AIST3610 TechPrac01 Specs

1. 50 pts - System A&D Quiz 1

   Visit this course in D2L and complete quiz SADCh01 by the due date / time for this assignment. This quiz takes its questions from Chapter 1 System Analysis & Design and will be a subset of questions in Chapter 1 Quiz Study Guide.

2. 25 points - Compare & Contrast System Development Approaches

   1. System A&D Chapter 1 contains a description of system analyst Roles in an IT project; similarly, the MSF Team Model introduces Microsoft's team roles for projects. Use these materials to develop a document named SADRoles.docx -- one to one-and-a-half pages single-spaced -- which
      1. Identifies and briefly describes the roles associated with both development models;
      2. Compares roles between the two models (i.e., identifies & describes at least two areas where the approaches agree);
      3. Contrasts roles between the two models (i.e., identifies & describes areas at least two areas where the approaches are different).
   2. System A&D Chapter 1 contains a description of SDLC Phases in an IT project; similarly, the MSF Enactment Tracks introduces Microsoft's sequence of project steps. Use these materials to develop a document named SADPhases.docx -- one to two pages single-spaced -- which
      1. Identifies and briefly describes the phases or steps associated with each development model;
      2. Compares roles among the models (i.e., identifies & describes at least two areas where the approaches agree);
      3. Contrasts roles among the models (i.e., identifies & describes at least two areas where approaches are different).

   Attach both documents to this assignment in D2L.

3. 25 pts - Project Economic Analysis

   1. Review Mini-Case 3 from Chapter 1 of the SAD textbook. The Instructor's Manual suggests the following as an example solution.

      

      Using this as a guide develop an Excel spreadsheet named Decker.xlsx which duplicates this analysis. The first four columns' values and the Likelihood Estimate column can be plugged values (i.e., the numbers themselves are entered into the cells) but the other columns should be formulas based on the entered values. Suppose an annual training or incentive program added to the project would change the probabilities of 2 hour, 3 hour, and 4 hour responses from the estimated 20%, 30%, 50% to 30%, 30%, 40%; what would be the increase in Expected Annual Revenue (and, hence, the value for providing training or incentive program)? Add a comment in your spreadsheet below your analysis table that reports this value.

      Attach your completed Decker.xlsx (with either the original or revised Likelihood Estimates entered) to this assignment in D2L.

   2. Using the ProjNPV.xlsx worksheet as a guide (suggested) develop an Excel spreadsheet named CSProjNPV.xlsx which provides an economic analysis of the client-server system in Mini-Case 4 from Chapter 1. The case doesn't state it but for Annual Operating Costs - Personnel the costs are anticipated to rise at 4% per year after the first year, but for Hardware, Software, Misc the annual costs will remain constant. In a block below the analysis table, answer the case's questions (i.e., What is the NPV for this project? What is the ROI for this project? What is the break-even point? Should this project be accepted by the approval committee?). In addition to the case's questions, calculate and report what the Year 1 Value for Increased Sales would need to be to have the project break-even in present value terms at the end of year 4 (i.e., PV Benefits - Costs of zero).

      Attach a copy of your CSProjNPV.xlsx (with either the original or revised Year 1 Value for Increased Sales entered) to this assignment in D2L.

4. 25 pts - Feasibility Assessment

   Develop a brief -- about 1 page single-spaced -- feasibility assessment for the situation outlined in Exercise 6 of the SAD text Chapter 1. The assessment should touch on all the Assessment Factors from Figure 1-7 describing -- in your judgment -- whether the factor was more or less of a risk for Amazon than average, supporting your evaluation with a brief comment on why. There isn't a particular 'correct answer' here; evaluation will be based on you correctly understanding the risk factor and making a comment that supports your judgment. Name your document AmazonFeasibility.docx and attach it to this assignment in D2L.