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Stage 3
Using the case and the provided template (containing IT considerations such as architecture, security, etc.), identify and explain which areas in particular need to be considered more fully for the solution proposed in Stage 2. Your template will be completed in the format provided (Word).
Stage 4
Using the case provided, identify how the solution from Stage 2 could support and enhance the business, explain the business benefits of the solution, and address the considerations put forward in Stage 3. Your deliverable will be an executive briefing in Microsoft PowerPoint.
Case Study, Stage 3: IT Considerations for Proposed Technology Solution
Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “UMUC Fitness Center Case Study” and “UMUC Fitness Center Stage One Project,” and “UMUC Fitness Center Stage Two Project” and the feedback from previous assignments.
IT Considerations for Proposed Technology Solution
For your Stage 2 Project, you proposed a technology solution to improve a business process at your UMUC Fitness Center. In evaluating an IT proposal, there are several areas that need to be considered. These considerations are listed in the table provided with this assignment. Depending on the specific technology solution you proposed, some of the considerations will be more important than others, or may need specific consideration prior to implementation. The responses that you enter into the table for each consideration must be aligned to the specific solution you proposed and appropriate to the UMUC Fitness Center.
Purpose of this Assignment
This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge of the areas to be considered in planning and implementing a technology solution. This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:
· analyze internal and external business processes to identify information systems requirements
· identify and plan IT solutions that meet business objectives.
Assignment
Using the technology solution you proposed in Stage 2, you should briefly explain it and then copy the table below and complete the remaining two columns. For each area of consideration, you should rank it as high, medium or low in importance or relevance for the specific technology solution you proposed for the UMUC Fitness Center. If that area of consideration is Not Applicable to your proposed solution, enter N/A. Then, provide a brief explanation, a minimum of two sentences for each, to justify that ranking or the N/A. Explanations must provide enough information to convey the reasoning behind the ranking. DO NOT copy the definitions from the textbook or other sources but put into your own words to demonstrate your understanding of the concept as you provide your explanation for the ranking. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered everything. Submit your paper with answers to parts 1 and 2 below via your Assignment Folder as a Microsoft Word document with your last name included in the filename.
Part 1: Brief explanation of proposed technology solution. Identify what the solution is, what it is expected to do for the UMUC Fitness Center, summarizing the information you provided for Stage 2.
Part 2: Table of IT Considerations
Area
High/Medium/Low Importance or Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A)
Explanation for Ranking
Accessibility
Availability
Maintainability
Portability
Reliability
Scalability
Usability
Disaster Recovery Plan
Authentication & Authorization
Prevention & Resistance (Security)
Detection & Response (Security)
Grid Computing
Cloud Computing
Virtualized Computing
Communications Architecture
Database Architecture
Decision Support
Artificial Intelligence
Business-to-Business eCommerce
Business-to-Consumer eCommerce
Example: If the technology solution being proposed was to have a kiosk for customers to use to pay for their membership at the UMUC Fitness Center, then for the area of Accessibility, the following might be entered. (The definition of Accessibility is provided here for clarification. Definitions are not required to be entered into the table above.) Note the thorough explanation of the ranking.
Area
High/Medium/Low Importance or Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A)
Explanation for Ranking
Accessibility
“Accessibility refers to the varying levels that define what a user can access, view, or perform when operating a system.” (Baltzan, 2012.)
Medium
Since the customers will use the kiosk to pay their membership fees, it must be accessible to everyone. Customers need a convenient and individual method of logging into the system that enables them to perform the needed tasks quickly and efficiently. The customers should have controlled access that prohibits them from entering any areas or performing any functions not intended for customer use. It is ranked “Medium” because it is important for some customers who choose to use the kiosk and the system cannot be accessed without some type of login so it is important; however, it is not “High” since there are other methods of paying membership fees.
The “right” and “wrong” answers have to do with whether or not you correctly ranked each consideration as it relates to your proposed technology solution and have provided a well-supported explanation for the ranking you assigned. Your responses will be evaluated on whether they are applicable to the solution, correctly ranked, adequately explained, and are appropriate to the UMUC Fitness Center. Use the Rubric below to be sure you have covered all aspects.
GRADING RUBRIC:
Attribute
Full Points
Partial Points
No points
Possible Points
Points Earned
Explanation of Proposed Solution
Brief explanation of solution effectively sets stage for rankings.
Explanation of solution is not completely adequate to set stage for rankings.
No explanation of proposed solution provided.
10
High/Medium/ Low Rankings
Rankings demonstrate understanding of course concepts, sophisticated analysis and critical thinking.
