Business Applications and IT Management
? Create a proposal for an Information Systems consulting service
? Submit your group report by 13th November, 2015; 2pm (hardcopy); midnight (softcopy)
? One only submission per group for the hardcopy and softcopy of group report.
? Group report worth 70 marks
? Maximum 10 pages in length; 12 font. 1.5 spacing.
? Submit your individual report by 17th November, 2015; 2 pm (hardcopy); midnight (softcopy)
? Every student needs to submit their own individual section.
? Individual report worth 30 marks
? Maximum 4 pages in length; 12 font. 1.5 spacing.
? No extensions will be given and late submission will incur penalties.
(more details are provided in the document)
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Task description
You are acting as a consultancy company. A small business has approached you as a prospective client. First, they would like you to advise them on the best software application they should buy to solve their current organisational problems. Secondly, they would also like you, as the consultant, to outline a 5yr plan for IT growth and development so that they can remain competitive in the future.
Group Task: Proposal for consulting service
Submit your individual report by Thursday 13th November, 2015 .
See above for submission guidelines.
This task expects you to write and submit a proposal for the Information Systems consulting service. The focus of the group report is answering the client’s first query: what is the most appropriate software application for them.
The proposal should include:
? An appropriate cover-page, with name of the team and list of team members.
? A table of contents.
? Four key sections:
1. A concise summary of the current situation facing your client. Consider their background and key challenges.
? Don’t analyse the issues here. Simply outline the clients situation in your own words in this section.
? 1 page max
2. A systematic analysis of the client’s key issues and software application requirements.
? Please provide as much relevant detail as possible as this part will be a key focus for the marking.
? It is important to carefully analyse and prioritize the core issues and requirements and to make it clear how you came to your conclusion. Consider MoSoCoW rule.
? 3 pages max
3. A clear description of your market scanning approach.
? Outline the steps you took to select your sub-set of vendors from the 100s available.
? 1 page max
4. A concise evaluation of the different vendors.
? Explain your ranking criteria for judging the different vendors and include consideration of the pros / cons of each vendor. Questions to consider
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include: On which basis do you shortlist these different solutions? How do these solutions meet the requirements?
? Please provide a rationale and succinct discussion to support and expand upon the various options you will have evaluated in tabular form as this part will also be a key focus for the marking.
? Present your recommendation. Discuss why the vendor you have selected is the best option (i) against client requirements and (ii) compared with the other vendors.
? 4 pages max
Individual Task: Developing a Vision for your Client
Submit your individual report by Monday 17th November, 2015 .
See above for submission guidelines.
This task expects you to write and submit a supplementary report for the Information Systems consulting service. The focus of the individual report is answering the client’s second query: what technologies (IT infrastructure, software) could they exploit to enable them to grow and remain competitive in 5 yrs time.
Your consulting report should include the following:
? Emerging Trends in IT
? Conduct a critical assessment of the suitability of 3 emerging business technologies: Cloud Computing, Social Computing and Mobile Computing.
? Provide a description of these IT trends, assess their relative strengths and weaknesses in the context of the clients commercial and existing IT readiness. This aspect focuses on “what” form the vision will take.
? 2 pages max
? Implementation Considerations
? Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of two different approaches to realising the vision for the client: a phased integration over a 5 year period or a ‘big bang’ approach.
? A conclusion with your recommendation and associated reasoning.
? This aspect focuses on the “how” the vision will be realised.
? 2 pages max
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Further information
Referencing
It is important that you reference your sources. As an example: if you state a particular risk of the technology, I want to know where you got the information from so I can go to the relevant source to read up on it.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a form of academic misconduct and will not be tolerated. It is important that you take the information from your sources and use it for your purpose. Any kind of cut & paste will be considered plagiarism. As spelled out in the University Handbook, cases of plagiarism will be reported to the Chairman of the Board of Examiners and sanctions will apply. Please familiarize yourself with the section on plagiarism in the University Handbook.
Do not directly contact the interviewees
If you need to clarify certain information provided please get in touch with your course-leader. He will forward questions as appropriate.
Communication on Moodle
Please post all questions on the discussion board on Moddle, as we can share the answers with all groups.

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