Honors Mini-Case Assignments

During the first part of this course students will learn to use a variety of tools and techniques to document business processes.  Throughout the rest of the semester we will use these same tools and techniques to describe business processes and discuss how technologies are used to support business processes.  Students will discover that these tools and techniques can be extremely useful in many different disciplines, not just MIS.  Students leveraging these tool in other courses after the completion of MIS2901 are often seen as “standouts”.  Finally, each exam will include a mini-case where students will be challenged to demonstrate their mastery of these tools and their critical thinking skills to analyze a business scenario. 

In this class you may work alone or in pairs to complete three mini-case assignments.  These include:

1. Mini-Case #1 – Prepare a mini-case to document a simple business process.
2. Mini-Case #2 – Prepare a mini-case to document a business process that could be supported with an ERP system.
3. Mini-Case #3 – Prepare a mini-case to document a business process that is related to SCM systems, CRM systems, a platform, a cloud based solution, or artificial intelligence.

Each mini-case will include:

1. A short narrative (1-page max) that describes the business process in English.
2. A swimlane diagram that documents each actor in the process and the tasks that are completed by each actor to perform the process.
3. An ERD that documents the information requirements to perform the process.
4. A conceptual architecture diagram that, assuming that a technology based system is used to support the process, documents the users, interfaces, processes supported by the system and the resources required to support the processes. (not required for mini-case #1)

For mini-case #1, you should understand the process well enough to create the narrative, the swimlane diagram and the ERD on your own.  For mini-cases #2 and #3 you will need to find and interview a subject matter expert (SME) that is extremely familiar with the business process to learn more about the process and how it is performed.  You will then create a first draft of the narrative, swimlane diagram, ERD and conceptual architecture diagram.  After you have created the first draft you will need to have the drafts reviewed by the SME and, based on their feedback, you will create final versions of each of these models.  Finally, you will review the final documents with the SME and have the SME sign-off on the final documents.  You will need to hand in paper copies of these models on the due dates listed in the class schedule and you will need to post electronic versions of your documents on the class site. 

Submission: Combine all of your documents into a single Word or PDF document.  Scan in and include any “sign off” documents from your SME (an e-Mail from the SME is acceptable).  Include the last name of each team member in the name of the document and the document as an attachment from your Temple email account to: Honors_.x2b0mapcralo95qi@u.box.com