Part 5

5

This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the concepts of this course to address the planning, development, implementation and on-going management of the technology solution you have proposed for the UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center. This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcome to enable you to:

· identify and plan IT solutions that meet business objectives.

Outline of Next Steps for the UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center

Following your presentation of your Stage 4 project, the owner of the UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center has authorized the project funding needed. Prior to beginning the project, the owner has asked you to prepare an outline explaining how you will address various important aspects of the project. For this assignment, you will develop an annotated outline that identifies the next steps to implement the solution described in Stages 2-4, addressing a number of areas such as project management, system development life cycle, change management, etc.

Assignment

Using the textbook and at least one
external resource
develop an annotated outline 2-3 pages in length, not including References and cover sheet, responding to the bulleted items below. Remember to correctly cite and reference your sources with APA format. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered everything. Your outline should be in Microsoft Word outline format. Submit your paper via your Assignment Folder as a Word document with your last name included in the filename.

An annotated outline provides the basic information in full sentences, but in outline form rather than in paragraph form. In this case, you will address each aspect of the next steps to be taken to implement your technology solution. You should provide all of the important facts, without the expanded discussions used in full papers. Each of the topics in the list below should be explained as they apply to your proposed technology solution and to the UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center, using a few sentences for each topic and providing information specific to your solution.

Your annotated outline should address the next steps in each of the following areas that the UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center will take to implement your technology solution:

· VERY brief description of proposed technology solution, including such things as what process is being improved, major hardware and software employed, where the software will run, what type of communications will be used, etc. (to set the stage for the rest of the outline). Also, include the following from the end of Stage 1 (with any recommended changes):

· Generic Strategy

· Strategic Business Area

· Process to be improved

· Project Management (schedule, resources-both human and financial, deliverables)

· System Development Life Cycle (all phases and how they apply to your solution)

· Change Management (Note that there are two aspects: managing the change introduced with your technology solution and managing changes to the solution after it is implemented.)

· Employee Training

· Leadership Expectations (their expectations of how the project will be managed and what it will produce)

· Defining Success (what will be “measured” to determine if the process has been improved, and if the business strategy and objectives are being met)

· Reference(s)

Here is an outline example. (However, please note that full sentences are required for this assignment):

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/

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081113013048_544

It is recommended that you use no more than 3 levels for clarity. Use Roman Numerals for the highest level entries. Using the automatic outlining format in Word will help:

The “right” and “wrong” answers have to do with whether or not you correctly incorporated the course concepts from the textbook and addressed all areas of the assignment.  Your “next steps” must be defined specifically for your UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center, addressing its operation and its environment and your technology solution. Also, you need to do some external research on at least one aspect of the assignment – your choice – and incorporate it and cite it in APA format in your response. Use the Rubric below to be sure you have covered all aspects.

Concepts:

Project Management: Textbook, pp. 355-361

SDLC: Textbook, pp. 345-354

Change Management: Module 3, Section III content (Course Content, Course Resources)

Leadership Expectations: Module 3, Section II content (Course Content, Course Resources)

Defining Success: Textbook, pp. 48-51

Project Management Best Practices Tips and Ideas from Experienced Project Managers:

http://www.family-business-experts.com/project-management-best-practices.html

GRADING RUBRIC:

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Tips and Guidance on Stage 5 – Outline of Next Steps

Now that you’ve analyzed the business issues, identified a strategy and a business process to support the strategy, and proposed a technology solution, it’s time to work towards a successful implementation.  Through this course, you’ve learned about the importance of a sound development process and strong project management.

In Stage 5, your assignment is to outline the next steps.  You will provide this information in an annotated outline –see Stage 5 instructions for guidance on annotations and use of the outlining feature in Microsoft Word.  You are not writing a full paper on this. You should be able to sufficiently cover this assignment in 2-3 pages.  Think quality vs. quantity!  Be sure to look at the grading rubric for areas to be addressed.  The assignment also requires at least one well-integrated, relevant external resource – properly cited.  Use your research to expand your knowledge in an area so that you can properly include in your outline what you might do in a given area to ensure your project’s success.  In your textbook , p. 335-336 lists the phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle.  Ch. 9.2 discusses aspects of project management. 

As with other stages of this Case Study, think about what is relevant and appropriate to the Fitness Center.  There is no IT department so it’s likely that you and other employees fulfill dual roles.  External resources are an option but keep it within reason – perhaps a part-time consultant can provide technical support for the website, for example. 

Keep your audience in mind – the owner of the Fitness Center – to tell him what’s going to happen.  Part of a good change management strategy is a communication plan to keep stakeholders informed.  If new technology is being introduced, the concerns might be about training, impact on customers, etc.  So as you address the areas, think about the types of information that will make sense to the owner.

Hint:  Defining Success:  In Stage 1, you identified problems and a strategy to bring the Fitness Center into the 21st century.  Success would be measured in how effectively you can accomplish that strategy.

As noted in the project instructions, I recommend no more than 3 levels in each item – otherwise it gets too detailed and you’ll have trouble completing in the given length.  Using only one level per item will probably not be specific enough.  From your annotations, I should be able to discern the key points because you’ve provided sufficient information.  For example:  If you were addressing the testing phase of the SDLC, it might look something like this:

II.            SDLC

E.            Testing -Use real-world examples and have fitness center employees test using actual data from the center. Cover all steps within the process.

                1.            Retest after any errors are corrected. 

As always, don’t hesitate to ask questions.  I’m available to review drafts but will need sufficient notice. 

I expect to see an SDLC in Stage 5 even if you are not developing any software but installing off-the shelf. I have received a good question from Tony. You have

analyzed (remember your Business Environment Analysis), and your current AS-IS process decomposition. You have also designed your to be process and how the system will look like  (even if you use pre-made applications). Under Design you will need to list the major components of your design that you have spent time either designing or selecting. Development is everything you need to do, prepare before installing the system, etc…I hope you are getting it. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Also about the Schedule , I realize the Walmart Example did not give you an example of a schedule but just stated what needed be in there.

1. A detailed Schedule will be established by the Project Manager for WERP based on planning that will be completed  by the development team. 

2. It will include all required activities that will lead to project success. 

3. It will include the detailed actions required by the steps of the SDLC and identify deliverables and dates that they must be completed.

Example of Schedule

January 1, 2014

January 15, 2014

January 18, 2014

February 5, 2014

February 5, 2014

February 5, 2014

February 10, 2014
 

ongoing