CMIS 526 Final Study Guide

What is the purpose of "the business case"? - Answer- Explain to a business why a project should be pursued, and why it should be considered over its alternatives. What are the components of the business case? - Answer- Fact: The true numbers/details of a business case; what you know is true. Faith: Information in a business case that you feel strongly about; willing to put your faith/the integrity of your job on this belief. Fear: Putting the fear of god in the business' management; creating a fear factor by saying "If we don't pursue this opportunity, we will lose at..." Costs: The different cost considerations of a project (ie: new technologies, employee training, etc.) Benefits: What the business will gain by pursuing a project (ie: increased sales, more efficient work force, etc.) What are the pitfalls of beginning new projects? - Answer- Poor management implementation; Time-consuming. What is the productivity paradox? - Answer- Belief that information systems have improved workplace productivity (is no concrete research to support though) What is a proxy measure? Give an example. - Answer- Tool used to help quantify more challenging business benefits. Example: It would be hard to justify an estimated $50,000 annual marketing savings by pursuing a project. Instead, it is easier to explain that with the new project, the Marketing Department would save an average of 3 hours per day to perform other tasks, thus allowing the project to positively impact the business in multiple ways. When presenting a business case, it's important to... - Answer- Know your audience: Every manager has different business needs/requests; make sure you are voicing to their needs. Monetize the project's business: Be able to give estimates on how a project's benefits will allow the business to perform better. Know the management's hot-button issues: If you target the audience with messages they're truly seeking, a business case is much more impactful. What are the steps of the System Development Process? - Answer- Systems Planning: Defining the business requirements (ie: Based on the business case, where does the business need to improve?)