George Moses

CIS 260
Prof. Rosemary Canellis
Homework 2
September 27, 2021

1 Last Chance Securities

The IT director opened the department staff meeting today by saying "I’ve got some good news
and some bad news. The good news is that management approved the payroll system project this
morning. The new system will reduce clerical time and errors, improve morale in the payroll
department, and avoid possible fines and penalties for noncompliance. The bad news is that the
system must be installed by January 1st in order to meet new federal reporting rules, all expenses
from now on must be approved in advance, the system should have a modular design if possible,
and the vice president of finance would like to announce the new system in a year-end report if it
is ready by mid-December.”

Tasks

1. Why is it important to define the project scope? How would you define the scope of the
payroll project in this case?

It is important to define the project scope to set up specific boundaries, or extent, of the
Project. If the project scope is not clearly stated, the payroll project may become too broad and
thus result in project creep occurring. To define project scope you must create a list with sections
called must do, should do, could do, and won’t do. In this case, to define the scope of the payroll
project, you must have a clear understanding of the requirements the system needs to meet. You
then need to ascertain all deadlines, financial restraints, and other constraints, as well as
acquiring in-depth knowledge of the new system's features and capabilities.

2. Review each constraint and identify its characteristics: present vs. future, internal vs.
external, and mandatory vs. desirable.
Constraints Characteristics
The system must be installed by January 1st Future, external, and mandatory
in order to meet new federal reporting rules
The system should have a modular design if Future, internal, and desirable
possible
All expenses from now on must be approved Present, internal, and mandatory
in advance
The vice president of finance wants to Future, internal, and desirable
announce the new system in her year-end
report if it is ready by mid-December
 3. What questions would you ask to determine the feasibility of this project?

Several questions could be asked to determine the feasibility of this project. Operational
feasibility questions that could be asked include: “Will the new system be difficult to learn to use
and if so does the company have the resources to teach its employees?” and “Will the new
system be in compliance with the law?” A technical feasibility question that could be asked
includes: “Is the technical expertise needed to develop the new system available, if not, how will
it be acquired?” An economic feasibility question that could be asked includes: “Will the benefits
of implementing the new system outweigh its costs?”. A schedule feasibility question that could
be asked includes: “Will the project be able to be completed within the time constraints?”

4. Given the time constraints, could you shorten any of the typical steps in the preliminary
investigation? Which ones? Explain your answer.

Given the time constraints, the typical steps in the preliminary investigation that could be
shortened include step two, which is to clearly state the project scope and its constraints. This
step can be shortened since the time constraint was already stated and time is one of the main
constraints. Step five in the preliminary investigation could also be shortened. Step 5 is
evaluating feasibility. This involves determining schedule feasibility, where the completion of
project date and time is needed to be scheduled. This step could be shortened as the date and
time constraints were already stated.

2 Way Out Bikes

The owner of Way Out Bikes asked you for advice about acquiring an information system for her
business. The company specializes in helping customers select exactly the right bicycle for their
needs and lifestyles. Way Out cannot compete on price with mass merchandisers, but it seeks to
offer value and expertise for which customers are willing to pay. You ask the owner whether she
has long-range plans for the company, and she replies that she has not really thought beyond a
one-year time frame.

Tasks

1. Develop questions to ask Way Out’s owner to help her conduct a SWOT analysis.

Several questions can be asked to help Way Out’s owner conduct a SWOT analysis. A
‘strength’ question that can be asked includes: “What’s unique about our product and service, in
comparison to our competitors, and how can we use this to our advantage to accomplish our
business goals?” A ‘weakness’ question that can be asked includes: “What are our company’s
weaknesses and how can we minimize or get rid of them?” A ‘opportunities’ question that can be
asked includes: “What opportunities are available to us and how do we intend to capitalize on
them?” A ‘threat’ question that can be asked includes: “What factors can negatively impact our
business and how can we assess and combat them?”

2. How could a mission statement help Way Out?

 A mission statement is an essential component of strategic planning. It describes the purpose
of an organization. A mission statement could help employees understand the meaning and
purpose of their work by demonstrating how their activity contributes to a greater cause.
Employees may also be able to recognize the pleasant elements of their everyday activities
thanks to the mission statement, which can enhance morale and improve the company culture. A
mission statement such as “Our mission here at Way Out Bikes is to deliver high-quality bicycles
and provide great expertise in the selection of the bicycle most suitable for the lifestyle of each
of our valued customers” would be great in letting employees and customers know the
company’s purpose. Also, the mission statement could help Way Out in identifying the part of
their business that they should concentrate on in order to meet their objectives.

3. What are the critical success factors for Way Out?

The critical success factors for Way Out include the provision of employee incentives to
increase bike sales, providing excellent customer support, and ensuring the best recommendation
is provided when helping customers choose the ideal bicycle for their lifestyle,

4. What questions would you ask the owner to help her develop a business case for an
information system?

The questions I would ask the owner to help her develop a business case for an information
system include:
- What are the anticipated downsides of carrying out the project?
- What do you think it will cost and how long do you think it will take?
- What are the information system's key goals and objectives?
- How profitable will implementing the new system be and what would the repayment time
be?
- What role would an information system play in resolving critical problems affecting the
business?
- How will we be able to tell the system has accomplished our desired goals?