UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center Case Study stage 3

Stage 3

Using the case and the provided template (containing IT
considerations such as architecture, security, etc.), identify and
explain which areas in particular need to be considered more fully for
the solution proposed in Stage 2. Your template will be completed in the
format provided (Word).
Case
Study, Stage 3: IT Considerations for Proposed Technology Solution
Before you
begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center
Case Study” and “UR UMUC Stage 1,” and “UR UMUC Stage 2”, the WALMART EXAMPLEand
the feedback from previous assignments.
Purpose of this Assignment
This assignment
gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge of the areas to be considered
in planning and implementing a technology solution. This assignment
specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:
analyze
internal and external business processes to identify information systems
requirementsidentify and
plan IT solutions that meet business objectives.
IT Considerations for Proposed Technology
Solution
For your
Stage 2 Project, you proposed a technology solution to improve a business
process at your Fitness Center. In
evaluating an IT proposal, there are several areas that need to be
considered. These considerations are
listed in the table provided with this assignment. Depending on the specific technology solution
you proposed, some of the considerations would be more important than others, and
some may not need specific consideration for the initial implementation of your
proposed solution. (If a consideration
is not relevant for the solution as described and at implementation but might
be something for the future, mark it “N/A”.
If for instance cloud computing is not in the solution being
implemented, but may be considered in the future it would be N/A and not
required for the solution. Please note
that even N/A items require an explanation.)
The responses that you enter into the table for each consideration must
be aligned to the one specific solution you proposed and appropriate to the UR
UMUC Healthy Fitness Center.
Assignment
Using the technology solution you
proposed in Stage 2, you should briefly explain it and then copy the table
below and complete the remaining two columns. (Submit only one table and do not
delete the Instructor Use columns.) For
each area of consideration, you should rank it as high, medium, low, or N/A
(Not Applicable) in importance or relevance at time of implementation (and not
some time in the future) for the specific technology solution you proposed for
the UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center.
Then, provide a brief explanation, a minimum of two sentences for
each, to justify that ranking or the N/A.
Do not try to create a reason if there is none, but carefully analyze
each consideration and determine whether it applies and how. Explanations must provide enough information
to convey the reasoning behind the ranking.
DO NOTcopy the definitions
from the textbook or other sources but put into your own words to demonstrate
your understanding of the concept as you provide your explanation for the
ranking. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered everything. Submit your paper with answers to parts 1 and
2 below via your Assignment Folder as a Microsoft Word document with your last
name included in the filename.

Part 1:Briefly explain your proposed technology
solution. Identify what the solution is,
what it is expected to do for the UR UMUC Healthy Fitness Center, and what
major hardware, software and communications components will be used, summarizing
the information you provided for Stage 2.
Please include the information that you provided at the end of Stage 1
(with any modifications recommended by the professor) at the top of your paper:
Generic
Strategy:
Strategic Business Area:
Process to be improved:

Part 2: Table of IT
Considerations. The Areas for
consideration are defined in the section “Concepts” which follows the table of
considerations. An example for one entry
is also provided below. Click on the
upper left corner of the table to copy it into your paper.

INST USE

Area

High/Medium/Low
Importance or Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A)

Explanation
for Ranking
(minimum 2 sentences for each, linked to specific
technology solution proposed)

IMPORT

EXPLAN

Accessibility

Availability

Maintainability

Portability

Reliability

Scalability

Usability

Disaster Recovery
Plan

Authentication
& Authorization

Prevention &
Resistance (Security)

Detection &
Response (Security)

Grid Computing

Cloud Computing

Virtualized
Computing

Communications
Architecture

Database
Architecture

Decision Support

Artificial
Intelligence

Business-to-Business
eCommerce

Business-to-Consumer
eCommerce

Concepts:

