Ch2 - Analyzing the Business Case

_________ is the process of identifying long-term organizational goals, strategies, and resources

A__________ is one that must be achieved to fulfill the company's mission.

A __________ can focus on a specific product or project, an operating division, the entire company, or the mission statement itself.

Refers to the reasons, or justification, for a proposal

The starting point for most projects is called a _________, which is a formal way of asking for IT support.

Main Reasons for Systems Projects

Strategic planning starts with a _______ that reflects the firm's vision, purpose, and values.

Many companies implement ________ systems that integrate all customer-related events and transactions, including marketing, sales, and customer service activities.

EDI also enables _______ inventory systems,  which rely on computer-to computer data exchange to minimize unnecessary inventory.

Some industry experts predict that bar code technology will be overshadowed in the future by _________ technology that uses RFID tags to identify and monitor the movement of each individual product, from the factory floor to the retail checkout counter. a

Many organizations assign responsibility for evaluating systems requests to a group of key managers and users.

A feasibility study uses four main yardsticks to measure a proposal:

_________ means that a proposed system will be used effectively after it has been developed

________ refers to the technical resources needed to develop, purchase, install, or operate the system.

_______ means that the projected benefits of the proposed system out weigh the estimated costs usually considered the total cost of ownership (TCO), which includes ongoing support and maintenance costs, as well as acquisition costs.

________ are advantages that are difficult to measure in dollars but are important to the company.

________ are benefits that can be measured in dollars.

_______ usually can be measured in dollars. But ________ also must be considered.

__________ means that a project can be implemented in an acceptable time frame.

A systems request must pass several tests, called a ________, to see whether it is worthwhile to proceed further

Projects where management has a choice in implementing them are called __________.

Projects where no choice exists are called _________.

A systems analyst conducts a _________ to study the systems request and recommend specific action.

A popular technique for investigating causes and effects is called a _________

The ________ is a widely used tool for visualizing issues that need attention.

The ________, sometimes called a ________, is another problem-solving tool.

The first section is an overview of the report. The introduction contains a brief description of the system, the name of the person or group who performed the investigation, and the name of the person or group who initiated the investigation.

The summary describes the basis of the systems request.

The findings section contains the results of your preliminary investigation, including a description of the project's scope, constraints, and feasibility.

A summary of the project request and a specific recommendation. Management will make the final decision, but the IT department's input is an important factor.

This section lists the people who will participate in the project, and describes each person's role

This section describes the cost of acquiring and installing the system, and the total cost of ownership during the system's useful life. Intangible costs also should be noted.

This section includes anticipated tangible and intangible benefits and a timetable that shows when they are to occur.

An _______ is included in the report if you need to attach supporting information.