Case Study, Stage 3: IT Requirements

Before you begin this assignment, be sure you:

1. Have completed all previously assigned readings, particularly those assigned in Parts 3 and 4 of the class.
2. Re-read the "Kelly's Salon Case Study" and the Stage 1 &2 assignments, and review the "Walmart Example."
3. Review Instructor feedback from previous assignment submissions.

Purpose of this Assignment

This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge of the course concepts to develop IT requirements for a technology solution. This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:

• analyze internal and external business processes to identify information systems requirements
• identify and plan IT solutions that meet business objectives

Overview of Information Technology (IT)Requirements for a System to Improve the Process atKelly's Salon

For your Case Study Stage 1 assignment, you performed a Five Forces Analysis and justified Kelly's chosenstrategy for competitive advantage and the 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 Kelly's selectedbusinessprocess. Those inputs, processing, and outputs form the functional (business) requirements for an IT system to improve the process.

In Stage 3, you will define theIT requirementsby evaluating their applicability and importancein a new system to be implemented to improve the identified business process for Kelly's Salon. Therequirements that are identified as relevant to the business process will form the IT (technical) requirements for a system. In evaluating and selecting an IT system, both the functional (business) requirements and the IT requirements need to be considered. The areas that need to be consideredin developing the IT requirements are listed below in the Table of IT Requirements.Depending on the specific process being improved and the data it uses, the areas listed will vary in both relevance and importance. For example, in a system to handle applications for Social Security, security and privacy are extremely important; but for a system to list what movies are being shown at a theater, privacy is not applicable at all. Your analysis must relate to the process Kelly seeks to improve.

When both the functional (business) and technical (IT) requirements are identified, the system requirements are complete enough that you can then begin looking for a specific solution to meet the needs of Kelly's Salon. These rankings would then be used in evaluating possible solutions with those solutions meeting a greater degree of characteristics rated high in importance being a better fit (but not part of this assignment). Researching and finding an appropriate system to improve the process at Kelly's Salon will be done in Stage 4.

Analysis of IT Requirements:

• IT Requirement: The areas to be considered are listed in the table. Be sure to research each term to ensure understanding as to whether and how it would apply to theKelly's Salon process being improved and the data it uses. A table of sources of the definitions of the requirements is provided below to assist you. Be sure you use a definition that applies to IT and this assignment, and not a generic definition of the term.

• Rankings: High/Medium/Low Importance or Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A): You will rank each requirement as to how important or relevant it is to the process being improved and the data it uses. Each will be ranked as High, Medium or Low, or Not Applicable to the process and its data.Rankings relate to importance to the solution--not the complexity of how the characteristic could be addressed. For example, if it is important to secure customer data, that would be a high ranking even if it would be simple to address within the system. Your explanation should not include how a system might meet the requirement.

• Explanation of Ranking: Using the definition of the term you researched and the ranking you selected, provide an explanationthat clearly demonstrates your understanding of the term and specifics as to how it relates to Kelly's Salon and the specific business process to be improved. Your explanation should incorporate information from your earlier analysis and the case study. Generic definitions ("security is critical to the business") is not a sufficient explanation. Be sure to consider the type of data (inputs and outputs - from Stage 2) that the system will handle as you determine the applicability. All requirements must be ranked and a thorough explanation that demonstrates understanding of the topic must be provided.Please note that even N/A items require an explanation. A minimum of three good sentences should be used for each explanation.

• References: Incorporate at least two resources correctly; one reference should be from the course materials and one reference should be external.An external resource is a resource other than those provided in the class or textbook. Incorporate properly formatted APA citations in the text of your document for each reference used. Then, place an APA style reference page at the end of your document.

• Do not try to create a reason if there is none, but carefully analyze each requirement and determine whether it applies and how. Explanations must provide enough information to convey the reasoning behind the ranking and to demonstrate that you understand the requirement.

Example: If the process to be improved is the method for customers to use to pay for their haircuts or salon visits, then for the requirement of Usability, the following might be entered. Note the thorough explanation of the ranking that demonstrates an understanding of usability.
Requirement

High/Medium/Low Importance or Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A) Explanation for Ranking

Usability High Since the customers will use a system to make their payments, it must be easy to understand and easy to use. It would be inappropriate to require any training for customers. If it is too complicated, customers will not use it. In addition, front desk staff should be able to easily learn the system without extensive training. That is an entry level job with frequent turnover so having a system that is intuitive and easy to navigate is critical.

Assignment: Kelly's Salon Stage 3: Create a document that includes:

I. Introduction

At the top of your paper, show the generic strategy for competitive advantage that Kelly selected and the business process she has chosen to improve (see the Stage 1 assignment), using the following format (no additional explanation is required):

Generic Strategy for Competitive Advantage: xxxxxxx (just name the strategy)

Business Process to Be Improved: xxxxxxxxx (just name the process)

II. Table of IT Requirements

• Copy the table below into your paper.

• Rank each requirementas High, Medium or Low in Importance/Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A) to a system to improve the process,

• Explain each ranking, as described in the table, including explanations for N/A.

• Definitions of the IT requirements are listed in Course Resources tableabove.

Formatting:

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.

• Submit one document that includes the Table of Requirements.

• Table entries should be single spaced.

• Use at leasttwo resources with APA formatted citation and reference. Use at least one external reference and one from the course content.

Use APA formatted citations and references for any external sources used.

• 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.