Accessibility: Baltzan textbook, page 183-184,
“refers to the varying levels that define what a user can access, view, or
perform when operating a system”
Availability:Baltzan
textbook, page 184, “refers to the time frames when the system is operational”
Maintainability: Baltzan textbook, page 185,
“refers to how quickly a system can transform to support environmental
changes”. Examples are multi-currency
acceptance, acceptance of credit cards, multiple languages, etc.
Portability:Baltzan
textbook, page 185, “the ability of an application to operate on different
devices or software platforms such as different operating systems”
Reliability:Baltzan
textbook, page 185-186, “ensures a system is functioning correctly and
providing accurate information”
Scalability:Baltzan
textbook, page 185-186,“how well a
system can scale up, or adapt to the increased demands of growth”
Usability:Baltzan
textbook, page 187, “the degree to which a system is easy to learn and
efficient and satisfying to use”
Disaster Recovery
Plan:Baltzan textbook, pages 179-181, “detailed process for
recovering information or a system in the event of a catastrophic disaster”
Authentication &
Authorization (Security): Baltzan
textbook, pages 157-159, examples include user id/password, smart card/token,
biometric technology
Prevention &
Resistance (Security):Baltzan textbook, pages 159-160,
examples include content filtering, encryption, firewall, antivirus software
Detection &
Response (Security):Baltzan textbook, pages 160-161, example
includes intrusion detection software
Grid Computing: Baltzan textbook, pages
189-192, “a collection of computers, often geographically dispersed, that are
coordinated to solve a common problem”
Cloud Computing:Baltzan
textbook, pages 195-197, “the use of resources and applications hosted remotely
on the Internet”
Virtualized
Computing: Baltzan
textbook, pages 193-195, “creates multiple ‘virtual’ machines on a single
computing device”
Communications
Architecture: Baltzan
textbook, Appendix B
Database
Architecture: Baltzan
textbook, Appendix C
Decision Support: Baltzan textbook, pages 55-60,
“model information using online analytical processing, which provides
assistance in evaluating the choosing among different courses of action”
Artificial
Intelligence: Baltzan
textbook, pages 60-62, “simulates human thinking and behavior, such as the
ability to reason and learn”
Business-to-Business
eCommerce: Baltzan
textbook, page 102, “applies to businesses buying from and selling to each
other over the Internet”
Business-to-Consumer
eCommerce: Baltzan
textbook, pages 102-103, “applies to any business that sells its products or
services directly to consumers online”

Example: If the technology solution being proposed
was to have a kiosk for customers to use to pay for their membership at the UR
UMUC Healthy Fitness Center, then for the area of Accessibility, the
following might be entered. (The
definition of Accessibility is provided here for clarification. Definitions are not required to be entered
into the table above.) Note the
thorough explanation of the ranking.

Area

High/Medium/Low
Importance or Relevance or Not Applicable (N/A)

Explanation
for Ranking

Accessibility
“Accessibility
refers to the varying levels that define what a user can access, view, or
perform when operating a system.” (Baltzan, 2012.)

Medium

Since the customers will use the kiosk to pay their membership fees, it
must be accessible to everyone.
Customers need a convenient and individual method of logging into the
system that enables them to perform the needed tasks quickly and efficiently. The customers should have controlled access
that prohibits them from entering any areas or performing any functions not
intended for customer use. It is ranked “Medium” because it is important for
some customers who choose to use the kiosk and the system cannot be accessed
without some type of login so it is important; however, it is not “High”
since there are other methods of paying membership fees.

The
“right” and “wrong” answers have to do with whether or
not you correctly ranked each consideration as it relates to your proposed
technology solution and have provided a well-supported explanation for
the ranking you assigned. Your responses
will be evaluated on whether they are applicable to the solution, correctly
ranked, adequately explained, and are appropriate to the UR UMUC Healthy
Fitness Center. Use the Rubric below to be sure you have
covered all aspects.
GRADING RUBRIC:

Attribute

Full
Points

Partial
Points

No
points

Possible Points

Points Earned

Explanation of
Proposed Solution

Brief
explanation of solution provides enough information to set stage for
rankings.

Explanation
of solution is not adequate to set stage for rankings.

No
explanation of proposed solution provided.

10

Comments:

High/Medium/
Low/NA Rankings

Rankings
are appropriate to proposed technology solution and case study; demonstrate
understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.

Rankings
are lacking relationship to proposed technology solution and/or case study,
and/or in demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis, and/or
critical thinking.

No
rankings provided.

40
(2 points each)

Comments:

Explanations

Explanations
justify rankings, are linked to proposed technology solution and/or case
study, and demonstrate understanding of course concepts, analysis, and
critical thinking.

(Some)
explanations are not linked to proposed technology solution and/or the case
study, and/or do not adequately justify rankings; may be lacking in
demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis, and/or critical
thinking.

No
explanations provided.

40
(2 points each)

Comments:

Table Format

Informationis
professionally presented; uses correct sentence structure, grammar, and
spelling.

Information
is not professionally presented, and/or contains grammar and/or spelling
errors.

Information
is extremely poorly written and does not convey the information.

10

Comments:

TOTAL Points

100

100
points =13% of final course grade

Points Recorded
(total
points x .13)

Recommendations: