Information System Introduction into a Business Field - Research Proposal Example

Information System Introduction into a Business Field Contents 1. Introduction 7 Introduction and Background to the repor………………………………………………………………………8 Aim of the report………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8 2. Business Overview 9 3. Business Project Analysis 10 4. Business Analysis Team 10 5. Business Analysis Team ICT (Information and Communications Technology) 10 6. Business Process Analysis and Management (BPM) 11 7. BPM ICT Design 11 8. Customer Relationship Database Design 12 9. Project Plan 13 10. Project Budget 14 11. Conclusion 15 12. References 15 Introduction Introduction and Background to the report The firm is currently operating on the outdated approach, which ignores the opportunities of ICT. There are strategic plans to expand the business by opening 10 new locations across different cities in the country. For integrating business and successful business expansion, it is critical to introduce a new informational system enabling a firm to improve the business processes and increase it efficiency. The owners of the business want to apply for a loan, necessary to fund this project. Aim of the report The aim of this report is to provide a business plan for introducing new information system in a company. The objective of this report is to present rationale and cost-benefit analysis of proposed project for potential creditors and enable the owners of the firm to get loan to fund this project. Structure of the report The report is structured in several key parts. The first section provides a brief overview of the business followed with an overview of the business. The next section introduces business analysis, whereas there are identified major business functions and current problems. Furthermore, the report presents an overview of team management approach and analysis of the main business processes within an organisation. There are defined the types of new ICT and projected key improvements in business processes. The next section is devoted to customer relationship database design, followed by project plan and budget sections. Last section is concluding part of the report. Business Overview The company operates in tourism industry acting as a travel agent. The company acts as an intermediary between suppliers of various services such as airlines, hotels, package tours, etc. and final consumers. The company has developed a great customer database as it usually ensures high quality of service and has a good understanding of customers’ needs. Moreover, the company has well-established positive reputation among both suppliers/partners and customers, which serves a good basis for sustainable business. However, with the development of IT, more consumers are empowered to book their tours and to buy airline tickets directly without involvement of tour agents. Firm’s suppliers also have switched already to new forms of communication and business interactions. Currently the company operates four locations in the same city, but the management has a strategic plan to expand business adding 10 new locations across other cities in the next 5 years. In order to stay in business and achieve business expansion plans, it is important to adopt new technology and integrate it across the whole business. The company has an objective to adopt new ICT systems by the end of 2016. Diagram 1. Using MS Word Smart Art or shapes, a supply chain management (SCM) diagram Business Project Analysis The major business functions of the company include the following: providing information related to available products for suppliers to customers, giving advices and providing choice to customers (specific to each customers), transaction processing (airline tickets, hotel booking, package tours), and payment functions (Cosh, 2010). These functions are performed by managers, who use mainly fax and telephone in their work. Currently, the business cannot function at full extent, as it is limited to human factor. It takes a lot of time for employees to perform simple tasks as almost everything is performed manually and requires extensive paper work. The role of travel agent is an intermediary role, which can be replaced by modern technology. Nowadays, airline companies, hotels and other suppliers offer online booking service, which empowers customers to buy tickets online and arrange their trips independently. Therefore, it is important to reconsider the role of travel agent, whose work was mainly based on simple intermediary transactions. Therefore, current functions of travel agency related to tickets and tours booking becomes less demanded, as due to online booking services customers are free to contact suppliers directly. Moreover, currently performed booking functions require too much time and human efforts (Cosh, 2010). Introduction of ICT will enable the company to create a network, whereas travel agent will act as a network information broker. In order to stay profitable, the company needs to create personalized packages rather than focus on simple transactions. Even though customers can use Internet for searching information and tour planning, they will less likely cope at the same level as the expert of travel agency will (Cosh, 2010). Adoption of ICT will enable the firm to make existing business functions more efficient and effective. Booking of tickets, tours, destination, accommodation, travel provider, activities, etc. will be done absolutely via computers. Due to gaining digital access to supplier’s information, travel agents will gain sole access to up-to-date deals and offers. Adoption of CRS will enable the company to process reservations more effectively. Online access and website will enable the company to reach both broader audience of customers and pool of suppliers, regardless geographical location and time zone. Business Analysis Team In order to develop and introduce a new information system for the business, it is necessary to ensure that there is effective team(s) capable to collaborate towards achieving corporate objectives and goals. For this specific project there will be required a team of employees with different skills, both business and IT. Below is provided a brief specification of key employees, their roles and functions: Project manager – will lead the project IT manager – will coordinate the project and will be responsible for all IT issues Business manager- will be responsible for explaining business issues to IT specialists Project coordinator and assistant – will assist project management team, arrange meetings, and coordinate the process Finance manager – will develop budget for the project, track and authorize expenses associated with the project. Also, will be responsible for communicating with bank specialists if necessary. Business Analysis Team ICT (Information and Communications Technology)100 How will your teams collaborate to achieve the goal of developing a new information system? What types of technology will your team use to communicate? [100 words] [Refer to Chapter Extension 2: Using Collaboration Information Systems. pg 414 – 429] Business Process Analysis and Management (BPM) 300 An organization’s success depends on quality of managers’ decisions. To be able to make good management decisions a manager must understand the business processes