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IFSM 301 IT Strategic Plan Part 1 GG Freightways (GGFRT) IT Strategic Plan, Part 1 Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “GG Freightways Case Study” and all the course content from Weeks 1 and 2

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IFSM 301 IT Strategic Plan Part 1

GG Freightways (GGFRT) IT Strategic Plan, Part 1

Before you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “GG Freightways Case Study” and all the course content from Weeks 1 and 2.

Purpose of this Assignment

This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the course concepts to begin development of an Information Technology Strategic Plan (ITSP) to support the strategic direction of GG Freightways (GGFRT).  This assignment specifically addresses the following course outcomes to enable you to:

• identify, define, and explain the concepts of information technology governance and management

IT Strategic Plan for GG Freightways

Lance, the new CIO at GGFRT, has asked you to write an IT Strategic Plan that he can use to guide the direction for his organization.  The ITSP will be developed in two parts.  This assignment covers Part 1; Part 2 will be covered in the next class assignment.  Together, they will form an ITSP that has been tailored to the course material covered in this class.  You may work for an organization that has an ITSP, and it would be a good idea for you to look at it, but it will likely be structured a little differently from this one.  Each organization develops an ITSP that will work for them.

Assignment

 

You will develop Part 1 of the ITSP for GG Freightways (GGFRT), using the outline below.  Each of the topics to be included in your outline is covered in the course content readings assigned thus far.  In addition to the course materials, at least two external resources (resources other than those provided in the class) must be used.  Two or more cited references will earn top credit. Use a separate References page to list just the references you have cited.  Remember to use the APA formatting rules and correctly cite and reference your sources with APA format.  Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered everything. 

Please use this outline to build your IT Strategic Plan.  Use the numbering and headings shown below.

Part One

1. Business Statement – Summarize in one paragraph, in your own words, the business of GGFRT.  Include the locations of the company/terminals/maintenance facilities, fleet information/details (breakdown), and current/future financial climate/goals (with cost savings).  Refer to Case Study.

 

2. Business Strategic Objectives - In the Case Study, the management team has identified three (3) new strategic objectives.  Using the following table (copy/paste it into your assignment), List/fully state the three (3) objectives, then, in your own words, in full sentences, add a brief explanation to each one.  Next add a new strategic objective of your own - one that you consider important to the current and future health of GGFRT’s business.  In the explanation (for the new objective only), it should also add a statement of how the management team would improve the business of GGFRT.  It can be one of the three federal/state regulations that the company wants to remain in compliance with, or a new one that you choose.  Write a brief introductory paragraph prior to the table.  The paragraph must come first before your table, to explain what the table is providing.

 

The format below should be used for the presentation of this section:

 

Business Strategic Objective (BSO) (enter number 1, 2, 3, 4 only)	Fully State the Objective (from the case study); for the new objective, it should not discuss IT.	Explanation (in your own words for each BSO; for the new objective only, also incorporate how the management team would use the new objective to improve the business of GGFRT.  None should discuss any relation to IT
1
2
3
4 (new objective)

 

3. IT Mission and IT Vision Statements – Write two short paragraphs with separate IT mission and IT vision statements for the Information Technology Department at GGFRT.  Label one “a. IT Mission Statement:” and one “b. IT Vision Statement:”.  The format should be:
   1. IT Mission Statement: (stated in full sentences)
   2. IT Vision Statement: (stated in full sentences)

Use what you learn from the case study to create your own idea for the IT Mission Statement (current IT goals) and use the case study situation at GGFRT to write the IT Vision Statement for the IT department (future IT goals).  (These should be general statements from the IT Department’s perspective and not note specific systems being planned for the near, or long-term future and general company operations).

 

Refer to the course materials on mission and vision, particularly the reading on "Creating a Future Vision for the Chief Information Officer".  If you need help on a mission statement, do a little research on the web; you will find many examples of IT mission statements.

 

4. IT Governance – Using the course content materials and the case study, describe, following the format below for each section, how the IT governance process should work for GGFRT.  Lance wants to engage the other senior leaders, so include:

1. who the participants are,
2. what each of their roles are on the governance board (why each is a member of the governance body, not their general roles in the company),
3. what specific governance methodology should be established/justification (i.e. COBIT, ITIL, etc.; documents in various weeks’ content), discussing your choice based on projects/case study
4. what general responsibilities the governance body would have, and
5. how they would prioritize IT projects (1) prioritization tool, (2) general criteria that is being considered for determining project importance, specific systems being planned should not be noted as the priority).

 

Refer to the course materials on governance, and you should supplement those documents with external research.  IT Governance methodologies are covered in Week 5’s course content.

