Instructions for Producing the Interim Report

Instructions for Producing the Interim Report

Based on your organizational process analysis, group discussions, and brainstorming, identify three distinct ways that information systems could be used to improve performance of the process. After you have identified the three alternatives, respond to the following instructions:

Identify in the title area of the Interim Report which group member is leading production in the Interim Report Stage. This must be a different member from the leader of the Project Proposal Stage.

Consider the following description:

“The Run, Grow, Transform (RGT) is a framework that firms use to [allocate] the percentage of budgeted resource dollars on information technology…

Run is classified as what companies spend to maintain their existing IT systems to run their businesses, how they optimize the execution of existing processes...

Grow is classified as what companies spend to grow their businesses, which was further explained to include new technology investments to support the growth and expansion of the business…

Transform is described as those investments that change the way the business currently operates, which [includes] a distinct focus on improving … operational capabilities, efficiencies, and organizational effectiveness from these investments.”

More information on RGT is available at:http://tinyurl.com/ognkd2k

Evaluate the current performance of your chosen organizational process. In addition to describing key performance indicators, the frequency of failure/problems, and whether the process could be improved to provide additional capabilities to the organization, you should also consider the following questions in your evaluation of the process:

· Is the process a candidate for a “Run” improvement? Why or why not?

· Is this process a candidate for a “Grow” expansion? Why or why not?

· Is this process a candidate for a “Transform” change? Why or why not?

Title this section “Evaluation of Performance and Opportunities”.

Your innovation must explicitly incorporate at least three of the following course topics:

· IT governance innovation · Cloud computing · Software as a service · Open source computing · Business intelligence · Mobile technologies

· User experience innovation · Enterprise systems · Service-oriented architecture · Non-traditional system development methodology

Describe three ways that the organizational process could be improved, expanded, or changed by applying information systems, including additional materials (e.g., flowcharts) as necessary to clearly explain each approach to a generalist reader. Note that approaches are specific applications of IS, and each approach you describe must meet the “three course topics” requirement outlined above. For example, three approaches could be as simple as three different software applications, all of which provide business intelligence via software as a service and cloud computing.

In your description of each approach consider the following issues:

· What is the specific opportunity that is being addressed by your approach?

· Which three course topics does this approach relate to?

· What specific information systems are you proposing to add or change?

· What other changes would be needed to implement your proposal?

Title this section “Three Approaches to Apply IS”.

Briefly evaluate each of the approaches that you are considering. Address the following issues for each approach:

· Is this improvement likely to involve high, moderate, or low cost for the organization? Why?

· Is this improvement likely to have a high, moderate, or low impact on performance of the organizational process? Why?

· Is the impact of the improvement likely to be top-line, bottom-line, intangible or some combination of these? Why?

· Are there other factors that should be taken into account when evaluating this possible improvement? What are they? Why are they important?

Title this section “Evaluation of Approaches”.

Select one of the approaches for further investigation in your Design Recommendation (conducted during the Final Report and Project Presentation Stage). Explain why you chose that particular alternative, but do not conduct further investigation at this time. Title this section “Our Selected Approach”.

Your Interim Report should follow this outline structure closely. Include the title shown for each major requirement above, followed by your response. This Interim Report section should be no more than 6 pages long, including all tables, figures, and appendices (12 point Times New Roman font, single spaced, with one inch upper, lower, right, and left margins) in Microsoft Word format. It should be included in a document that begins with the final version of your Project Proposal.

Interim Report: WPI - Personal Reimbursement Process

Evaluation of Performance and Opportunities

? Is the process a candidate for a “Run” improvement? Why or why not?

? Is this process a candidate for a “Grow” expansion? Why or why not?

? Is this process a candidate for a “Transform” change? Why or why not?

Three Approaches to Apply IS

Approach 1: Submitting existing form and receipts electronically via email, with electronical approvals.

• What is the specific opportunity that is being addressed by your approach?
• Reduction in paper consumption, and printer toner.
• Reduction of time in transit.
• Electronic trail from submission to final approval
• Which three course topics does this approach relate to?
• IT infrastructure - increase in network traffic, utilizing to reduce the amount of manual steps and electronic repository for copies of expense report.
• IT and Customer - increase in personal productivity
• What specific information systems are you proposing to add or change?
• Impact on email server load - increase in emails with file attachments.
• File store for repository of expense form and receipts.
• Increase in network traffic for transmitting reports
• What other changes would be needed to implement your proposal?
• Policy changes to allow for approvals via email.

Approach 2: Utilizing Banner Travel and Expense Management, which interfaces directly with Banner Finance.

• What is the specific opportunity that is being addressed by your approach?
• Same as Approach #1
• Allows for submitter to see status of reimbursement
• Which three course topics does this approach relate to?
• IT infrastructure - hardware, help desk support, increase in network traffic
• Cloud Computing - hosting application on the cloud
• IT Governance - enforcing approval routing rules, electronic checks for data accuracy
• What specific information systems are you proposing to add or change?
• Addition of Banner Travel and Expense Management software
• User licensing and maintenance
• Hardware to host the application and store records
• Increase in network traffic for transmitting reports
• Help desk support
• What other changes would be needed to implement your proposal?
• Policy change to support the new workflow
• Training of Accounting Staff on usage
• Integration with Banner Finance

Approach 3: Mobile application for submitting receipts and approvals

• What is the specific opportunity that is being addressed by your approach?
• Same as Approach #1
• Which three course topics does this approach relate to?
• Same as Approach #2
• What specific information systems are you proposing to add or change?
• Application
• User licensing and maintenance
• Hardware to host the application and store records
• Increase in network traffic for transmitting reports
• Help desk support
• What other changes would be needed to implement your proposal?
• Policy change to support the new workflow

• Training of Accounting Staff on usage

Evaluation Approaches

12 point Times New Roman font, single spaced, with one inch upper, lower, right, and left margins

Briefly evaluate each of the approaches that you are considering. Address the following issues for each approach:

? Is this improvement likely to involve high, moderate, or low cost for the organization? Why?

? Is this improvement likely to have a high, moderate, or low impact on performance of the organizational process? Why?

? Is the impact of the improvement likely to be top-line, bottom-line, intangible or some combination of these? Why?

? Are there other factors that should be taken into account when evaluating this possible improvement? What are they? Why are they important?