Rankings are adequate or may be lacking in demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis, and/or critical thinking.
No rankings provided.
40
(2 points each)
Explanations
Explanations justify rankings and demonstrate understanding of course concepts, sophisticated analysis, and critical thinking.
Explanations are adequate, or (some) do not adequately justify rankings; may be lacking in demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis, and/or critical thinking.
No explanations provided.
40
(2 points each)
Table Format
Information is professionally presented using sophisticated writing; uses correct sentence structure, grammar, and spelling.
Information is adequately presented, or may not be professionally presented, and/or contains grammar and/or spelling errors.
Information is extremely poorly written and does not convey the information.
10
TOTAL Points
100
100 points =13% of final course grade
Points Recorded
(total points x .13)
Concepts:
Accessibility: Baltzan textbook, page 175, “refers to the varying levels that define what a user can access, view, or perform when operating a system”
Availability: Baltzan textbook, page 175, 176, “refers to the time frames when the system is operational”
Maintainability: Baltzan textbook, page 176 – 177, “refers to how quickly a system can transform to support environmental changes”. Examples are multi-currency acceptance, acceptance of credit cards, multiple languages, etc.
Portability: Baltzan textbook, page 177, “the ability of an application to operate on different devices or software platforms such as different operating systems”
Reliability: Baltzan textbook, page 177, “ensures a system is functioning correctly and providing accurate information”
Scalability: Baltzan textbook, page 177, “how well a system can scale up, or adapt to the increased demands of growth”
Usability: Baltzan textbook, page 178, “the degree to which a system is easy to learn and efficient and satisfying to use”
Disaster Recovery Plan: Baltzan textbook, pages 172 – 173, “detailed process for recovering information or a system in the event of a catastrophic disaster”
Authentication & Authorization (Security): Baltzan textbook, pages 149 – 151, examples include user id/password, smart card/token, biometric technology
Prevention & Resistance (Security): Baltzan textbook, pages 151 – 153, examples include content filtering, encryption, firewall, antivirus software
Detection & Response (Security): Baltzan textbook, pages 153 – 154, example includes intrusion detection software
Grid Computing: Baltzan textbook, pages 181 – 183, “a collection of computers, often geographically dispersed, that are coordinated to solve a common problem”
Cloud Computing: Baltzan textbook, pages 182 – 187, “the use of resources and applications hosted remotely on the Internet”
Virtualized Computing: Baltzan textbook, pages 187 – 190, “creates multiple ‘virtual’ machines on a single computing device”
Communications Architecture: Baltzan textbook, Appendix B
Database Architecture: Baltzan textbook, Appendix C
Decision Support: Baltzan textbook, pages 52 – 57, “model information using online analytical processing, which provides assistance in evaluating the choosing among different courses of action”
Artificial Intelligence: Baltzan textbook, pages 57 – 61, “simulates human thinking and behavior, such as the ability to reason and learn”
Business-to-Business eCommerce: Baltzan textbook, page 98, “applies to businesses buying from and selling to each other over the Internet”
Business-to-Consumer eCommerce: Baltzan textbook, pages 98 – 99, “applies to any business that sells its products or services directly to consumers online”
Resources:
Walmart Case Example, in Course Content
Case Study, Stage 4: Executive Briefing on Business Benefits and Considerations of Proposed Technology Solution
Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “UMUC Fitness Center Case Study” and Case Study Staged Projects 1-3 and any feedback you’ve received on your assignments. Executive Briefing on Business Benefits and Considerations
For your Stage 2 Project, you proposed a technology solution to improve a business process at your UMUC Fitness Center. In Stage 3 you evaluated a list of considerations. In this Stage 4 Project you are to prepare an Executive Briefing, using Microsoft PowerPoint, addressing how the solution you proposed in Stage 2 could support and enhance the UMUC Fitness Center, explaining the business benefits of the solution, and addressing the considerations you determined to be most important in Stage 3. You will present this briefing to the UMUC IT Steering Committee to provide the justification for resources to implement your technology solution. For purposes of this exercise you do not need to focus on costs of the proposed solution, but just focus on convincing them that it will improve the operation of the UMUC Fitness Center and that you have addressed key issues.
Purpose of this Assignment
This assignment gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with an important group of stakeholders. This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:
· analyze business strategy to recognize how technology solutions enable strategic outcomes
· identify and plan IT solutions that meet business objectives.