 

5. Inventory of Current IT Systems – Using the information in the Case Study, you will use the table provided to describe the current systems in use (not the systems being planned or in process of being completed, servers and PCs are hardware, not systems) and the IT resources allocated to their support (these are personnel in the IT Department only as well as equipment that hosts these systems).  Copy and complete the table below, creating additional rows as needed to cover all current systems at GGFRT (if needed), then write a brief introductory paragraph prior to the table.  The paragraph must come first before your table, to explain what the table is providing.

 

Current System	Function/ Description	Strategic Goal aligned to (business strategic objective from part 2 of this assignment; if compliance noted as business goals were not used, they can still be incorporated in this table.	Business Unit/ Department	Business Benefits	IT Resources only (people, equipment supporting this system)

The "right" and "wrong" answers depend on whether you correctly incorporated the course concepts from the course content materials and addressed all parts of the assignment. The content of the mission and vision statements you create is not as important as that it makes sense considering the course content and the Case Study.  Use the Rubric below to be sure you have covered all aspects of the assignment.

Formatting Your Assignment

 

• Avoid quotation where possible by paraphrasing ideas and findings from your sources into both your own words and writing style. Changing a few words but including most of the wording and structure from the original text of your sources is not acceptable. Verbatim text directly from sources is not acceptable, even if cited. The work of the ideas and the writing needs to be your own. If you do use verbatim text, you must use quotation marks even if you have cited the source.
• Formatting: 1” margins, 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Create a title page that includes:  The company name, title of assignment, your name, Course and Section number and date. A running header and abstract are not necessary; however, please include page numbers.
• Use the numbering format in the assignment instructions above, for these sections:

1. Business Statement
2. Business Strategic Objectives (table format)
3. IT Mission and IT Vision Statements
   1. IT Mission Statement
   2. IT Vision Statement
4. Governance
   1. who the participants are,
   2. what each of their roles are on the governance board (why each is a member of the governance body, not their general roles in the company),
   3. what specific governance methodology should be established/justification (i.e., COBIT, ITIL, etc.; documents in various weeks’ content),
   4. what responsibilities the governance body would have, and
   5. how they would prioritize IT projects (prioritization tool, criteria that is being considered for determining project importance)
5. Inventory of Current IT Systems

 

• Write a short concise paper:  Use the recommendations provided in each area for length of response.  It’s important to value quality over quantity. 
• Content areas should be double spaced; table entries should be single spaced.
• To copy a table:  Move your cursor to the table, then click on the small box that appears at the upper left corner of the table to highlight the table; right click and COPY the table; put the cursor in your paper where you want the table and right click and PASTE the table.
• Ensure that each of the tables is preceded by an introductory sentence that explains what is contained in the table, so the reader understands why the table has been included (if included in the instructions).
• Use at least two resources with APA formatted citation and reference.  Any course content should be from the class reading content, not the assignment instructions or case study itself.  For information on APA format, refer to Content>Course Resources>Writing Resources.
• Begin a Reference Page for resources required for this assignment.  Use APA format for your reference page.
• Running heads are not required for this report.
• Writing should always be in third person.
• Compare your work to the Grading Rubric below to be sure you have met content and quality criteria. 
• Submit your paper as a Word document, or a document that can be read in Word.  Keep tables in Word format – do not paste in graphics.  The paper should be uploaded to the ITSP #1 assignment folder.
• Your submission should include your last name first in the filename:   Lastname_Firstname_ITSP1

GRADING RUBRIC: 

