Assignment: Outline of IT Solution and Next Steps -UMUC Haircuts
Your annotated outline will define and explain the IT solution you are proposing and address each of the next steps shown below that UMUC Haircuts will take to implement your technology solution.
I. Project Description:
A. Introduction
1. Strategy for competitive advantage: (just name the strategy)
2. Business process to be improved: (just name the process)
B. Proposed solution and IT components needed to implement the project
1. Selected system
a) Identify the vendor and the system you selected to improve the process at UMUC Haircuts.
b) 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 UMUC Haircuts. Explain if/how cost was a factor in your selection.
2. Major hardware needed – list the hardware components that Myra will need to install at UMUC Haircuts in order to implement your proposed solution.
3. Facility requirements – identify where Myra should place the hardware.
4. Telecommunication needs – identify what kind of telecommunications will be needed for the solution, including local connectivity inside UMUC Haircuts and internet access, if appropriate, and whether it will be used for data, voice and/or video.
C. Business resources needed to complete the project.
1. It Skills & Services – identify the technical skills needed to implement the solution including application knowledge, social media skills, and technology installation, and who should perform the tasks.
2. Cost of proposed solution – you do NOT need to show the costs for the system. Instead, you should state what aspects of your proposed solution make it cost-effective for Myra’s small business. Be sure to consider the Total Cost of Ownership, which includes the ongoing maintenance, update and replacement costs of any hardware, software, telecommunications, etc., in your explanation of cost-effectiveness.
II. Project Management – the system implementation is a small scale project, but it still requires project management, especially in the areas listed below.
A. Triple constraints – explain how Myra can control the scope, schedule and cost of implementing the system.
B. Human resource management – identify who Myra should involve in implementing the system and what function each would perform.
- Risk management – Identify the major risks associated with your proposed solution and what should be done to mitigate those risks (prevent them from occurring). You should include at least 3 risks (business risks, technical risks, project risks, security risks or implementation risks, etc.) and corresponding mitigation strategies.
III. System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) – even though Myra is implementing a system that has already been developed and is in use by other small businesses, the phases of the SDLC still apply as there are things Myra should consider or do in each phase. For each phase, explain what Myra needs to do to implement your proposed solution.
A. System Investigation
B. System Analysis
C. System Design
D. Programming or System Configuration
E. Testing
F. Implementation
G. Operations and Maintenance
IV. Business Process Changes – explain how the business process(es) will need to change once your technology solution is implemented (what will be done differently).
V. Employee Training – explain the training that employees will need to use the new system effectively, and how and when it will be conducted.
VI. Defining Success – identify at least 3 things that can be “measured” to determine if the process has been improved and other ways that Myra will know if the IT solution has helped her business.
References:
Incorporate at least one external 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 text book. Incorporate a properly formatted APA citation in the text of your document. Then, place an APA style list of resources in this section.
………………….Answer Preview………………
A. Introduction
1. Strategy for competitive advantage: Operational effectiveness
2. Business process to be improved: Customer and Employee Scheduling
B. Proposed solution and IT components needed to implement the project
1. Selected system
a) The software system selected to improve the process at UMUC haircuts is Vagaro Salon software which is a CRM by Vagaro Inc., a leading salon software management company (Davila, D. (2011).
The reason for selecting this CRM over others is because of the business flexibility and integration of various features that the software offers. For instance, they have a fully hosted secure cloud solution
APA
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