Assignment
Using the technology solution you proposed in Stage 2 and the considerations you analyzed in Stage 3, you should prepare an Executive Briefing that:
· Clearly identifies and describes the problem area or process that needs to be improved
· Briefly describes the technology solution (showing major components)
· Addresses how the solution you propose could support and enhance the UMUC Fitness Center, explaining the benefits of the solution, and
· Addresses the considerations you determined to be most important in Stage 3.
Each slide should have a title and a limited number of bullet points. A presentation should capture key bullet points and not include complete paragraphs and detailed text. The bullet points in your presentation will be supported by relevant details in the Notes section of the slides. Use the “Notes” area to write what you would say if you were giving this as a presentation. Presentations with limited or no “Notes” will receive much lower grades.
While use of external resources is not required, your presentation may be strengthened by incorporating research. Remember to correctly cite and reference any sources. Any direct quotes should be indicated within the slide text with appropriate quotation marks and an in-text citation (however direct quotes should be short and used sparingly, if at all). Complete references for all sources should be included in the corresponding Notes section. Paraphrased material can just be referenced within the Notes section of the slides without an in-text citation on the slide. This deviates from APA style but keeps the slides more readable.
General Guidelines: Your presentation format should be professional and use frames, illustrations, color and/or style to make it interesting in appearance to keep your audience’s attention. Use bullet points – 6-8 words per line; 4-7 lines per slide; Font – suggest Arial, Verdana or Calibri (sans serif) size 24; use Design templates built into PowerPoint. Use graphics sparingly but to emphasize key points and add interest. Proofread and Spellcheck (including notes information)!
Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered everything. Submit your presentation via your Assignment Folder as a Microsoft PowerPoint (2003, 2007 or 2010) document with your last name included in the filename.
Your presentation should be at least 9 slides, to include:
· A cover slide with a title, your name and date as a minimum
· 1 slide that describes the problem area or process that needs improvement
· 1-2 slides that summarize the proposed solution
· 1-2 slides that explain the benefits to the UMUC Fitness Center of the proposed technology solution, telling how the solution supports the business strategy and what quantifiable (and perhaps non-quantifiable) benefits are expected.
· 4-6 slides on the most important considerations from the list in Stage 3 and the impact on the UMUC Fitness Center – what they mean to the UMUC Fitness Center and what needs to be done about them
· Summary/conclusion slide
GRADING RUBRIC:
Attribute
Full Points
Partial Points
No points
Possible Points
Points Earned
Description of Problem Area or Process
Brief explanation of the problem to be solved or process to be improved through implementation of the technology solution demonstrates understanding of the course concepts, sophisticated analysis and critical thinking.
Explanation is adequate; or may not adequately describe the process or problem of the UMUC Fitness Center; may be lacking in demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis, and/or critical thinking.
No description of problem area or process to be improved is provided.
10
Summary of Proposed Solution
Brief explanation of solution effectively sets stage for presentation.
Explanation of solution is not completely adequate to set stage for presentation.
No explanation of proposed solution provided.
10
Benefits
Benefits identified are relevant to the UMUC Fitness Center and derive from the proposed solution. Well supported explanation is provided of how solution supports the business strategy.
Benefits identified may not be relevant to the UMUC Fitness Center and/or may not derive from the proposed solution. Explanation may be adequate, or not explain how the solution supports the business strategy, or may not be well supported.
No benefits provided.
20
Considerations
The explanations of the impact to the UMUC Fitness Center of the most important considerations and explanation of what must be done demonstrate understanding of the course concepts, sophisticated analysis and critical thinking.
Explanations are adequate; or (some) do not adequately describe the impact on the UMUC Fitness Center and/or what must be done; may be lacking in demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis, and/or critical thinking.
No explanations of the considerations are provided.
25
Conclusion
Conclusion is effective and relevant to the presentation; demonstrates sophisticated analysis.
Conclusion is adequate, or may be somewhat effective and/or relevant to the presentation.
No conclusion provided.
10
Presentation Format
Presentation is clear and concise and supported by appropriate notes that adequately explain the material on each slide.
It reflects effective organization, sophisticated writing and creative design; correct structure of slides, grammar, and spelling; presented in a professional format; references are appropriately incorporated and cited using APA style as indicated in the instructions.
Presentation is not supported by appropriate notes, and/or is not well organized or presented, and/or contains grammar and/or spelling errors; and/or does not follow APA style for references and citations as indicated in the instructions.
Presentation is extremely poorly done and does not convey the information.
25
TOTAL Points
100
100 points =13% of final course grade
Points Recorded
(total points x .13)
Concepts:
How to Excel at Briefing Senior Executives:
http://www.melissalewis.com/articles/A-Briefings
Resources:
Walmart Case Example, in Course Content
