Before you begin this assignment, be sure you:
1.
Have completed
all previously assigned readings, particularly those assigned in Weeks 3 and 4
of the class.
2.
Re-read the
“ Haircuts Case Study” and the Stage 1, 2 &3 assignments, and
review the “Walmart Example.”
3.
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Purpose This assignment gives you the opportunity to · |
Review Instructor feedback from previous
assignment submissions.
Overview
ofIT Solution and Next Steps for Haircuts
For your Case Study
Stage 1 assignment, you performed a Five Forces Analysis and justified
Myra’s chosengeneric strategy for competitive advantage andthe
business process that she would like to improve through the application of
technology.
For your Stage 2 assignment, you identified the
inputs, processing, and outputs of Myra’s selected business process.Those
inputs, processing, and outputs form the functional
(business) requirements for an IT system to improve the process.
In Stage 3, you identified theIT requirementsby evaluating their applicability and importance in
a new system to be implemented to improve the identified business process for
Haircuts.
Following your analysis of the business environment
and the business and IT requirements, Myra Morningstarhas decided to move ahead
and implement an IT solution. She has
asked you to identify an IT solution and explain what the steps would be to
implement it.
Since Haircuts is a small business, Myra should
take advantage of a Software as a Service (SaaS), or a cloud-based system, that
has already been developed and is maintained and operated by a vendor. You should do some research and find a
vendor-provided solution that will support the process that is being
improved. Refer to the process model and
your Stage 2 inputs, processing, and outputs that define the business
requirements; and refer to your Stage 3 IT requirements as you select an
appropriate solution. Consider the cost
of the solution as you make your choice, so that your recommended solution will
be affordable for Myra.
For this assignment, you will
prepare a short paper explaining your proposed
IT solution and the next steps
in the implementation of that solution.
The next steps will includeeverything that Myra needs to do, from
getting a subscription to the software (or otherwise arranging to use it), to
purchasing hardware, to preparing employees and implementing the system. The specific steps and how they are
accomplished will be different for different system solutions.
Assignment:
Haircuts Stage 4: Write a
short paper that includes:
I.
Introduction: Introduce what is to come in your paper, and
include the generic strategy for competitive advantage and the business process
to be improved.
II.
Proposed IT Solution: Identifythe vendor and the
system you selected to improve the process at Haircuts. Explain why you selected that system over
others, including how it best meets the business requirements (see Stage 2) and
IT requirements (see Stage 3) of Haircuts. Explain if/how cost was a
factor in your selection.
III.
Implementation Steps: Identify and explain the steps Myra will have
to take to implement the system you have proposed. Include:
a.
Vendor agreement – What
does Myra need to do in order to be able to start using the system? How much will it cost to use the system?
b.
Hardware and
Telecommunications – What hardware will Myra need to install at Haircuts
in order to implement the solutions?
What kind of telecommunications will be needed for the solution,
including local connectivity inside Haircuts and Internet access? How will she acquire the necessary hardware
components and Internet access?
c.
Configuration – What
options does the vendor offer for configuring the system to Haircuts’
needs? How will the configuration be
done, and by whom?
d.
Testing – How will Myra
test the system to see if it is working properly for her needs?
e.
Employee preparation –
What will Myra need to do to prepare her employees to use the new system?
f.
Data Migration – How
will the current employee work schedules be entered into the system to get
started?How will the customer appointments that have already been made for
future datesbe entered?
g.
System use – Who will
use the system and for what purposes?
When users have questions about how to use the system, how will they get
answers?
h.
Maintenance – Who will
provide updates and corrections to the system?
IV.
Conclusion: Close your paper with a brief summary of the
entire project and what benefits Myra can expect to gain from it.
References: Incorporate at least oneexternal resource (NOTE: two or more external resources are required
to receive all possible points) into your paper on an area of your choice. An external resource is a resource other than those provided in the class or
textbook. Incorporate a properly
formatted APA citation in the text of your document. Then, place an APA style
list of references at the end of your paper.
Formatting:
·
Write a short, concise paper, about 3-4 pages in length.
·
Your paper should be double-spaced.
·
For academic writing, the writer is
expected to write in the third person. In third person, the writer avoids the
pronouns I, we, my, and our. The third person is used to make the writing more
objective by taking the individual, the “self,” out of the writing. This method
is very helpful for academic writing, a form in which facts, not opinion, drive
the tone of the text. Writing in the third person allows the writer to come
across as unbiased and thus more informed.
·
Use at least one external resource (two for full credit) with APA
formatted citation and reference.
·
Include a title page and a reference page.
·
Compare your final work to the rubric to be sure you have met content and
quality criteria.
·
Submit your paper as a Word document, or a document that can be read in
Word.
·
Your submission should include your last name first in the filename: Lastname_firstname_Stage
_4
GRADING RUBRIC:
Your assignment will
be graded according to the rubric below.
The “right” and “wrong” answers have to do with
whether or not you correctly incorporated the concepts from the course and
addressed all areas of the assignment. Your “next steps” must be defined
specifically for Haircuts, addressing its
operation and its environment and your proposed technology solution. Use the Rubric below to be sure you have
covered all aspects.
