IT 201: Case Report
Overview
The second case report for this course is to determine the software requirements for a company. In this assignment, you are to read the given scenario. Then, you are to analyze the scenario, write a list of questions for the company, and provide recommendations in a case report. Your list of questions is due in Module Six, and your case report is due in Module Seven.
Scenario
Suppose you have been hired by SNHU Consulting, a leader in information technology. Widget Wonders is a worldwide leader in widgets. They are building a state-of-the-art facility to manufacture and distribute the next generation of widgets. SNHU Consulting has been retained to implement information technology on the expansion project.
The new facility for Widget Wonders will be the main manufacturing and distribution center in the United States. The network in the distribution center will connect to the main network located at headquarters. The various departments in the distribution center, the number of employees, and the department needs are listed below:
– Sales: The 50 employees in this department require mobility to access company resources while visiting customers and presenting at sales meetings and conferences.
– Manufacturing: The 45 employees in this department require access to word processing and spreadsheet programs and the internet.
– Inventory Control: The 30 employees in this department require mobility and power to access database systems.
– Research and Development: The 20 employees in this department require graphics and computer-aided design (CAD) programs.
– MIS: The 5 employees in this department require additional processor and memory requirements to support administration tasks.
As part of the expansion team, you will determine software requirements for each department. Widget Wonders requires software for document processing, spreadsheets, and presentation creation to be installed on all computers. The widget industry is very competitive, and company assets must be protected from rival companies. Widget Wonders utilizes new technology in its operations while keeping an eye on the budget.
1. Read the given scenario in detail. Read it over a few times and pull out key facts about Widget Wonders pertaining to its software needs in each department.
2. Due in Module Six: Create a list of questions for Widget Wonders to determine what software you would recommend for its employee workstations. Your list should include at least five questions. The questions should be thought provoking and produce in-depth answers that will yield recommendations. Questions that can be answered with one word should be avoided. Questions should relate to the hardware recommended in Module Three. You can ask about some of the following: operating systems, office applications, databases, security applications, or management utilities. Some examples include the following:
· Do you require leading-edge operating systems?
· Will open-source solutions be acceptable suggestions?
· Do you require backup software options?
Your questions should focus on what you must learn from Widget Wonders in order to prepare a comprehensive recommendation that will meet the needs of each department. Think about the various components and how they relate to each other. Think in terms of software only.
3. Due in Module Seven: Write a case report in at least one page that includes recommendations of operating system software, application software, and security software that you think will meet the needs of each department in Widget Wonders.
A. For operating system software, look at desktop operating systems and make a recommendation. There are several popular choices for desktop computers, including Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Your research should focus on client operating systems, not server operating systems. For Windows operating systems, www.microsoft.com is an excellent resource. For Linux operating systems, www.distrowatch.com lists the most popular Linux distributions (Linux operating systems are called distros). Finally, www.apple.com provides information for the latest Mac operating systems.
B. For application software, consider the needs of each department. A suite of software (for example, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook are part of Microsoft Office) is one application. Possible applications include word processing, database, presentation, computer-aided design, graphic editing, accounting, and inventory management. Based on the operating system you selected, recommend applications for Widget Wonders.
C. For security software, as Widget Wonders takes security seriously, you must consider security applications you would install or configure on the desktop operating systems. Possible security applications include backup and recovery, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and personal firewalls.
The components you recommend to Widget Wonders should execute all current software requirements and include additional computing requirements to be useful in the next three years. For each component, describe what the software does and why you selected it. Possible recommendations include the operating system, office applications, databases, and CAD software. Be sure to defend why this solution meets the requirements. The recommendations should meet the needs of all five departments. Be sure to use terminology from your course content. Use the following sections for your case report:
· Introduction: In one to two paragraphs, summarize the requirements for Widget Wonders and the needs of the department.
· Recommendation: Write up your recommendations in paragraph form. Explain why your recommendations are a good fit for each department. Defend your software recommendations and ensure they relate to the hardware selected in the Module Three case report.
· Conclusion: In one paragraph, state why you think the recommendations would last for three years.
