, fleet information, and current/future financial
climate/goals. Refer to Case
Study.
2. Business Strategic Objectives – In the Case Study, the management team has identified three
new strategic objectives. List/bullet the three objectives, in your own words, adding a brief
explanation to each one. Next add a new strategic objective of your own – one that you consider
important to the current and future health of FWDC’s business. It should be a statement of how
the management team would improve the business of FWDC. It can be one of the three
federal/state regulations that the company wants to remain in compliance with, or a new one
that you choose.
The format below should be used for the presentation of this section:
10/30/2017 2
• Business Strategic Objective 1 (in your own words):
• Explanation:
• Business Strategic Objective 2 (in your own words):
• Explanation:
• Business Strategic Objective 3 (in your own words):
• Explanation:
• New Strategic Objective (in your own words):
• Explanation (how the management team would use it to
improve the
business of FWDC):
3. IT Vision and Mission Statement – Write two short paragraphs with separate vision and mission
statements for the Information Technology Department at FWDC. Label one “
Mission
Statement:” and one “Vision Statement:”. Use what you learn from the case study to create your
own idea for the vision statement; and use the case study situation at FWDC to write the mission
statement for the IT department. Refer to the course materials on mission and vision,
particularly the reading on “Creating a Future Vision for the Chief Information Officer”. If you
need help on a mission statement, do a little research on the web; you will find many examples
of IT mission statements.
4. Governance – Using the course content materials and the case study, describe in two or three
paragraphs how the IT governance process should work for FWDC. Fran wants to
engage the
other senior leaders, so include: who the participants are, what their roles are (why
they are
members of the governance body), what governance methodology should be
established/justification, what responsibilities the governance body would have, and how they
would prioritize IT projects. Refer to the course materials on governance and you may
supplement those documents with external research.
5. Inventory of Current IT Systems – Using the information in the Case Study, you will use the table
provided to describe the current systems in use and the IT resources allocated to their support.
Copy and complete the table below, creating additional rows as needed to cover all current
systems at FWDC, then write a brief introductory paragraph to the table. The paragraph must
come first before your table, to explain what the table is providing.
Current System Function/
Description
Strategic
Goal
aligned to
Business
Unit/
Department
Business
Benefits
IT
Resources
(people,
equipment)
The “right” and “wrong” answers should do with if you correctly incorporated the course concepts from
the course content materials and addressed all parts of the assignment. The content of the mission and
vision statements you create is not as important as that it makes sense considering the course content
and the Case Study. Use the Rubric below to be sure you have covered all aspects of the assignment.
10/30/2017 3
GRADING RUBRIC:
Criterion 90-100%
Far
Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60%
Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
Business
Statement
5 Points
The summary
description of
the business in
the Case Study
is complete,
clear and
concise and sets
the stage for the
remainder of the
ITSP;
demonstrates
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
4 Points
The summary
description of
the business
in the Case
Study is clear
and concise
and sets the
stage for the
remainder of
the ITSP.
3.5 Points
A summary
description of
the business in
the Case Study
is provided.
3 Points
The summary
description of
the business in
the Case Study
is unclear, not
concise, and/or
does not set the
stage for the
remainder of the
ITSP.
0-2 Points
Little or no
summary
description of
the business in
the Case Study
is included.
5
Business
Strategic
Objectives
9-
10
Points
Three business
strategic
objectives are
listed and fully
stated. One
new
objective,
highly relevant
to the Case
Study, is listed,
also fully stated,
and clearly
relates to how
the
management
team will
improve the
business; work
demonstrates
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical
thinking.
8 Points
Three
business
strategic
objectives are
listed and are
fully stated.
One new
objective,
relevant to the
Case Study, is
listed; it
clearly relates
to how the
management
team will
improve the
business.
7 Points
Three business
strategic
objectives from
the Case Study
are listed. One
new objective,
relevant to the
Case Study, is
listed; it relates
to how the
management
team will
improve the
business.
6 Points
Fewer than 3
business
strategic
objectives are
listed or they
are not drawn
from the Case
Study; the new
strategic
objective is not
relevant to the
Case Study;
and/or new
strategic
objective does
not relate to
how the
management
team will
improve the
business.
0-5 Points
Few or no
business
strategic
objectives are
listed; a new
objective is not
added; and/or
objectives are
not related to
the Case Study.
10
IT Vision
and Mission
Statement
18-
20
Points
IT Vision and
Mission
Statements are
16-17 Points
IT Vision and
Mission
Statements
14-15 Points
IT Vision and
Mission
Statements are
12-13 Points
IT Vision and
Mission
Statement do
0-11 Points
One or both IT
Vision and
Mission
20
10/30/2017 4
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60% Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
clearly written
and highly
relevant to the
Case Study; and
demonstrate
strong
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
are clearly
written and
relevant to the
Case Study;
demonstrate
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical
thinking.
both included
and are relevant
to the Case
Study.
not cover both
vision and
mission, are not
relevant to the
Case Study, or
are lacking in
demonstration
of
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and/or
critical thinking.
Statements are
not included,
and/or do not
relate to the
Case Study;
and/or are
poorly written
and do not
convey the
information.
Governance 23-25 Points
The Governance
Section presents
a well–
supported and
convincing
explanation of a
governance
process for the
business in the
Case Study that
engages other
senior leaders in
the
organization.
This section
includes a
thorough
discussion of:
participants,
roles of
participants,
what
governance
methodology
should be
established/
justified
responsibilities
of the
governance
body, and the
prioritization
process for IT
projects; is
highly applicable
to and
20-22 Points
The
Governance
Section
presents a
good
explanation of
a governance
process for
the business
in the Case
Study that
engages other
senior leaders
in the
organization.
This section
includes a
clear
discussion of:
participants,
roles of
participants,
what
governance
methodology
should be
established/
justified
responsibilities
of the
governance
body, and the
prioritization
process for IT
projects; and
18-19 Points
The Governance
Section
addresses how
the CIO will
engage the
other senior
leaders, and
includes: who
the participants
are, what their
roles are (why
they are
members of the
governance
body), what
governance
methodology
should be
established,
what
responsibilities
the governance
body would
have, and how
they would
prioritize IT
projects.
15-17 Points
Governance
section does not
include all
required content
(participants,
roles,
methodology,
responsibilities,
and prioritization
process for IT
projects); is not
applicable to or
appropriate for
the Case Study.
0-14 Points
Little or none
of the required
information is
presented in
the Governance
section; and/or
it is not
relevant to the
Case Study.
25
10/30/2017 5
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60%
Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
appropriate for
the Case Study;
and
demonstrates
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
is clearly
applicable to
and
appropriate
for the Case
Study.
Inventory
of Current
IT Projects
18-20 Points
This section
includes an
effective and
well-written
introductory
paragraph that
is applicable to
the Case Study
and the table
that follows.
The completed
table contains all
required
information
accurately
extracted from
the Case Study;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
16-17 Points
This section
includes an
appropriate
introductory
paragraph
that is
applicable to
the Case
Study and the
table that
follows. The
completed
table contains
all required
information
accurately
extracted from
the Case
Study;
demonstrates
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical
thinking.
14-15 Points
This section
includes an
introductory
paragraph that
applies to the
Case Study.
The completed
table contains all
required
information
extracted from
the Case Study.
12-13 Points
This section is
somewhat
incomplete
(lacking in
introduction or
required table,
or table content
is incomplete);
is not applicable
to the Case
Study; or is
lacking in
demonstration
of
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and/or
critical thinking.
0-11 Points
Little or no
information is
provided on the
Inventory of
Current IT
Projects; table
is missing;
and/or
information
presented does
not apply to
the Case Study.
20
External
Research
9-10 Points
Two or more
sources other
than the class
materials are
incorporated,
are substantive
and are used
8 Points
At least one
source other
than the class
materials is
incorporated
and used
effectively.
7 Points
At least one
source other
than the class
materials is used
and properly
incorporated
into the text.
6 Points
A source other
than the class
materials may
be used, but is
not properly
incorporated,
and/or is not
0-5 Points
No external
research is
incorporated or
reference listed
is not cited
within text.
10
10/30/2017 6
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60%
Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
effectively.
Sources used
are relevant and
timely,
contribute to the
analysis and
support
conclusions.
References are
appropriately
incorporated
and cited using
APA
style.
Source(s) are
relevant and
contribute to
the analysis.
References
are
appropriately
incorporated
and cited
using APA
style.
Reference is
cited using APA
style.
relevant or
timely; and/or
APA style for
references and
citations is not
followed.
Report
Format
9-10 Points
Report is very
well organized
and is easy to
read. Very few
or no errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar, and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
8 Points
Report reflects
effective
organization;
has few errors
in sentence
structure,
grammar, and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
7 Points
Report has some
organization;
may have some
errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar and
spelling.
6 Points
Report is not
well organized,
and/or contains
several
grammar
and/or spelling
errors.
0-5 Points
Report is
extremely
poorly written,
has many
grammar
and/or spelling
errors, or does
not convey the
information.
