Exercise Analysis
You will officially prepare three analyses reports that are assigned during the semester. For each assignment students are to break into groups and work together to prepare a one to two page report and a presentation of no more than four slides for presentation in the following class. Your analysis should not exceed one single-spaced page using 11 point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins. Do not prepare a separate cover page, instead put your name, the class section number (MIS5212.001), and the analysis in the top-left corner of the header.
To submit your analysis, you must post it on the class blog no later than Tuesday at 8:00 AM of the week it is due. Please copy your analysis in clear text onto the blog.
Late submissions for this deadline will result in no credit earned for this assignment.
There is no one particular style for a good analysis. But, there are some common elements to excellent submissions (additional, grade-specific criteria are provided at the end of this syllabus):
- The opening of the analysis makes it immediately clear which assignment and what question is being addressed.
- You have cited specific details regarding key facts and issues of the case. Instead of general observations about information technology or organizations that apply to any problem, draw details from the assignment itself. Analyses, observations, and suggestions should be tied directly to those key facts and issues. You can also draw on the other readings in the course to inform and support your arguments.
- After analyzing the details of the analysis, discuss how its specific issues have broader application. In other words, use your analysis to provide some advice to managerial decision-makers that can be applied to other situations beyond this case.
- Provide a balanced perspective. For example, when making a recommendation explain the pros and cons, providing both the rationale (the why) as well as its feasibility (the how). Well-considered recommendations include discussion of potential issues with your solution and conditions that should be in place for your recommendation to be successful.