Stage 1:   Strategic Use of Technology

Before you begin work on this assignment, be sure you have readthe Case Study on Maryland Technology Consultants (MTC).  MTC is a fictional company created for IFSM300s Case Study.  It is also recommendedthat you review the additional Stages (2, 3 and 4) as well as the vendorbrochure provided for Stage 4.  This willhelp you understand the overall report and potential solution. 

Overview

As abusiness analyst in the Chief Information Officers (CIO’s) department of MarylandTechnology Consulting (MTC), you have been assigned to conduct an analysis,develop a set of system requirements, evaluate a proposed solution, and developan implementation plan for an IT solution (applicant tracking or hiring system)to improve the hiring process for MTC.  This work will be completed in four stages, and each of these fourstages will focus on one section of an overall Business Analysis and System Recommendation (BA&SR) report tobe delivered to the CIO. 

Section I. Strategic Use of Technology (Stage 1)- The first step is to look at the organization and explain how an IT systemcould be used to support MTC’s strategies and objectives and support itsdecision-making processes.

Section II. Process Analysis (Stage 2) Next you will evaluate current processes and workflow and explain how MTC canuse IT to improve its processes and workflow.

Section III. Requirements (Stage 3)Then you will identify key stakeholder expectations for the new technologysolution to support MTCs hiring process and develop a set of requirements.

Section IV. System Recommendation (Stage 4) Finally, you will review the provided Vendor brochure for a proposed applicanttracking system and explain how it meets the requirements and what needs to bedone to implement the system within MTC.

Thesections of the BA&SR will be developed and submitted as four stagedassignments. For stages 1, 2, and 3, only the material associated with thatstage will be graded. The stage 2, 3, and 4 submissions will include the stagethat is due, which will be graded according to the assignment requirements andrubric criteria, as well as include all previously submitted stages with anyrevisions made.    It is recommended thatwhen preparing stages 2, 3, and 4, you review any feedback from previousassignments to help improve the effectiveness of your overall report andincrease the likelihood of a well-written final submission.  For stage 4, the complete BA&SRsubmission includes grading criteria for evaluating if the document is a veryeffective and cohesive assemblage of the four sections, is well formattedacross all sections and flows smoothly from one section to the next. 

Assignment BA&SR:   Introductionand Section I. Strategic Use of Technology

Write anappropriate Introduction to the entire BA&SR Report (guidelines areprovided below).  Section I of theBA&SR document contains an organizational analysis and identifies ways inwhich an information system to improve the hiring process can help MTC, theorganization in the case study, meet its strategic goals and meet theinformation needs of various levels of management. 

Using thecase study, assignment instructions, Content readings, and external research,develop your Introduction and Section I. Strategic Use of Technology.  Tostart, review the readings in Weeks 1 and 2. The case study tells you that the executives and employees at MTC haveidentified a need for an effective and efficient applicant tracking or hiringsystem.  As you review the case study, use the assignment instructions to takenotes to assist in your analysis.

For Stage 1, create a title page andreference page that will be used for all 4 stages.

Applyspecific information from the case study to address each area.

Introduction

Begin yourreport with a clear, concise, well organized introduction to explain why youare writing and what is to come in the complete BA&SR report (not justStage 1).  This should briefly set thecontext for MTC business purpose, environment, and current challenges relatedto hiring.  Then specifically provide what is to come in the full report.   Keep your audience in mind this is aninternal report for the CIO of MTC. Provide an introduction in oneparagraph that engages the readers interest in continuing to read yourreport.

I.                   Strategic Use of Technology

A.      Business Strategy In thissection, you should clearly present at a broad level what MTCs business strategyis (refer to case study information), then what issues the current manual hiringprocess may present that interfere with achieving that strategy, and howimproving the hiring process will benefit MTC and support its businessstrategy.  (Use two to three strongsentences that explain how the system would support the strategy and justifyyour position with specifics from the Case Study.) 

B.     CompetitiveAdvantage – First, provide an overview of thecompetitive environment that MTC is currently operating in based on informationfrom the case study. Then explain how and why MTC can use the new hiring systemto increase its competitive advantage and help achieve its overall businessstrategy.  Your explanation shoulddemonstrate your understanding of what competitive advantage is as well as howimproving the hiring process will help achieve MTCs competitive advantage.Include how MTC can use the type of data or information that will be in thehiring system to improve its competitive advantage.  (Paragraph of 4-5 sentences)

C.      Strategic Objectives– Review the four Strategic Goals presented in the Strategic Business Plansection of the MTC Case Study.  The CIOhas asked you to come up with an example of an objective to help meet each goaland explain how a new hiring system would help achieve that objective.  As you can see from the example provided inthe table below, an objective is a statement that is clear (not vague) and issomething that can be measured or evaluated to determine whether it has beenmet or not. An important part of setting objectives is that they are SMART(specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound).  In order to evaluate whether an objective hasbeen achieved, its important to be able to measure it.  Consider this difference Student wants toget a degree (non-specific and not measurable) vs.  Student wants to earn a degree in InformationSystems Management by May 2020.  (Thisobjective provides specific what and when.)   First, insert an introductoryopening sentence for this table.  Then,for each of the rows listed below, complete the table with the requestedinformation.  (Provide an introductorysentence and copy the table.  Create an objectivefor each of the 3 remaining goals and explain using 2-3 complete sentences foreach.)  Note:  This is not about an objective to implement ahiring system or broad business goals but rather the focus is on objectivesthat would be supported by the use of a technology solution to support/improvethe hiring process.

D.     Decision Making – In the reading, How Information Supports Decision Making,you were introduced to the information requirements of various levels of theorganization.  First, insert anintroductory opening sentence for this section. Then, for each of the management roles listed below, complete the tablewith the appropriate level (asdefined in the reading one word is all that is required in this column), anexample of a specific decision supported by the Hiring System to be madeat that level, and what type of informationfromthe hiring system would be needed to support that decision.  Thinkabout what information the hiring system could provide about applicants, etc.,and then identify an example of a decision that might be made by each level ofmanagement. A decision is a choice or conclusion that the management might makeabout business operations or future planning. This is not about the decisions about implementing a newtechnology solution or about general responsibilities of each role. Example:  Adecision example could be stated as:  CEO decides to expand MTCs services to includecybersecurity.  He can make thisdecision because the hiring system provides information that many applicantshave the needed skills, certifications and experience to enable MTC to easilyrecruit IT consultants in this area. (Provide an introductory sentence thencopy the table and insert information within, writing in complete sentences.) 

Formatting Your Assignment

you are writing in the role of an MTC business analyst and youraudience is MTC and your boss, the CIO. Dont discuss MTC as if the reader has no knowledge of theorganization.  Also do not referencestage # or case study these are class terms and would not be in abusiness report. Use third person consistently throughout the report.  In third person, the writer avoidsthe pronouns I, we, my, and ours. The third person is used to make the writingmore objective by taking the individual, the self, out of the writing. Thismethod is very helpful for effective business writing, a form in which facts,not opinion, drive the tone of the text. Writing in the third person allows thewriter to come across as unbiased and thus more informed.