10
TOTAL
Possible
Points
100
10/30/2017 1
Case Study: FRAJO WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION CO. (FWDC)
Overview
FWDC is a regional transportation and distribution company in operation for over 60 years. The
company serves major cities in the Mid-Atlantic region. They are headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland
and have a staff of 500 employees including truck drivers. There are 6 distribution terminals
(Philadelphia PA, Baltimore MD, New York City NY, Washington DC, Newark NJ and Wilmington DE) for
consolidating freight, and 100 delivery vehicles including 20 tractor/semi-trailer units, 40 box trucks and
40 panel vans.
The company operates in a highly competitive business environment. Growth has been stagnant
because of a slow economy. Joe, the president of the company, would like to see growth at 5% per year.
He would also like to see expenses cut by 5% to help fund new initiatives. Current revenue is about $39
million a year with profit running at 4%.
To familiarize yourself with commonly-used shipping terms in the freight industry, visit this site and refer
to it as you read the case study and assignments:
http://www.shipnorthamerica.com/htmfiles/glossary/gloss_shipterms.html
Current Business Operations
FWDC operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sales personnel (12 people, two per terminal) visit
prospective customers to outline company capability, services provided and costs. When a customer
decides to use FWDC they call the dispatch office with shipment information. Usually they FAX a copy of
the bill (s) of lading to a terminal with information such as origin, destination, product description,
weight and number of packages.
A dispatcher at a terminal makes a list of freight pickups and sends a truck to get the freight. To do this
they use the routing system to determine the sequence of pickups by zip code. They use local maps
within a zip code to map out the specific order of pickups since there may be several in a zip code area.
They have a performance goal of 98% of freight picked up within 24 hours of availability.
A driver follows the dispatch order for pickups. Many of the drivers complain that the pickup order is not
efficient. When they pick up an order they sign for receipt and either load the freight or guide the
customer’s forklift operators to arrange it properly in the truck.
After freight is picked up it is brought to the terminal where it is unloaded and sorted by destination. A
dispatcher then prepares a delivery ticket (again using the routing system) that is used to load a truck in
the proper sequence for delivery. Some trucks take freight from one terminal to another while others
make local deliveries. About half of a terminal’s space is used on any given night. Dispatchers have a
goal to turn freight around in the terminal overnight for next day delivery.
When freight is sent out for delivery, the driver follows the delivery ticket order. Often, they are held up
at a delivery destination by traffic or by lack of available unloading space. This can cause the driver to be
http://www.shipnorthamerica.com/htmfiles/glossary/gloss_shipterms.html
10/30/2017 2
late trying to make the day’s deliveries. Sometimes they get to a destination and the facility is closed
and they bring the freight back to the terminal for delivery the next day. It is unloaded and re-sorted by
destination. The dispatchers then add it to the next day’s delivery tickets.
The major freight volumes are between New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore (about 70% of total
volume). Trucks run at about 70% of capacity between terminals overall. Local delivery volume is
heaviest in New York, followed by Baltimore and then Philadelphia. Local delivery trucks operate at
about 80% full while pickups fill about half of the vehicles space. Some customers pick up and/or drop
freight at a terminal with their own equipment.
Truck drivers communicate with the dispatchers using two-way commercial radios. Some also carry
personal cell phones and use them if the radio is out of range. A few drivers also carry GPS devices to
help locate addresses. In general, the drivers are content with the company. Pay and benefits are good
and they get overtime pay when deliveries run late. Complaints are few and mostly center around either
the sequence of pickup and delivery of shipments or vehicle maintenance.
The fleet is maintained at the main Baltimore maintenance shop and at a smaller shop in Dundalk.
Either one can handle minor maintenance and preventative work. Only Baltimore can perform major
engine and transmission work. Overall the fleet is in good operating condition. All vehicles are on a
preventative maintenance schedule which places them out of service two days a month, usually on
weekends. Maintenance scheduling is a challenge because it can interfere with the steady flow of
shipments both between terminals and for local delivery. There are no “extra” vehicles in the fleet.
Administration
The company management team consists of the President, Vice President of Operations, Chief Financial
Officer (CFO), Chief Information Officer (CIO), Sales Manager, and a Fleet Manager who oversees
maintenance and safety. They meet weekly to discuss opportunities and issues and to plan for the
future. Except for the CIO, the management team has been in place for many years
The president of the company just hired its first Chief Information Officer (CIO), Fran, after the previous
IT Director retired. She comes from a nearby manufacturer who is also a major customer. At that
company she was Deputy CIO and primarily responsible for network operations and security.
At a recent meeting the management team decided to change the strategic plan for the business to
meet growth and cost goals. They highlighted three new strategies they want to employ to increase
profitability and grow the business. First, they desire to provide warehousing services for customers who
want to reduce delivery time to their customers by having product available locally. Second, they want
to improve the percent of loaded miles in their fleet to reduce costs by coordinating the pickup and
delivery of freight at the same time in the same geographic area. Third, they want to track the
whereabouts of freight both in the terminals and on the trucks to provide customers with accurate
delivery dates and times.
10/30/2017 3
In addition, the management team wants to ensure that the company remains in compliance with all
applicable federal and state regulations. The ones they are most concerned about are: (1) the Sarbanes
Oxley financial audit and reporting requirements; (2) a new federal requirement to conduct a vehicle
safety check every 10,000; and (3) a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reporting
requirement on the number hours per day for each driver (or max per week, etc.). The CFO has been
charged with the overall project. He has asked Fran to help with this effort by modernizing information
systems to support the new strategies. She has decided her first step is to update the IT strategic plan to
link to the new strategies in the corporate plan. Second, she wants to engage her customers in a
proactive way to first, identify and prioritize IT projects that will help meet the new goals, and then
develop a set of requirements for each project. Third, she wants to decide on the best approach to
modernize the information systems that will meet requirements at a reasonable cost, and for this she
will need to make some changes to the IT organization.
Technology
FWDC is using a mix of older technology products for finance and accounting, route optimization, freight
tracking and fleet maintenance. There are several projects already in the IT portfolio competing for
resources. The CIO sees a major challenge in balancing available funding, IT staff workload and project
prioritization. The project nearest completion is the adoption of the Accurate Financial Reporting System
to replace the aging finance and accounting system. It will be completed in six months. There are two
other projects under way, one for management reporting and one for a mobile application that sales
staff can use to show potential customers information on the fleet, distribution services available and
freight rates, including a comparison to the competition.
The route optimization and freight tracking system is very important to the operations manager and
dispatchers. The current system allows the input of freight origin and destination information. This is
taken from a bill of lading which contains a plethora of specific information. When the dispatchers enter
the origins and destinations into the system they are grouped by zip code. The dispatchers then decide
which zip codes will be loaded in a truck and in what sequence for delivery. This takes several hours at
night to accomplish and must be done as quickly as possible so trucks can be loaded and sent out in the
morning for delivery. Arranging shipment sequence within a zip code is done by locating each address
on a map and entering it into the system in the best order. Pickups are handled in a similar manner.
The fleet maintenance system contains information on each vehicle in the fleet. It includes all vehicle
specifications, a summary of all repairs, a preventive maintenance schedule and an inventory of parts on
hand. This information is entered by accounting clerks, mechanics, purchasing clerks and anyone else
who has time to do data entry. It is not as time consuming as the routing system but it contains
information critical to fleet reliability. The greatest challenge is scheduling preventative maintenance
since it requires vehicles to be down for two days. The dispatchers do not want the equipment taken out
of service because it causes planning headaches. The relationship between dispatchers and
maintenance personnel is strained.
10/30/2017 4
IT Organization
When Fran was hired as CIO last month she took a close look at the current staffing. The IT staff consists
of 22 people, seven of whom are programmers. The programmers are charged with all systems
development and integration work for the company. They have three projects in their current portfolio.
Their skill sets include SQL, .Net and C+ programming, and Web design.
There are six helpdesk personnel who support the six distribution terminals (one at each terminal). The
remaining staff includes 2 network engineers, a financial systems specialist (an expert in Accurate
Financial Reporting), a computer security expert, two shift supervisors and the CIO and her two personal
assistants.
The IT staff supports multiple locations. At the Wilmington headquarters/terminal there are 15 servers
(they contain all software and data; one stores a backup copy of the data) and 30 PCs for accounting,
marketing, IT, administration and management. The terminal operations office has 5 PCs for dispatchers,
one for the maintenance office, one for parts and one for drivers in the driver lounge. The other 5
terminals have 10 PCs each and connect to headquarters by a virtual private network (VPN).
IT Portfolio
Accurate Financial Reporting System- This new system will replace the current finance and accounting
system. It is an off-the-shelf product that requires the owner to make modifications to interface with
other systems they may own. Two programmers are working on the project. One is setting up the
database and loading the software on servers. The other is learning about the system to write an
interface with the routing system. A representative of Accurate will train the accounting staff in its use.
This will take about two weeks.
Management Reporting System- Senior management wanted to know financial information daily. Two
programmers have been working on a system to compile the data in a format they can use. They plan to
extract information from Accurate Financials when it is ready but for now have focused on the current
system. They will be done in two months.
Mobile Marketing App- The marketing manager asked for an app that sales staff could use to show
potential customers information. This would include things like fleet photos and specifications; pictures
of the six terminals and information about the distribution services FWDC can provide; and a
comparison of their costs using sample shipments with rates from competitors compared to FWDC
costs. A programmer and the web designer are working on the project. It will take two more months to
complete.
The current design and development process is best described by the way it worked in the selection and
integration of Accurate Financials. The CFO asked the (former) CIO to develop a new finance and
accounting system. The CIO interviewed large, respected companies and, after comparing their
capability to the current system, chose Accurate Financial Reporting. Two programmers were assigned
10/30/2017 5
and an Accurate Financial Reporting specialist was hired to work between IT and the finance office. The
CIO receives progress reports every two weeks.
Situation
When Fran was hired, she toured each terminal to see the IT setup and understand local business
operations. It was important to her to know just how each person used the systems. She spent time with
bookkeepers and accountants, dispatchers, drivers and terminal management. Since she came from one
of FWDC’s customers she knew that customers could offer insight into business improvements that
would be good for both companies. She visited one large customer in each of the terminal’s area of
service to get feedback on how operations between them and FWDC could be improved. Her goal was
to see how she could translate what she learned into systems improvements.
Interestingly the most complaints came from bookkeepers and accountants. They said the system was
slow and data entry was tedious because accuracy was very important. If they entered wrong
information, it could cause incorrect billing (rates are based on weight and size), improper loading (the
wrong zip code could mean sending freight in the wrong direction unless a dispatcher caught the error),
and more. They estimated current accuracy at about 95% but they had no way of knowing for sure.
Further, they complained about financial reporting and their ability to meet compliance requirements.
Reporting was mostly a manual process and data they needed from the system was not easily accessed.
Most of them had resorted to keeping small ledgers at their desk to track information they knew they
would need for reporting.
The dispatchers explained that routing wasn’t all that hard, just time consuming. The routing system
grouped all the shipments by zip code. They would take all the shipments in a zip code and look at the
weight and size (how much cubic space each one needed in a truck), plot them on a map and then put
them in delivery sequence. They thought most trucks left the loading dock full and that that the drivers
made adjustments in delivery sequence when needed. Pickups were a bit more challenging. Sometimes
they sent a truck out just to pick up freight and bring it back to the terminal. Other times they contacted
a driver to ask them to stop at a customer to pick up a shipment while they were making deliveries.
Since they didn’t know exactly how much space was available on the truck this was a hit or miss
situation. Drivers were left to decide if they could make it work.
Drivers were the most outspoken, probably because no one ever asked for their opinion. They were also
the happiest of employees (this might explain why they were non-union). They liked being able to make
decisions on the go and they knew the customers very well. In fact, they could call some of them if they
were running late and the customer would stay open so they could deliver or pick up a shipment. They
seemed to have favorite customers and often spent extra time with them talking about common
interests. Generally, they were good ambassadors for the company.
Terminal managers were under constant pressure. Their main goal was to get shipments into and out of
the terminal as quickly as possible. Delivery times were measured and part of their performance plan.
They knew the company had established three new strategies because they were explained in an email
they just got. Fran asked how they might provide warehousing services. Most felt they had extra space
10/30/2017 6
and could take on some storage but keeping track of the shipments might be a problem. They had to do
this manually and the bookkeepers were the ones to keep the records. They felt more bookkeepers
would be needed but they didn’t know how many.
Fran also met with the maintenance and safety staff at the Dundalk terminal. The maintenance folks
had a large workload and complained that they had a hard time getting equipment in the shop for
preventative work. They did not know when equipment would be available until the last minute so
scheduling was always a scramble because they needed to make sure mechanics were available to do
the work. They had a lot of complaints about shifting work hours and the effect it had on their personal
lives.
The safety manager expressed concerns over driver hours of service. There are federal regulations that
limit drivers to 10 hours of driving at a time. Then they need to take an 8-hour break. The problem was
tracking the driver’s hours to make sure they stayed within the law. Dispatchers tried to help with this
when they scheduled pickups and deliveries but there was no easy way to do it and the results were
often based on best guess. The safety manager who was ultimately responsible for compliance had
drivers turn in their hours each day but this was always after the fact.
Fran’s customer visits were eye-opening. Most of the customers had automated inventory systems and
could easily track products from raw material to finished goods. They knew exactly what they would ship
and when, usually several days ahead of time. Some customers however needed near instantaneous
shipping. They wanted same-day pickup in a lot of cases and fast delivery. In most cases, they were all
able to produce electronic documents such as the bill of lading and email or FAX it to FWDC.
During her interview for the CIO position, Fran was told that the previous IT Director had left a good
foundation and that the staff seemed sufficient in number and appeared to be very capable. However,
since FWDC is developing its strategies for the future, the staff must be able to support the business
strategies as well as the IT strategies that Fran would develop. One of the first things Fran did was to
interview each member of her staff. She discovered that the roles and responsibilities tended to overlap
and that morale among her staff was very low. Fran also interviewed the senior leadership of FWDC and
learned that her staff was not meeting their expectations for service. The help desk was perceived as
being only somewhat competent and took much too long to respond to problems. Application
developers were very slow in delivering systems, and when the systems were finally delivered, they did
not reflect what the customers needed or wanted. Network outages occurred too often from the users’
perspective. Finally, the Chief Financial Officer told Fran that the IT costs need to be reduced.
Fran knew she had many challenges. She was determined to identify essential projects and then
prioritize them for management review. The outcomes would affect almost every aspect of the
business. Her IT portfolio was about to grow and her organization will need to change to meet the
challenges.
Projects by
Functional Area
Qtr. 1
Qtr. 2
Qtr. 3
Qtr. 4
Qtr. 5
Qtr. 6
Sales
Sales Force Automation
Online Quoting
Product Development
Collaboration – Wikis, Blogs
Showcase Company Products
Marketing
Customer Experience
Marketing Analytics
Finance
Business Intelligence
Global Payroll
Technical Support
Network Upgrade
Data Center Move
11/16/2017 1
FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution Company (FWDC) IT Strategic Plan, Part
2
Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution
Company Case Study” and the feedback you received on your IT Strategic Plan Part 1 assignment. Also,
be sure you have read the course content materials that have been assigned to this point.
Purpose of this Assign
ment
This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the course concepts to complete the development of
an Information Technology Strategic Plan (ITSP) to support the strategic direction of FRAJO Warehousing
& Distribution Company (FWDC). This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes
to enable you to:
• identify, define, and explain the concepts of information technology governance and
management
• apply best practices in information technology management and governance to make, defend,
and justify an IT decision
IT Strategic Plan for FWDC Distribution Company
For the previous assignment, you developed Part 1 of an IT Strategic Plan for FWDC. For this
assignment, you will incorporate any needed changes resulting from the feedback you received on your
Part 1 assignment and you will add Part 2. Part 2 will include an IT project that you are proposing that
FWDC undertakes. This new project will be included in the IT Portfolio section of Part 2, and will be
further described in a future assignment, the “IT Decision Paper.” The entire ITSP will be submitted as a
single document for this assignment.
Assignment
First, you should make any changes to your Part 1 assignment, as indicated in the feedback you received.
Then, you will develop Part 2 of the ITSP for FWDC Distribution Company, using the outline below, and
add it to Part 1. A single, complete ITSP, with both Parts 1 and 2 will be submitted for this assignment.
Note that Part 2 includes a project you are proposing that FWDC undertakes. In addition to the course
materials, at least one external resource (resource other than those provided in the class) must be used.
Two or more cited references will earn top credit. Use a separate References page to list just
the references you have cited. Remember to use the APA formatting rules and correctly cite and
reference your sources with APA format. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered
everything. Submit your paper as a Microsoft Word document, or a document that can be read using
Word, with your last name included in the filename.
Please use this outline to build Part 2 of your IT Strategic Plan. Use the numbering and headings shown
below.
Part Two
1. IT Strategies – Write at least three IT strategies (four or more will earn top credit) and explain
how they align to one or more of the business strategies, including the compliance requirements,
articulated in the Case Study. If these business strategies were not included in your Part 1
paper, you should add these strategies into Part 1 prior to submitting this assignment. When the
full ITSP is submitted for this assignment, there should be a clear link between the business
strategies in Part 1 and the IT Strategies in Part 2. Provide at least one internal IT strategy and
11/16/2017 2
two business-enabling IT strategies and identify each as either and internal or business-enabling
strategy. Refer to the reading on “Creating a Future Vision for the Chief Information Officer” for
an explanation of internal and external (business-enabling) IT strategies.