Criterion	90-100% Far Above Standards	80-89% Above Standards	70-79% Meets Standards	60-69% Below Standards	< 60% Well Below Standards	Possible Points
Business Statement	5 Points   The summary description of the business in the Case Study is complete, clear and concise and sets the stage for the remainder of the ITSP; demonstrates understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.	4 Points   The summary description of the business in the Case Study is clear and concise and sets the stage for the remainder of the ITSP.	3.5 Points   A summary description of the business in the Case Study is provided.	3 Points   The summary description of the business in the Case Study is unclear, not concise, and/or does not set the stage for the remainder of the ITSP.	0-2 Points   Little or no summary description of the business in the Case Study is included.	5
Business Strategic Objectives	9-10 Points   This section includes an effective and well-written introductory paragraph that is applicable to the Case Study and the table that follows.  Three (3) business strategic objectives are listed and fully stated.  One new objective, highly relevant to the Case Study, is listed, also fully stated, and clearly relates to how the management team will improve the business; work demonstrates understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.	8 Points   This section includes an appropriate introductory paragraph that is applicable to the Case Study and the table that follows. Three (3) business strategic objectives are listed and are fully stated.  One new objective, relevant to the Case Study, is listed; it clearly relates to how the management team will improve the business.	7 Points   This section includes an introductory paragraph that applies to the Case Study.  Three (3) business strategic objectives from the Case Study are listed.  One new objective, relevant to the Case Study, is listed; it relates to how the management team will improve the business.	6 Points   Fewer than three (3) business strategic objectives are listed or they are not drawn from the Case Study; the table lacks an introduction; the new strategic objective is not relevant to the Case Study; and/or new strategic objective does not relate to how the management team will improve the business.	0-5 Points   Few or no business strategic objectives are listed; the table lacks an introduction; a new objective is not added; and/or objectives are not related to the Case Study.	10
IT Vision and Mission Statements	18-20 Points   IT Vision and Mission Statements are clearly written and highly relevant to the Case Study and demonstrate strong understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.	16-17 Points   IT Vision and Mission Statements are clearly written and relevant to the Case Study and demonstrate understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.	14-15 Points   IT Vision and Mission Statements are both included and are relevant to the Case Study.	12-13 Points   IT Vision and Mission Statement do not cover both vision and mission, are not relevant to the Case Study, or are lacking in demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis and/or critical thinking.	0-11 Points   One or both IT Vision and Mission Statements are not included, and/or do not relate to the Case Study, and/or are poorly written and do not convey the information.	20
Governance	23-25 Points The Governance Section presents a well-supported and convincing explanation of a governance process for the business in the Case Study that engages other senior leaders in the organization.  This section includes a thorough discussion of all five (5) topics:  participants, roles of participants, what governance methodology should be established/ justified along with a cited source, responsibilities of the governance body, and the prioritization criteria/tool/ process for IT projects; is highly applicable to and appropriate for the Case Study; and demonstrates understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.	20-22 Points   The Governance Section presents a good explanation of a governance process for the business in the Case Study that engages other senior leaders in the organization.  This section includes a clear discussion of four (4) topics:  participants, roles of participants, what governance methodology should be established/ justified responsibilities of the governance body, and the prioritization criteria/tool/ process for IT projects; and is clearly applicable to and appropriate for the Case Study.	18-19 Points   The Governance Section addresses how the CIO will engage the other senior leaders and includes three (3) topics: who the participants are, what their roles are (why they are members of the governance body), what governance methodology should be established, what responsibilities the governance body would have, and how they would prioritize IT projects (criteria/tool/ process).	15-17 Points   Governance section does not include all required content (two (2) or less) (participants, roles, methodology, responsibilities, and prioritization criteria/tool/ process for IT projects); is not applicable to or appropriate for the Case Study.	0-14 Points   Little or none of the required information is presented in the Governance section and/or it is not relevant to the Case Study.	25
Inventory of Current IT Systems	18-20 Points This section includes an effective and well-written introductory paragraph that is applicable to the Case Study and the table that follows.  The completed table contains all required information accurately extracted from the Case Study and demonstrates thorough understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.	16-17 Points   This section includes an appropriate introductory paragraph that is applicable to the Case Study and the table that follows.  The completed table contains all required information accurately extracted from the Case Study and demonstrates understanding of course concepts, analysis and critical thinking.	14-15 Points   This section includes an introductory paragraph that applies to the Case Study.  The completed table contains all required information extracted from the Case Study.	12-13 Points   This section is somewhat incomplete (lacking in introduction or required table, or table content is incomplete); is not applicable to the Case Study; or is lacking in demonstration of understanding of course concepts, analysis and/or critical thinking.	0-11 Points   Little or no information is provided on the Inventory of Current IT Projects; table is missing; and/or information presented does not apply to the Case Study.	20
External Research	9-10 Points   Two (2) or more sources other than the class materials are incorporated, are substantive, and are used effectively.  Sources used are relevant and timely, contribute to the analysis, and support conclusions.  References are appropriately incorporated and cited using APA style.	8 Points   At least one (1) source other than the class materials is incorporated and used effectively. Source(s) are relevant and contribute to the analysis. References are appropriately incorporated and cited using APA style.	7 Points   At least one (1) source other than the class materials is used and properly incorporated into the text. Reference is cited using APA style.	6 Points   A source other than the class materials may be used, but is not properly incorporated, and/or is not relevant or timely; and/or APA style for references and citations is not followed.	0-5 Points   No external research is incorporated, or reference listed is not cited within text.	10
Report Format	9-10 Points   Report is very well organized and is easy to read.  Very few or no errors in sentence structure, grammar, and spelling; presented in a professional format.	8 Points   Report reflects effective organization; has few errors in sentence structure, grammar, and spelling; presented in a professional format.	7 Points   Report has some organization; may have some errors in sentence structure, grammar, and spelling.	6 Points   Report is not well organized, and/or contains several grammar and/or spelling errors.	0-5 Points   Report is extremely poorly written, has many grammar and/or spelling errors, or does not convey the information.	10
					TOTAL Possible Points	100