BSA 375 (Fundamentals of Business Systems Development) Complete Class – All DQs, Individual and Team Assignments
Week 1 Discussion Questions
DQ 1: Why do heuristics and biases play a major role in the success/failure of an IT project? What specific kinds are the most influential factors – in general and for your specific organization?
DQ 2: How does organizational culture play a role in the successful reliance on the JAD process to identify and gather business requirements? Would JAD work in your company? Why or why not?
DQ 3: Based on Tallon and Scannell’s (2007) article, describe information life cycle management (ILM) and the relationship to the cost of storage.
Week 2
Individual Assignment: Service Request SR-rm-004, Part 1
The final individual paper for this class is comprised of three sections and due in Week Four. One section of the paper is due each week.
Complete Section 1 of 3 for the final paper due in Week Four. Using the Service Request SR-rm-004, Analyze HR System, and prepare a 4-6 page paper that accomplishes the following:
Describe the information-gathering techniques and design methods you would propose to use for the project.
Identify the key factors that help ensure the information required for the project is gathered successfully.
Explain the scope and feasibility of the project.
Cite and discuss 3 to 4 references, in addition to the required readings, that are relevant to the assignment. Include citations and references using the University of Phoenix approved style guide format.
Week 2 Discussion Questions
DQ 1: What is “enterprise-wide analytics technology” and how can it play a part in understanding business processes? What are the challenges in rolling out a Business Intelligence tool?
DQ 2: Based on Perkin’s (2007) article, list five reasons why projects fail. Provide an example of a project failure.
DQ 3: Based on Stotz’s (2007) article, why is it important to adequately define the use of a system? List five items a typical design document contains.
Week 3
Individual Assignment: Service Request SR-rm-004, Part 2
Complete Section 2 of 3 for the final paper due in Week Four. This weeks assignment incorporates the transition from analysis to design. You may consider revising Section 1 based upon faculty feedback.
Prepare a 4-6 page paper that accomplishes the following:
Describe the application architecture and process design.
Include a high-level description of the security controls that you recommend for the design of this HR system. Apply the tools of systems analysis to describe the information systems architecture in terms of data, processes, interfaces, and network.
Draw the physical data flow diagrams. Use Microsoft®Visio® to prepare examples of flow charts and data flow diagrams.
Cite and discuss 3 to 4 references, in addition to the required readings, that are relevant to the assignment. Include citations and references, using the University of Phoenix approved style guide format.
Week 3 discussion Questions
DQ 1: What are the differences between the “human-centered” and “user-centered” approaches? Do you agree that the human-centered approach is more effective? Why or why not?
DQ 2: Based on Rajlichs (2006) article, do you think that the waterfall model is no longer useful in todays development environment? Discuss why or why not.
Week 4
Individual Assignment: Service Request SR-rm-004, Part 3
Complete Section 3 of 3 for the final paper. This weeks assignment incorporates the transition from design to implementation. You may consider revising Sections 1 and 2 based upon faculty feedback.
– Prepare a 4-6 page paper that accomplishes the following:
Describe the implementation stage for this project.
Include a discussion on the six major activities for the implementation stage as described within the text:
Coding
Testing
Installation
Documentation
Training
Support
The discussion on these six activities must describe how each activity would be specifically planned for the individual project situation.
Discuss the benefits of using defined and repeatable processes for accomplishing these activities for the implementation stage.
Cite and discuss 3 to 4 references, in addition to the required readings, that are relevant to the assignment. Include citations and references using the University of Phoenix approved style guide format.
Week 4 Discussion Questions
DQ 1: Is testing a distinct phase of the project, or does it come into play during other phases? Please explain. How can tools help the quality and effectiveness of testing?
DQ 2: Based on Walsh’s (2007) article, explain why end user satisfaction should be used in addition to ROI when measuring new systems.
DQ 3: Based on Davidson and Kumagais (2008) article, list three advantages and risks associated with open source software.
Week 5
Learning Team Assignment: Service Request SR-kf-013 (Due Week Five)
– Create a Learning Team Charter.
– Complete Service Request SR-kf-013.
o Develop Requirements for Kudler Fine Foods Frequent Shopper Program.
o Prepare a 12-16 page paper and a PowerPoint® presentation of the project, due in Week Five. Assume that the paper and the presentation are to be delivered to an executive management committee. At a minimum, the paper should include the following:
o Business objectives with supporting measures of success for the project
o Description of the current business process or system with identification of the scope or boundaries of the project
o Project constraints: finances, time, resources, and organizational policies or culture
o Business functional requirements
o Description of the new business process or systemutilize the process objectives model and the system objectives model
o Design requirements: input or output design, interface design, data model, and network model
Cost-benefit analysis
Review the Service Request SR-kf-013 for Kudler Fine Foods.
– Define the scope and stakeholders associated with the project.
– Identify the preliminary assignments and tasks for each group member.
– Create a detailed outline for each section of the paper.
– Draft the first 4-6 page section of the paper, due in Week Five. Include the following:
– Statement of Scope and Goals: Specify what functions will be included in the project. Identify the goalsaccomplishments, not a solution.
– Supporting Measures for Success: Specify tangible measures for determining the relative degree of success of the completed project. The measures must correlate with the goals specified in the first section of this deliverable.
– Summary of Project Feasibility: Include specific operational, technical, and economic feasibility analysis. Operational and technical issues should specify how each issue will be addressed. The economic analysis must include quantified specific benefit and cost areas.
– Current Business Process Summary: Provide a flowchart and a separate high-level logical data flow diagram of the current process.
– Proposed System Requirement List: List specific individual requirement needs in measurable and objective terms.
Draft the next 4-6 page section of the paper due in Week Five. This should include:
– Determination of Requirements: Identify specific analysis methods used to determine user needs.
– List of Confirmed Requirements: Categorize each system requirement identified for the Week Two deliverable as mandatory or optional.
– Proposed System Process View: Provide a flowchart of the proposed process.
– Functional Allocation Modeling: Specify how each proposed system function would be allocated in terms of the required hardware, software, and HCI (Human-Computer Interface).
– Logical Model of the System: Provide a high-level logical data flow diagram of the proposed system.
Draft the next 4-6 page section of the paper, due in Week Five. This must include:
– Preliminary Design Model: Provide a diagram that illustrates the overall logical information architecture.
– Design Trade-off Approach: Specify the tradeoffs among cost, schedule and performance. For example, a fast, inexpensive solution may not address performance requirements adequately.
– Detailed Design Process and Design Specifications: Specify separate recommended decisions for software design, hardware, and networks. Include resolution of HCI considerations.
– Physical Model of the System: Illustrate the recommended decisions in information architecture diagrams.
– Begin work on the PowerPoint® presentation
Draft the final 4-6 page section of the paper. This should include:
– Testing Process Summary: Define a test plan or script that identifies major software functionality and hardware to be tested along with the required outcomes.
– Installation Process and Training Plan Summary: Provide a time line that identifies the specific stepsincluding trainingand related resources required to implement the recommended system. Include a narrative explanation that includes a discussion on the effects of project constraints, such as time, conversion method, etc. and a description of the recommended training plan.
– Documentation Plan Summary: Specify and explain each type of documentation required for ongoing supporttechnical and userof the proposed system.
– Support and Maintenance Plan Summary: Provide a plan that outlines responsibilities and related resources necessary to support and maintain the proposed systemsoftware, hardware, and networks.
Week 5 discussion Questions
DQ 1: When does it make sense to outsource, specifically the maintenance and support of an application system?
DQ 2: Based on Gardners (2007) article, describe the importance of timing when implementing new projects?