Please complete the following table by copying/pasting it into your paper for this section:
IT Strategy Explanation of Alignment
to Business Strategic
Objectives
Internal/Business-
Enabling
2. IT Roadmap – The overall IT Roadmap shows the systems that are currently in development or
are planned to start within the time frame shown. It is a summary of projects to support your
proposed strategy. You should review the case study and identify the new systems that the
stakeholders are requesting or that FWDC has decided to implement. Each of these systems
should be entered into the table below under the appropriate functional area, such as
marketing or finance. Then, the time frame for developing the system should be presented as a
bar in the table. The table covers a six-quarter time frame shown, with each quarter having
three months. Thus, the six-quarter time frame looks out a year and a half into the development
and implementation of the strategy. Of course, the entire implementation may take longer, but
six-quarters allows both short term and long term to be viewed at a glance. For purposes of this
assignment, only the projected timeframes to develop the projects are required. The table below
shows the five functional areas of an example company and two systems for each area. To
develop your roadmap, use a table like the one below to create a timeline; you can copy the
table, insert the functional areas and systems that are discussed in the Case Study, and use
‘insert shape – rectangle’ to insert the bars showing the timeframes for development of each.
The functional areas and projects in development, and their timeframes should be extracted from
the Case Study. Be sure to include an introductory paragraph to explain the table that will
follow.
Projects by
Functional Area Qtr. 1 Qtr. 2 Qtr. 3 Qtr. 4 Qtr. 5 Qtr. 6
Sales
Sales Force Automation
Online Quoting
Product Development
Collaboration – Wikis, Blogs
Showcase Company Products
Marketing
Customer Experience
Marketing Analytics
Finance
Business Intelligence
Global Payroll
Technical Support
11/16/2017 3
Network Upgrade
Data Center Move
3. Proposed Project: Next, you will propose a new IT project to support at
least one of the
strategies in section 1 above, and include it in the Table above. Use a different color font to
indicate this new project and insert it with the appropriate functional area in your table. In
Section 3, describe how your proposed project will supplement the current IT development
projects in supporting the business of FWDC. In a future assignment, you will use this project to
develop an “IT Decision Paper”; therefore, you should look at that assignment to be sure the
project you propose will be appropriate for that assignment as well. (You can propose a
specific vendor package though it is not necessary. However, if you are incorporating
an integrated solution, you should discuss the various features of the package that
are appropriate for the study. Solutions such as backups, training of employees,
utilizing social media and involving Human Resources are not appropriate solutions
for this assignment.) Refer to Case Study for ideas for a new project. This is a major part of
the next assignment. Give this some thought.
4. Risk Management – List and explain at least three risks (four or more will earn top credit) that
Fran should be prepared to manage as she executes her plans. What risk management
techniques can she use for each one to try to prevent and/or mitigate them (accept, reject,
transfer or mitigate)? Discuss specifics, related to the case study in your response. This is a
good area to do some external research – see what you can find on the web about IT project
risks and risk management. (Review the document “IHS Risk Management Guide” found under
Additional Resources and in the Week 3 readings.)
5. Business Continuity Planning– List and explain the steps Fran should take to develop a Business
Continuity Plan for FWDC so she can be sure that the most important systems will remain
operational in the event of a catastrophe. Include who should be involved in its development.
In addition, from the Case Study, identify what you consider the three most important systems
currently in use at FWDC along with justification of your choices. Explain the steps Fran can take
to ensure those systems continue to be available for FWDC in the event of a local catastrophe.
(Review course materials on the Business Continuity Plan.)
The “right” and “wrong” answers have to do with whether or not you correctly incorporated the course
concepts from the course and addressed all parts of the assignment. The project you propose is not as
important as that it makes sense considering the course content and the Case Study. Use the Rubric
below to be sure you have covered all aspects of the assignment.
GRADING RUBRIC:
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60% Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
IT
Strategies
18-
20
Points
Four or more IT
strategies
(including at least
2
business
enabling
strategies and 1
internal IT
16-17 Points
Three IT
strategies
(including 2
business
enabling
strategies and 1
internal IT
14-15 Points
Three IT
strategies (2
business enabling
strategies and 1
internal IT
strategy) are
listed, stated and
12-13 Points
Fewer than 3
IT strategies (2
business
enabling
strategies and
1 internal IT
strategy) are
0-11 Points
Few or no IT
Strategies are
included;
strategies do
not relate to
the Case
Study; and/or
20
11/16/2017 4
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60%
Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
strategy) are
presented and
are clearly and
appropriately
stated and tied to
the business
strategies
articulated in the
Case Study and
listed in Part 1;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
strategy) are
presented and
are clearly
stated and
appropriately
tied to the
business
strategies
articulated in the
Case Study and
listed in Part 1;
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
aligned to the
business
strategies
articulated in the
Case Study. All
business
strategies cited
are now included
in Part 1. There is
a clear link
between the
business
strategies in Part
1 and the IT
Strategies in Part
2.
presented; one
or more are not
appropriately
stated and tied
to business
strategies
articulated in
the Case Study;
and/or business
strategies are
not listed in
Part 1.
are poorly
written and do
not convey the
information.
IT
Portfolio
18-20 Points
This section
includes an
effective and
well-written
introductory
paragraph that is
applicable to the
Case Study and
the table that
follows. The IT
Portfolio roadmap
table of systems
in development
accurately
reflects the
information
presented in the
Case Study
(functional areas,
systems, and
timelines); and
demonstrates
thorough
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
Table is very
professionally
presented, uses a
logical and easily
understandable
16-17 Points
This section
includes an
appropriate
introductory
paragraph that
is applicable to
the Case Study
and the table
that follows.
The
IT Portfolio
roadmap table
of systems in
development
accurately
reflects the
information
presented in the
Case Study
(functional
areas, systems,
and timelines);
and
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
Table is
professionally
presented, uses
a logical
structure, and
14-15 Points
This section
includes an
introductory
paragraph that
applies to the
Case Study. The
IT Portfolio
roadmap table
shows the
functional areas
and
projects in
development, and
their timeframes
extracted from the
Case Study.
12-13 Points
This section is
somewhat
incomplete
(lacking in
introduction or
required table,
or table content
is incomplete);
and/or is not
applicable to
the Case
Study.
0-11 Points
Little or no
information is
provided on
the IT
Portfolio; table
is missing;
and/or
information
presented
does not apply
to the Case
Study.
20
11/16/2017 5
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60%
Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
structure, and
spelling is
correct.
spelling is
correct.
Proposed
Project
9-
10
Points
The IT project
proposed is
appropriate to
the Case Study,
is aligned to a
functional area,
supports at least
one strategy in
Section 1 above,
and is included in
the table. The
explanation of
how it
supplements the
current IT
projects in
development is
clear and
convincing and is
clearly aligned to
the business in
the Case Study;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
8 Points
The IT project
proposed is
appropriate to
the Case Study,
is aligned to a
functional area,
supports at least
one strategy in
Section 1 above,
and is included
in the table.
The explanation
of how it
supplements the
current IT
projects in
development is
clear and is
aligned to the
business in the
Case Study;
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
7 Points
A new IT project
that supports at
least one of the
strategies in
section 1 above,
has been included
it in the
appropriate
functional area in
the Table above,
using a different
color font. The
explanation
includes how the
proposed project
supplements the
current IT
development
projects in
supporting the
business in the
Case Study.
6 Points
The IT project
proposed is not
appropriate to
the Case Study;
is not correctly
aligned to a
functional area;
and/or is not
listed in the
table. And/or
the explanation
of how it
supplements
the current IT
projects in
development is
not clear, or is
missing.
0-5 Points
No Proposed
Project is
included; or
proposed
project is not
appropriate to
the Case
Study and/or
is not
explained.
10
Risk
Manage-
ment
14-15 Points
Four or more
risks are listed
and fully
explained, along
with techniques
to
prevent and/or
mitigate them;
risks and
techniques
identified are
appropriate for
the Case Study;
section is well
written with
reference used to
12-13 Points
At least three
risks are listed
and fully
explained, along
with techniques
to prevent
and/or mitigate
them; risks and
techniques
identified are
appropriate for
the Case Study;
demonstrates
good
understanding of
10-11 Points
Three risks are
listed and
explained, along
with techniques to
prevent and/or
mitigate them;
risks and
techniques are
appropriate for
the
Case Study.
9 Points
Fewer than
three risks are
listed and/or
explained;
lacking in some
techniques to
prevent and/or
mitigate them;
and/or risks
and techniques
are not
appropriate for
the Case Study.
0-8 Points
Risk
Management
section is not
included; few
risks are listed
or explained;
and/or risks/
techniques do
not apply to
the Case
Study.
15
11/16/2017 6
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60%
Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
support
explanation;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
Business
Continuity
Planning
14-15 Points
Business
Continuity
Planning (BCP)
section
thoroughly covers
the steps needed
to develop a BCP
and correctly
identifies the
participants;
three systems
important to the
Case Study are
listed with
complete steps to
ensure their
continued
availability;
responses are
appropriate to
the Case Study;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
12-13 Points
Business
Continuity
Planning (BCP)
section
completely
covers the steps
needed to
develop a BCP
and correctly
identifies the
participants;
three systems
important to the
Case Study are
listed with steps
to ensure their
continued
availability;
responses are
appropriate to
the Case Study;
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
10-11 Points
Business
Continuity
Planning (BCP)
section covers the
major steps
needed to develop
a BCP and
identifies the
participants; three
systems important
to the Case Study
are listed with
steps to ensure
their continued
availability;
responses are
appropriate to the
Case Study.
9 Points
Business
Continuity
Planning
section is
incomplete
(lacking in
major steps,
participants,
identification of
3 important
systems and/or
steps to ensure
their continued
availability);
and/or is not
applicable to
the Case Study.
0-8 Points
Business
Continuity
Planning is not
included, or
severely
lacking in
completeness
and/or
applicability to
the Case
Study.
15
External
Research
9-10 Points
Two or more
sources other
than the class
materials are
incorporated, are
substantive and
are used
effectively.
Sources used are
relevant and
timely, contribute
8 Points
At least one
source other
than the class
materials is
incorporated and
used effectively.
Source(s) are
relevant and
contribute to the
analysis.
References are
7 Points
At least one
source other than
the class materials
is used and
properly
incorporated into
the text.
Reference is cited
using APA
style.
6 Points
A source other
than the class
materials may
be used, but is
not properly
incorporated,
and/or is not
relevant or
timely; and/or
APA style for
references and
0-5 Points
No external
research is
incorporated
or reference
listed is not
cited within
text.
10
11/16/2017 7
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60%
Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
to the analysis
and support
conclusions.
References are
appropriately
incorporated and
cited using APA
style.
appropriately
incorporated and
cited using APA
style.
citations is not
followed.
Report
Format
9-10 Points
ITSP includes
Part 1 (updated/
corrected as
needed) and Part
2, integrated into
a cohesive
document; ITSP
is very well
written and easy
to read; uses
correct sentence
structure,
grammar and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
8 Points
ITSP includes
Part 1 (updated/
corrected as
needed) and
Part 2. ITSP
reflects effective
organization.
Few errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar, and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
7 Points
ITSP includes Part
1 (updated/
corrected as
needed) and Part
2. ITSP has some
organization; may
have some errors
in sentence
structure,
grammar and
spelling.
6 Points
ITSP does not
include Part 1;
Part 1 has not
been updated
or corrected;
ITSP is not well
organized;
and/or contains
several
grammar
and/or spelling
errors.
0-5 Points
ITSP is
extremely
poorly written
has many
grammar
and/or spelling
errors, or does
not convey the
information.
10
TOTAL
Possible
Points
100
10/30/2017 1
FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution Company (FWDC) IT Decision Paper
Assignment
Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution
Company Case Study,” any feedback on your proposed IT project from your ITSP Part 2 assignment, and
the previously assigned course materials.
Purpose of this Assignment
This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the course concepts to develop an IT Decision Paper
to explain and defend an IT project at FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution Company (FWDC). This
assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:
• Apply best practices in information technology management and governance to make, defend,
and justify an IT decision.
IT Decision Paper for Your Proposed IT Project
For your ITSP, Part 2, you proposed an IT project for FWDC. Fran, the CIO at FWDC, has asked you to
write an IT Decision Paper to explain your proposed project. She wants to use the Paper to gain
approval from the Governance Board to move forward with the project. This assignment uses a format
for a Decision Paper that has been tailored to the course material covered in this class. You may work
for an organization that has a format for IT decision papers, and it would be a good idea for you to look
at it, but it will likely be structured a little differently from this one. Each organization develops tools and
techniques that will work for them.
Assignment
You will develop an IT Decision Paper, using the outline below. Each of the topics to be included in your
outline is covered in the course content readings assigned thus far. In addition to the course materials,
at least one external resource (resource other than those provided in the class) must be used. Two or
more cited references will earn top credit. Use a separate References page to list just the
references you have cited. Remember to use the APA formatting rules and correctly cite and
reference your sources with APA format. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered
everything. Submit your paper as a Microsoft Word document, or a document that can be read using
Word, with your last name included in the filename.
Please use this outline to build your IT Decision Paper. Use the numbering and headings shown below.
1. Project Description – In two or three sentences, describe the IT project you proposed for FWDC
in Part 2 of your ITSP. Describe what major function(s) the system would perform and who
would use it. (Do not provide a technical description with hardware, software, etc.)
2. Strategic Alignment – In a short paragraph, explain how the proposed project aligns to the
business strategic objectives in Part 1 of your ITSP, and how the proposed project aligns to the
IT strategies in Part 2 of your ITSP. Your proposed project must be aligned directly with at least
one business strategic objective and one IT strategy shown in your ITSP.
3. IT Portfolio Alignment – Briefly explain where this project fits into the IT Portfolio roadmap you
included in Part 2 of your ITSP. What functional area does it support? Where should it be
included in the timeline – i.e., should it take priority or be done before another project in the IT
Portfolio?
10/30/2017 2
4. IT Architecture – Briefly explain how this project fits in with other systems in place or in
development at FWDC. Explain whether it should interface with (share data of any kind with)
other systems either in place or in development. Explain whether it replaces another system or
multiple systems in use at FWDC. Refer to the Inventory of Current IT Projects in Part 1 of your
ITSP and the IT Portfolio in Part 2 of your
ITSP.
5. Benefits: Describe at a high level at least three benefits the project provides to FWDC. The
benefits should correspond to the business strategies and the strategic alignment
discussed in
section 2 above. Discuss this relationship/alignment for each benefit. Refer to course content
readings from Week 4 on Value Attainment. External research may also be beneficial.
Please copy/paste the following table into your paper and complete it:
Benefit Alignment to IT Strategy Alignment to Business
Strategic Objective
6. Requirements – List and briefly explain the high-level requirements for the project. First, explain
the primary driver of the project (major need of the business identified in the Case Study). Refer
to course content readings regarding requirements. External research may also be beneficial.
Develop at least 8 requirements for the project, and include what category of the
requirements
below your presented requirements fit into:
a. Business/user requirements
b. IT/system requirements
c. At least one system performance requirement
Please copy/paste the following table into your paper and complete it:
Requirement Business/User; IT/System or System
Performance
7. Cost Estimation – During the Assessment Phase, Cost Estimation consists of estimating the size
and complexity of the project, not the effort required or the actual projected dollar costs. Copy
the table below and place an X (or other indication) in the box that most closely describes the
size and complexity of your proposed solution. Use your judgment and then write a short
10/30/2017 3
paragraph to introduce and explain the assessments in your table. Refer to course content
readings from Week 4 on Cost Estimation, especially the Assessment Phase.
Assessment of Project Size and Complexity
Size/Complexity Small Medium Large
Very Complex
Moderately Complex
Straightforward
8. Performance Measures – This section explains how FWDC will know whether the project is
achieving the benefits identified above in section 5. Review the benefits, and look at the
requirements you identified, and come up with three performance measures that will indicate the
extent to which the projected benefits have been achieved. (For example, if you had identified a
benefit that the project would result in more repeat customers, then a measurement for that
would be the number of repeat customers with the goal that the number would increase.) Refer
to course content readings on Performance Measurement. This may be a good area to do some
web research. The measures should be presented in a table with an introductory sentence or
two:
Benefit to Business Measure
1.(example: increase in repeat customers) (example: number of repeat customers)
2.
3.
9. System Development – Describe how you will use the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
process to approach this project. Include the following
5
stages: Plan, Design, Build, Test,
Launch. In two to three sentences each, explain how each stage would be handled by Fran’s IT
team and who else in FWDC should be involved in each stage. Refer to course content materials
on SDLC.
The “right” and “wrong” answers have to do with if you correctly incorporated the course concepts from
the course content and addressed all parts of the assignment. You need to do some external research on
at least one aspect of the assignment – your choice – and incorporate it and cite/reference it in
APA format in your response. The project you propose is not as important as that it makes sense
considering the course content and the Case Study. Use the Rubric below to be sure you have covered
all aspects of the assignment.
GRADING RUBRIC:
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60% Well Below
Standards
Possible
Points
Project
Description
5 Points
Description of
the project is
clear and
concise, covers
functions and
users, and sets
4 Points
Description of the
project is clear
and concise,
covers functions
and users, and
sets the stage for
3.5 Points
Description of the
IT Project
includes what it
does (functions it
performs) and
who uses it.
3 Points
Description of
the project is
unclear,
not
concise,
and/or does
not set the
0-2 Points
Little
or no
description of
the
proposed
IT project is
included.
5
10/30/2017 4
the
stage
for the
remainder of the
paper;
demonstrates
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
the remainder of
the paper.
stage for the
remainder of
the paper.
Strategic
Alignment
9-
10
Points
Explanation of
proposed
project includes
clear and well-
supported
alignment to at
least one
business
objective in Part
1 of the ITSP
and one IT
strategy in Part
2 of the ITSP;
explanation is
very
appropriate
to the Case
Study and
clearly tied to
the proposed IT
project.