that are key to the success of their business. Describe one of the main processes that are a feature of your business. Diagram 2. Using MS Word shapes draw a BPMN diagram to illustrate your existing main business processes. [300 words] What we are looking for: 1 diagram (BPMN before IS technology) Decisions: Which will be improved Why? How will they be improved? Explain what process will be impacted by the new information system Demonstrate your understanding of the impact of your decision making process [Business Processes: Refer to Chapter 2: Business Processes, Information and Information Systems. pg 27 - 41] [SCM diagrams: Refer to Chapter 8: Digital Commerce and Web 2.0. pg 237 – 243] [BPMN diagrams: Refer to Chapter 7: Business Process Management diagrams and examples. pg 197 - 202] [Decision Making: Refer to Chapter Extension 3: Information Systems and Decision Making. pg 432 – 436] BPM ICT Design 200 List and describe the types of ICT that you will use to enable your new business processes. Discuss why you have selected each ICT. What decision process steps would be improved by introducing a new IS system? Why? Diagram 3. Draw a second BPMN diagram to illustrate your planned main business processes after the implementation of your new information systems. [200 words] Identifies the types of information systems that this loan supports 1 diagram (BPMN after the implementation of IS technology) Discusses the decision process steps would be improved by introducing a new IS system and why? Customer Relationship Database Design 100 Databases are created to operate large quantities of information by inputting, storing, retrieving, and managing that information. Databases are used to support internal operations of organizations and to underpin online interactions with customers and suppliers Describe the types of information will each of your users need? What information will be stored in your knowledge management system (Database)? Why is this information important to your business? [100 words] Access: Create a customer relationship management database using MS Access for your business. Arrange the information needed by each type of staff member you identified into an Access Database. Ensure that you create ‘enforced’ relationships between the tables. Create 2 Queries for your database. Create a query that displays typical Customer orders. Create a query of your choice (including 1 group total) that provides useful information to you as owner of the business. What we are looking for. A list of the type of information each user will require to perform their role and why this information is important. A sample ACCESS database containing the types of information that your business will need. For each entity, include all the attributes. Identify the primary key. If there is any foreign key identify it as well. Create ‘enforced’ relationships between the tables Use realistic sample data to populate each of the tables with 3-5 records (using MS Access).  Create 2 queries. NOTE: Your database and data will be unique to your business. [Name your ACCESS file with your student ID. Submit your Access File Create a folder with your Student ID. Insert your ACCESS file. Submit your folder to your class folder in the QIBT Dropbox (I drive) > 1008ICT Assignment Folder > Your Class folder [Refer to Chapter Extension 7 Using Microsoft Access 2010 pgs 484 – 495] [Chapter Extension 8 “Using Excel and Access together” Pg 516 – 521 “How can you create group totals in ACCESS?”] Project Plan 200 You will used the supplied Excel Project Planning file to create a WBS table, a Gantt Chat and a PERT chart to help you manage you project. In approximately discuss how you would use your Project Plan Excel file to help you manage your project. Using the Supplied Excel Project Planning file: Create your WBS table using MS Excel. Insert your start date Assign task names and durations to tasks in your project. Specify task dependencies.(Predecessors) Create a PERT/CPM diagram for your project and identify the critical path in RED. Discuss how you would use your Project Plan Excel file to help you manage your project. [200 words] [Use the one Excel file for your budget and project plan]. Create a folder with your Student ID. Insert your EXCEL files. Submit your folder to your class folder in the QIBT Dropbox (I drive) > 1008ICT Assignment Folder > Your Class folder What we are looking for: WBS Table and Gantt Chart. Assign durations to tasks. Specify task dependencies. Identify Critical path in PERT/CPM. Discuss how you would use your Project Plan Excel file to help you manage your project. [Refer to Chapter Extension 11 Systems Development Project Management pgs 563 – 576] Project Budget 100 Describe the process and steps required for preparing your budget for your new information system. Using Microsoft Excel prepare a budget for this information system. Conduct searches for up-to-date prices of the following items required to install and implement the information system for your business, including: hardware, software networking Staff training other expenses Provide links to any site that you use or reference. Provide active website links to any site that you use or reference in your spreadsheet. (Inset supplier website URLs to your spreadsheet as active links) You must use Excel Formulae and functions to calculate your budget. Typed in answers (literals) will receive no marks. Create 1 chart of your choice to visually identify the important information in your budget. [100 word introduction to summarizing your budget and excel file] What we are looking for: A description of the process and steps (Around 100 words) A list of active website links to supplier websites. Budget table in Excel including hardware, and software components. Use of Excel Formulae and functions to calculate your budget. Total Cost adds up to no more than $100,000 An Excel Chart visually identifying the important information in your budget. [Name your Excel file Budget and Project plan and your student ID]. Create a folder with your Student ID. Insert your EXCEL files. Submit your folder to your class folder in the QIBT Dropbox (I drive) > 1008ICT Assignment Folder > Your Class folder [Refer to Chapter Extension 5 Introduction to Microsoft Excel pg 447 – 465 Chapter Extension 6 Preparing a Computer Budget using Excel pg 466 – 483 Chapter Extension 8 Using Excel and Access Together: Charts pg 512 – 516] Conclusion 150 [The conclusion should be a summary of your findings (business analysis). It should attempt to provide a response to key questions you posed in the introduction (why you need this loan). Remember NO NEW INFORMATION] [150 words] What we are looking for The section provides a clear conclusion for the report The section provides a clear conclusion of section 3.0 - 10.0 The section clearly identifies why the report is written to support the loan application and why the loan should be approved Submit your 2 computer files only (1 Excel (Project Budget and Plan) and 1 Access (Your Business Database)). References References: Cosh, K. (2010), ‘The introduction of ICT’s into the tourism industry: A detailed study with focus on Thailand’, [online] available at: http://cis.payap.ac.th/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/The-Introduction-of-ICTs-into-the-Tourism-Industry-Dr.-Ken-Cosh.pdf Read More