Basic Instructions:
Working individually, students will demonstrate additional competency in project, operations, and information systems management by preparing a succinct report that integrates project, operations, and information systems management to meet a managerial challenge at their organization and significantly improve its performance.
Your report will include at least the following topics
- An executive summary
- Description of the managerial challenge
- Application of project management to the challenge
- Application of operations management to the challenge
- Application of information systems management to the challenge
- Assignment of the project team
- Training needed
- Work breakdown including critical path
- A planning budget
The report will be submitted in pdf format except for the budget, which will be in xlsx format, and the work breakdown including critical path, which will be prepared with a project management software such as MS-Project in its particular format (mpp for MS-Project).
Critical thinking, managerial decision making, information literacy, problem-solving, systems thinking, and technology fluency are needed.
Additional Instructions:
What is a succinct report? Could it not be 10 pages plus a cover page and references or less? One reads that IBM decision papers are limited to that length, and we all recall the single-sheet Ringo Sho approach to important decisions at Toyota.
Project management always refers to the Triple Constraint and involves a project team, plus a Gantt chart with critical path.
Operations management refers here to the daily processes at your organization; you should show how they will be improved after the project is completed.
Information systems management refers to the support provided by IS and included IT both during the project and also afterwards; you should describe it.
Required Format:
Except as provided above, you should again use A Format for Your Text Assignments (Mandatory)
Required Readings:
- Meredith, J.R., & Mantel, S.J., Jr. (n.d.). Technological forecasting.http://wiley.com/college/dec/meredith298298/resources/addtopics/addtopic_s_02a.html. Scan Includes forecasting methods
Multimedia:
- Christensen, C.M. (2012). Tech futures - Christensen on solar energy. Cambridge: Harvard Business School Publishing. To be found in Content/Week 10 Makes a "shocking" prediction
Additional Readings:
Find them in Content/Week 10/Optional Resources.
These include optional articles of value to those electing to do the Enrichment Opportunity.