8 Points
Explanation of
proposed project
includes clear
alignment to at
least one business
objective in Part 1
of the ITSP and
one IT strategy in
Part 2 of the ITSP;
explanation is
appropriate to the
Case Study and
tied to the
proposed IT
project.
7 Points
Explanation of
proposed project
includes direct
alignment to at
least one
business strategic
objective in Part
1 of the ITSP and
to at least one IT
strategy in Part 2
of the ITSP.
6 Points
Explanation of
business
objectives
and/or IT
strategies are
incomplete;
and/or are
only partially
appropriate to
the Case
Study or the
proposed IT
project.
0-5 Points
Explanation
of Strategic
Alignment is
minimal or
not included.
10
IT
Portfolio
Alignment
9-10 Points
This section
thoroughly
explains the
relationship of
the proposed IT
project to the IT
Portfolio
Roadmap in Part
2 of the ITSP,
including a full
explanation of
the functional
area supported,
and where this
project fits in
the timeline.
8 Points
This section clearly
explains the
relationship of the
proposed IT
project to the IT
Portfolio Roadmap
in
Part 2 of the
ITSP, including a
good
explanation
of the functional
area supported,
and where this
project fits in the
timeline.
7 Points
This section has
an explanation of
the relationship
of the proposed
IT project to the
IT Portfolio
Roadmap in Part
2 of the ITSP,
including:
where the
proposed project
fits into the IT
Portfolio
roadmap;
identification of
the functional
area it supports;
and where it
should be
included in the
6 Points
This section
includes only
part of the
required
information on
the
relationship of
the proposed
IT project to
the IT
Portfolio
Roadmap in
Part 2 of the
ITSP (where it
fits, the
functional area
supported,
and the
timeline);
and/or is not
0-5 Points
This section
minimally
covers the
relationship
of the
proposed IT
project to the
IT Portfolio
Roadmap in
Part 2 of the
ITSP, or does
not cover it
at all.
10
10/30/2017 5
timeline in the
ITSP.
relevant to
Case
Study.
IT
Architecture
9-10 Points
A correct and
convincing
explanation of
the
IT
Architecture
includes how
the project fits
with, interfaces
with
and/or
replaces other
systems;
explanation is
clearly relevant
to the Case
Study and the
proposed
project;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
8 Points
An accurate
explanation of the
IT Architecture
includes how the
project fits with,
interfaces with
and/or replaces
other systems;
explanation is
relevant to the
Case Study and
the proposed
project;
demonstrates
understanding of
course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
7 Points
Explanation of
the IT
Architecture
includes: how the
proposed IT
project fits in
with other
systems in place
or in
development at
the business in
the Case Study;
whether it should
interface with
other systems
either in place or
in development;
and whether it
replaces another
system or
multiple systems
in use at the
business in the
Case Study.
6 Points
IT
Architecture
explanation
partially
covers how
the project fits
with,
interfaces with
and/or
replaces other
systems; is
not relevant to
the Case
Study or the
proposed
project.
0-5 Points
IT
Architecture
explanation is
minimal or
not included.
10
Benefits 9-10 Points
Three or more
business
benefits are
thoroughly and
convincingly
explained; are
clearly aligned
to the business
objectives
above; benefits
are highly
applicable to
and appropriate
for
the proposed
solution and the
Case Study.
8 Points
Three or more
business benefits
are fully
explained; are
aligned to the
business
objectives above;
benefits are clearly
applicable to and
appropriate for the
proposed solution
and the Case
Study.
7 Points
At least two
business benefits
that the proposed
IT project
provides to the
organization in
the Case Study
are described at
a high level. The
benefits
correspond to the
business
strategies and
the strategic
alignment
discussed in
section 2 above.
6 Points
Fewer than 2
business
benefits are
shown;
benefits are
not aligned to
business
objectives
above;
are not
applicable to
or appropriate
for the
proposed
solution
and/or the
Case Study.
0-5 Points
Business
benefits are
minimally
addressed or
not included.
10
Requirements 9-10 Points
This section
includes an
effective and
8 Points
This section
includes a well-
written
7 Points
This section
includes an
introduction that
6 Points
This section
does not
include an
0-5 Points
This section
minimally
addresses
10
10/30/2017 6
well-written
introduction that
is applicable to
the Case Study
and thoroughly
and convincingly
explains the
primary business
driver for the
proposed IT
project. At least
10
unique
requirements
are identified
and are clearly
applicable to the
Case Study;
requirements
cover items a-c
in the
assignment;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
introduction that is
applicable to the
Case Study and
fully explains the
primary business
driver for the
proposed IT
project. At least 9
unique
requirements are
identified and are
clearly applicable
to the Case Study;
requirements
cover items a-c in
the assignment;
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
explains the
primary driver
behind the
system (major
business need).
Then, at least 8
requirements are
listed and briefly
explained, and
include: (a)
business/user
requirements, (b)
IT/system
requirements;
and (c) at least
one system
performance
requirement.
introduction
identifying the
primary driver
for the
system; 8 or
fewer
requirements
are identified;
requirements
are not
applicable to
the Case
Study; and/or
items a-c in
the
assignment
are not
covered.
requirements,
or
requirements
are not
included.
Cost
Estimation
9-10 Points
This section
includes an
effective and
well-written
introductory
paragraph that
is applicable to
the Case Study
and thoroughly
and convincingly
justifies the
assessments in
the
table that
follows. Cost
estimation table
is
included, with
appropriate
selection for size
and
complexity.
8 Points
This section
includes an
appropriate
introductory
paragraph that is
applicable to the
Case Study and
provides a good
explanation of the
assessments in
the table that
follows. Cost
estimation table is
included, with
appropriate
selection for size
and complexity.
7 Points
This section
includes an
introductory
paragraph that
explains the
assessments and
applies to the
Case Study. Cost
estimation table
is included;
selections are
made for size and
complexity.
6 Points
This section
does not
include an
introductory
paragraph;
and/or cost
estimation
table is
included, but
selection for
size and
complexity are
not
appropriate or
adequately
justified.
0-5 Points
This section
provides little
or no
information
on the cost
estimation;
cost
estimation
table is
missing;
and/or
information
presented
does not
apply to the
Case Study.
10
Performance
Measures
9-10 Points
This section
includes an
8 Points
This section
includes an
7 Points
This section
includes at least
6 Points
This section
includes fewer
0-5 Points
This section
provides little
10
10/30/2017 7
effective and
well-written
introductory
paragraph that
is applicable to
the Case Study,
the proposed
solution and the
table that
follows. The
completed table
contains all
required
information,
accurately
reflecting the
Case Study and
the proposed
solution;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
appropriate
introductory
paragraph that is
applicable to the
Case Study, the
proposed solution
and the table that
follows. The
completed table
contains all
required
information,
accurately
reflecting the Case
Study and the
proposed solution;
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
one or two
sentences that
introduce the
table.
Performance
Measures Table is
included showing
three benefits
and three
measures that
are appropriate
to the proposed
solution and the
Case Study.
than three
benefits and
associated
performance
measures;
measures do
not align to
benefits;
benefits and
measures are
not
appropriate to
the Case
Study and the
proposed
solution;
and/or
introduction is
missing.
or no
information
on
Performance
Measures;
table is
missing;
and/or
information
presented
does not
apply to the
Case Study.
System
Development
9-10 Points
The five stages
of the SDLC are
thoroughly
covered;
explanation is
tied directly to
the project and
to the case
study; includes
IT team
responsibilities
and appropriate
involvement of
others at the
business in the
Case Study;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts and
vocabulary.
8 Points
The five stages of
the SDLC are fully
covered;
explanation
includes discussion
of the project and
the case study;
includes IT team
responsibilities
and appropriate
involvement of
others at the
business in the
Case Study;
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts
and vocabulary.
7 Points
The five stages of
the SDLC are
covered:
Plan, Design,
Build, Test,
Launch. Two to
three sentences
are used to
explain how each
stage would be
handled by the
team and identify
others who need
to be involved at
the business in
the Case Study.
6 Points
The five
stages of the
SDLC are not
all covered;
explanations
are not
appropriate to
the project
and the Case
Study; and/or
do not include
IT team
responsibilities
and/or
appropriate
involvement of
others at the
business in
the Case
Study.
0-5 Points
The stages of
the SDLC are
minimally
addressed or
are not
included.
10
External
Research
5 Points
4 Points
3.5 Points
3 points
0-2 Points
5
10/30/2017 8
Two or more
sources other
than the course
materials are
incorporated in
two or more
sections of the
paper and are
used effectively.
Sources used
are relevant and
timely and
contribute to the
analysis.
References are
appropriately
incorporated
and cited using
APA style.
At least one
source other than
the course
materials is
incorporated and
used effectively.
Source(s) are
relevant and
contribute to the
analysis.
References are
appropriately
incorporated and
cited using APA
style.
At least one
source other than
the course
materials is used
and properly
incorporated into
the
text.
Reference is cited
using APA style.
A source other
than the
course
materials may
be used, but is
not properly
incorporated
or used and/or
is not effective
or appropriate
and/or is not
relevant or
timely; and/or
does not
follow APA
style for
references and
citations.
No external
research is
incorporated
or reference
listed is not
cited within
text.
Report
Format
9-10 Points
Report is very
well organized
and is easy to
read. Very few
or no
errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar, and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
8 Points
Report reflects
effective
organization; has
few errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar, and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
7 Points
Report has some
organization;
may have some
errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar and
spelling.
6 Points
Report is not
well
organized,
and/or
contains
several
grammar
and/or spelling
errors.
0-5 Points
Report is
extremely
poorly
written, has
many
grammar
and/or
spelling
errors, or
does not
convey the
information.
10
TOTAL
Possible
Points
100
11/19/2017 1
FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution Company (FWDC) CIO Organizational
Structure Memo Paper
Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “FRAJO Warehousing & Distribution
Company Case Study,” as well as all materials in the course to date. You will also need to review any
feedback you received on your IT Strategic Plan assignments.
Purpose of this Assignment
This assignment gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to participate in a team project
and to apply the course concepts to address the organizational changes needed to evolve the information
technology (IT) department into a true CIO organization to support the FWDC Distribution Company
(FWDC). This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcome to enable you to:
• explain the roles and responsibilities of an information technology department to support an
organization’s IT strategy
CIO Organizational Structure Memo
For this assignment, you will assume the role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at FWDC (i.e., you
are Fran). Since you are FWDC’s first CIO, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has asked you for a plan for
the organizational changes you need to make. One of the first things you realize is that the organization
that exists is just an ‘IT Department’ and you know that what FWDC needs, and has hired you to do, is to
create an organization that fulfills the broad responsibilities of a Chief Information Officer. You know that
your proposal needs to be convincing to the CFO in order for you to get the resources you need.
Assignment
You will develop a memorandum addressed to the CFO that explains how you want to change your IT
Department into a CIO organization and why. Your memo will address each of the topics listed below,
and should be written so that it flows well from one section to the next. In addition to the course
materials, at least one external resource (resource other than those provided in the class) must be used.
Two or more cited references will earn top credit. Use a separate References page to list just
the references you have cited. Remember to use the APA formatting rules and correctly cite and
reference your sources with APA format. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered
everything. Submit your memo in a Microsoft Word memo format, or a document that can be read using
Word that uses a memorandum format, with your last name included in the filename.
Please include the following in your memorandum, ensuring that each section flows well to the next, and
that the overall memo creates a compelling justification for your new organizational structure.
• Introduction and Purpose – Open your memo with a brief (2 or 3 sentences) explanation of why
you are writing it.
• Leadership Philosophy – Since you are the CIO and a member of the senior leadership team of
FWDC, it is important for the other members of the team to understand your leadership
philosophy and the management style you will use to meet the company’s needs. This should be
a short paragraph that ties to the priorities and/or issues outlined in the Case Study, and lays the
foundation for the organizational structure you will propose below. Refer to course readings and
presentations on leadership. This is also a good area in which to do some external research.
11/19/2017 2
• Internal IT Strategies – To show how your IT organization will support FWDC, you will present
and explain five internal IT strategies. For Part 2 of your IT Strategic Plan, you provided at least
one example of an internal IT strategy. Identify your internal IT strategy from the ITSP #2
assignment, then add four more internal IT strategies, so that you have a total of five. The
strategies you develop must address: people, process and technology – at least one strategy for
each. Describe each of the five strategies, identify if they address people, process or technology
and explain how they will help improve the organization’s effectiveness. Refer to the “Creating a
Future Vision for the Chief Information Officer” from Week 2 for an explanation of internal and
external (business-enabling) IT strategies.
Please use the following table, copying/pasting it into your assignment (add lines if needed):
Internal IT Strategy
Description
People, Process, or
Technology
Explanation how this IT
Strategy will Help
Improve the
Organization’s
Effectiveness
• Current IT Department Structure – Use the information provided in the Case Study to draw an
organization chart depicting the current roles and responsibilities. You may take some liberties in
how you align the staff that is described in the Case Study, but all IT staff positions or groups
must be included in the structure. Be sure to introduce or explain your org chart in the memo.
Refer to course materials for an example of an IT organization chart. You may use the Shapes
tool or the SmartArt tool to develop your organizational hierarchy chart, or you may paste in your
chart from another drawing tool.
• New CIO Organization – Explain in a paragraph or two how a CIO organization is different from
an IT Department. Be sure to create a transition from the previous section. This may be an area
for you to do some external research.
• Key Services – List and explain at least five key services (more than five will earn top credit) that
need to be included in your new CIO organizational structure. You may eliminate functions or
positions from your current organizational structure if you believe it will improve your
effectiveness and/or efficiency; these should be explained. You should also add (and explain)
any functions that you will need in your new organization. Be sure these services are appropriate
to your IT strategies and note how each relates in your discussion.
Please use the following table, copying/pasting it into your assignment (add lines if needed):
Key Service Relationship to IT Strategy
11/19/2017 3
• New CIO Organization Structure – Briefly explain what changes you will make and why. Draw an
organization chart depicting your new CIO organizational structure. Be sure that the key services
you listed are covered by the new organizational structure. (Follow the guidelines for drawing the
organization chart given above for the current organization.)
• Key Milestones – Your memo should include at least five key milestones (tasks or events) (more
than five will earn top credit) associated with accomplishing the changes that you see are needed
to change the IT Department into a CIO organization. Each milestone should be briefly described
(in a sentence or two) and a target completion date should be shown. In addition, for each
milestone you should identify at least one issue or concern you have with accomplishing it. An
example using a milestone not related to the organization might be: The milestone is to
consolidate all servers into a new data center by Oct 2017. Some issues might be: (1) a secure
data center must be located, (2) it will require significant downtime for the corporate servers,
and (3) the initial cost will be high.
Please use the following table, copying/pasting it into your assignment (add lines if needed):
Milestone Target Completion Date Issue(s)/Concerns
Accomplishing the
Milestone
• Conclusion – Provide an appropriate closing to your memo.
Group Management
Group work is to be conducted in the Groups area of the online classroom – the group discussion
area and the group locker – and the use of online Messages and email is discouraged and
should be restricted. If those must be used, please copy your faculty member. The work should
be balanced among the team. At the conclusion of the assignment, each team member will rate the
participation of each of the team members, including themselves. These rating will be sent to the
professor via the Assignment Folder, using the Group Project Peer Review (GPPR) criteria below, and
will be considered in the assignment of individual scores.
11/19/2017 4
Submitting Your Assignment
One member of the group should submit the presentation via the Group Assignment Folder as
Microsoft Word document. Use the Grading Rubric below to be sure you have covered all aspects of
the assignment.
The “right” and “wrong” answers have to do with whether or not you correctly incorporated the course
concepts and vocabulary from the course materials and addressed all parts of the assignment. The
organizational structure you propose is not as important as that it makes sense in light of the course
content and the Case Study. Use the Rubric below to be sure you have covered all aspects of the
assignment.
GRADING RUBRIC:
Criterion 90-100%
Far Above
Standards
80-89%
Above
Standards
70-79%
Meets
Standards
60-69%
Below
Standards
< 60% Well Below Standards
Total
Possible
Points
Introduction
and Purpose
5 Points
Introduction and
purpose of the
memo are clear
and concise and
set the stage for
the remainder of
the memo;
clearly tied to the
Case Study;
demonstrate
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
4 Points
Introduction
and purpose of
the memo are
clear and
concise, set the
stage for the
remainder of
the memo, and
are tied to the
Case Study.
3.5 Points
Introduction and
purpose provide
explanation of
why the memo
is being written.
3 Points
Introduction
and purpose
may not be as
clear, concise,
or set the stage
for the
remainder of
the memo.
0-2 Points
Introduction
and purpose
are not
provided;
and/or are not
appropriate to
the Case
Study; or
provide too
little
information.
5
Leadership
Philosophy
9-
10
Points
CIO leadership
philosophy and
management
style are well
defined with
reference used to
support
explanation;
explicitly tied to
the priorities
and/or issues in
the Case Study;
and lay the
foundation for
the organizational
structure
8 Points
CIO leadership
philosophy and
management
style are well
defined; are
tied to the
priorities
and/or issues in
the Case Study;
and lay the
foundation for
the
organizational
structure
proposed in the
memo.
7 Points
CIO leadership
philosophy and
management
style are
discussed and
are tied to the
Case Study.
6 Points
CIO leadership
philosophy and
management
style may be
partially
defined; and/or
partially tied to
the priorities
and/or issues in
the Case Study.
0-5 Points
Leadership
philosophy
and
management
style are not
included; are
clearly not tied
to the Case
Study; and/or
provide too
little
information.
10
11/19/2017 5
proposed in the
memo.
Internal IT
Strategies
9-10 Points
Five IT strategies
are presented,
fully described
and a full and
convincing
explanation given
as to how each
will improve the
organization’s
effectiveness; IT
strategies are
very appropriate
for the Case
Study. There is
at least one
identified
strategy for each
of: people,
process, and
technology;
demonstrates
strong
understanding of
course
vocabulary and
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
8 Points
Five IT
strategies are
presented, fully
described and a
full and a good
explanation
given as to how
each will
improve the
organization’s
effectiveness;
IT strategies
are appropriate
for the Case
Study. There is
at least one
identified
strategy for
each of:
people,
process, and
technology;
demonstrates
understanding
of course
vocabulary and
concepts.
7 Points
Five IT
strategies are
presented,
described and
an explanation
given as to how
each will
improve the
organization’s
effectiveness; IT
strategies are
appropriate for
the Case Study.
There is at least
one identified
strategy for
each of: people,
process, and
technology.
6 Points
Fewer than five
IT strategies
are presented;
descriptions
and
explanations
are partially
complete or
accurate;
strategies are
not appropriate
for the Case
Study; and or
do not cover
people, process
and
technology.
0-5 Points
Internal IT
Strategies are
not included;
are not tied to
the Case
Study; and/or
provide too
little
information.
10
Current IT
Department
Structure
9-10 Points
A well-written
introduction to
this section is
followed by an
organizational
chart that
includes all of the
current positions
and groups of the
IT staff; is highly
relevant to the
Case Study.
Organization
chart is very
professionally
presented; uses a
logical and easily
understandable
structure, and
8 Points
An appropriate
introduction to
this section is
followed by an
organizational
chart that
includes all of
the current
positions and
groups of the
IT staff; is
relevant to the
Case Study;
organization
chart is
professionally
presented;
uses a logical
structure, and
7 Points
An introduction
to this section is
followed by an
organizational
chart that
includes all of
the current
positions and
groups of the IT
staff; is relevant
to the Case
Study;
organization
chart uses a
logical structure,
with very few
spelling errors.
6 Points
The
introduction is
somewhat
applicable, or
missing; the
organizational
chart does not
include all
current
positions and
groups of the
IT staff; chart
is not relevant
to the Case
Study; chart
does not use a
logical
structure;
and/or contains
0-5 Points
Current IT
Department
organization
chart is not
included or is
extremely
poorly
presented,
contains many
spelling errors
and/or does
not convey the
information.
10
11/19/2017 6
spelling is
correct.
spelling is
correct.
several spelling
errors.
New CIO
Organization
9-10 Points
Detailed
explanation of
the differences
between an IT
Department and
a CIO
organization is
well written with
reference used to
support
explanation;
discussion is tied
to previous
sections with
good transition;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding of
course
vocabulary and
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
8 Points
Explanation of
the differences
between an IT
Department
and a CIO
organization is
complete, well
written and
demonstrates
good
understanding
of course
vocabulary and
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
A smooth
transition ties
this section to
previous
sections.
7 Points
An explanation
of the
differences
between an IT
Department and
a CIO
organization is
provided.
Transition from
previous
sections is
provided.
6 Points
Explanation of
the differences
between an IT
Department
and a CIO
organization
may not be
accurate or
complete;
transition may
be missing or
ineffective.
0-5 Points
Explanation of
differences
between an IT
Department
and a CIO
organization is
not included,
or extremely
minimal in
content or
accuracy; little
effort shown.
10
Key Services 14-
15
Points
More than five
key services are
listed and
explained in
detail, including
new services;
elimination of
functions or
positions no
longer needed
are convincingly
explained;
services are
highly
appropriate to
the IT Strategies
provided above
and are
applicable to the
Case Study;
relationship to
the IT strategy is
thoroughly
discussed;
12-13 Points
Five key
services are
listed and fully
explained,
including new
services;
elimination of
functions or
positions no
longer needed
are explained
well; services
are appropriate
to the IT
Strategies
provided above
and are
applicable to
the Case Study;
relationship to
the IT strategy
is clearly
discussed;
demonstrates
10-11 Points
Five key services
are listed and
explained,
including new
services;
eliminated
services are
explained. All
services are
appropriate to
IT Strategies
above;
relationship to
the IT strategy
is discussed.
9 Points
Fewer than 5
key services
are listed or
explained;
and/or
explanations
are incomplete;
and/or
eliminated
functions are
not explained;
and/or services
are not
appropriate to
IT Strategies
above and/or
may not be
applicable to
the Case Study.
0-8 Points
Key Services
are not
included, or
are too few
and
incompletely
explained;
and/or are not
at all
appropriate to
the IT
Strategies
above and/or
the Case
Study.
15
11/19/2017 7
demonstrates
strong
understanding of
course
vocabulary and
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
understanding
of course
vocabulary and
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
New CIO
Organization
Structure
9-10 Points
Explanation of
organizational
changes is
complete, well
justified and
explicitly tied to
the Case Study.
The chart of the
new organization
clearly includes
the key services
listed above, and
is professionally
presented using a
logical and easily
understandable
structure, with
correct spelling.
8 Points
Explanation of
organizational
changes is
complete and
tied to the Case
Study. The
chart of the
new
organization
clearly includes
the key
services listed
above, and is
professionally
presented
using a logical
structure, with
correct spelling.
7 Points
Explanation of
organizational
changes is
provided with
rationale for
each. Chart of
new
organization
includes all key
services listed
above and uses
a logical
structure, with
very few spelling
errors.
6 Points
Explanation of
organizational
changes is
inadequate or
incomplete
and/or partially
justified; chart
of new
organization
chart does not
include all key
services listed
above; and/or
chart does not
use a logical
structure
and/or contains
several spelling
errors.
0-5 Points
Explanation of
organizational
changes is
missing or
incomplete;
chart of new
organization is
not included
or is extremely
poorly
presented,
contains many
spelling errors
and/or does
not convey the
information.
10
Key
Milestones
9-10 Points
More than five
key milestones
are listed, fully
described and
have reasonable
target dates;
more than one
issue or concern
is provided for
each. Milestones
are relevant to
the changes that
need to be made,
as discussed in
the memo, are
clearly tied to the
Case Study, and
demonstrate
understanding of
course
vocabulary and
8 Points
Five key
milestones are
listed, fully
described and
have
reasonable
target dates;
more than one
issue or
concern is
provided for
some
milestones.
Milestones are
relevant to the
changes that
need to be
made, as
discussed in
the memo, and
are relevant to
the Case Study.
7 Points
Five key
milestones
(tasks or events)
associated with
accomplishing
the
organizational
changes are
listed, briefly
described, and
show a target
completion date.
For each
milestone at
least one issue
or concern is
presented.
6 Points
Fewer than five
key milestones
are listed and
described;
target dates
are missing or
are not
reasonable; at
least one issue
or concern is
not provided
for each;
and/or
milestones are
not relevant to
the changes
that need to be
made or to the
Case Study.
0-5 Points
Key
Milestones,
descriptions,
target dates,
issues and
concerns are
missing or
incomplete.
10
11/19/2017 8
concepts, and
critical thinking.
Conclusion 5 Points
The closing
section of the
memo is
appropriate,
relevant, effective
and meaningful.
4 Points
The closing
section of the
memo is
appropriate and
relevant.
3.5 Points
The closing
section of the
memo is
relevant.
3 Points
The closing
section of the
memo is
somewhat
effective and/or
relevant.
0-2 Points
The closing
section is
extremely
incomplete or
not included.
5
External
Research
5 Points
Two or more
sources other
than the class
materials are
incorporated, are
substantive and
are used
effectively.
Sources used are
relevant and
timely, contribute
to the analysis
and support
conclusions.
References are
appropriately
incorporated and
cited using APA
style.
4 Points
At least one
source other
than the class
materials is
incorporated
and used
effectively.
Source(s) are
relevant and
contribute to
the analysis.
References are
appropriately
incorporated
and cited using
APA style.
3.5 Points
At least one
source other
than the class
materials is used
and properly
incorporated
into the text.
Reference is
cited using APA
style.
3 Points
A source other
than the class
materials may
be used, but is
not properly
incorporated,
and/or is not
relevant or
timely; and/or
APA style for
references and
citations is not
followed.
0-2 Points
No external
research is
incorporated
or reference
listed is not
cited within
text.
5
Memo
Format
9-10 Points
Memo format is
used and content
is very well
organized;
appropriate
transitions are
included from
one section to
the next; correct
sentence
structure,
grammar and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format; uses
sophisticated
writing and
demonstrates
understanding of
8 Points
Memo format is
used and
reflects
effective
organization;
appropriate
transitions are
included from
one section to
the next;
correct
sentence
structure,
grammar and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
7 Points
Memo has some
organization;
may have some
errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar and
spelling.
6 Points
Memo format is
somewhat
followed; is not
well organized;
does not use
appropriate
transitions;
and/or does
not use correct
sentence
structure,
grammar and
spelling.
0-5 Points
Report is
extremely
poorly written,
has many
grammar
and/or spelling
errors, or does
not convey the
information.
10
11/19/2017 9
course concepts
and vocabulary.
TOTAL
Possible
Points
100
