MIS310 Assignment 5 Post implementation Review Assignment Latest

MIS310 Database Management Systems

Assignment 5

Post implementation Review Assignment

Final Consolidated Report

1 Report Content and Style

The final submission of the post implementation review (PIR) project consolidates all four of the preliminary submissions, incorporating the notes and suggestions made by the instructor. Each paragraph is written in narrative form. The total page count depends upon the content of the first four submissions.

Descriptions of events that have occurred, like the development of the application, or the success of the implementation should be written in past tense. Specific future plans should be written in the future tense, for example:

ABC, Inc. IT plans to contract ZYX Consulting to manage ERP Release 2. ZYX will be responsible for Release 2 testing and putting it into production.

Other references must always be written in the present tense.

The final report is evaluated on both content and presentation. If a team has any concerns about its ability to proofread its report for spelling, grammar and diction, I strongly recommend that you contact the Writing Center for assistance.

2 Report Organization

The report follows a standard business report organization. Sections and subsections are numbered by the decimal system. Major sections are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 etc. Subsections within the major section are numbered 1.1, 1.2, 1.3,

1.4 etc. Minor subsections are numbered 1.1.1, 1.1.2, and 1.2.1, 1.2.2 etc.

A section or subsection gets a new number when there is a clear break from the prior section or subsection. Numbering helps the reader keep track of questions or comments on specific parts of the report.

There should be a cover page followed by a table of contents. Subsequent pages are numbered. Sections begin on a new page and are numbered as follows:

Section

Content

1          Introduction

2          Executive Summary

3          Relevant Technologies/Technology Environment

4          Description of the Development or Acquisition and Implementation Process

5          Assessment of the Development/Acquisition and Implementation Process

The content and organization of each section is described in the following paragraphs.

3 Report Introduction (Section 1)

3.1   Why an Introduction?

An introduction has several purposes. It introduces the document with its subject matter. It introduces the author(s) and their ‘bona fides’ (their authority or background, why they are appropriate to write the document). It usually describes the why’s of the document, i.e. why it was written/why it was published. It can be used to list the sources of the information that drives the main document.

3.2   Who Needs an Introduction?

Every document of over two pages should have an introduction. The exceptions are documents that are accompanied by a transmittal memorandum that will never be separated from the document. The transmittal memorandum would carry the information that otherwise would go into the introduction. If the document may ever be received without the transmittal memorandum, it should have its own introduction.

3.3   Must an Introduction be a numbered section of the report?

In the case of the PIR Consolidated Report, yes. It must be Section One.

In general, though, it’s optional. I prefer it to be a numbered section. It can also be a preface, i.e., an unnumbered section that precedes Section 1. As a preface, its page numbers would be lower case Roman numerals. As Section 1, its page numbers would be standard Arabic numerals beginning with page one as the first page of the introduction.

3.4   What specifically does an Introduction contain?

The format of the material in this section is a suggestion. You don’t need to follow it rigorously. You do need to ensure that your introduction provides the same information in a reasonably organized manner.

The section on authors would introduce the authors (Review team) by name, identify their positions and their authorization to pursue the activity that resulted in this document.

Introductions often open with a section called “Purpose and Scope.” In this section, the author(s) describes what the document is, why the document was written, what purpose the document is designed to achieve, and what the document covers. In the case of the Post Implementation Review of an Information System, the purpose and scope might be described in this manner.

3.5   Introduction Table of Contents

1 Introduction

1.1   Document Purpose and Scope

1.2   Document Description

(List each section and explain what’s in them.)

Introduction

Executive Summary

Relevant Technologies/The Technology Environment

The Development/Acquisition Process and Findings

5   Assessment and Recommendations

1.3   Authors

1.4   The Subject Organization and the Target Application

1.5   Sources of Information

4 Executive Summary (Section 2)

The Executive Summary should be the last section written. This is the only section that will be new. There should be enough information in the Executive Summary so a senior manager could read it and understand the main issues, what your conclusions are and why you came to those conclusions. It should summarize the contents of Sections 3, 4, and 5, addressing key findings, significant issues and your key conclusions. You must include enough background material, (Sections 3 and 4) to justify the conclusions that you draw in your Assessment (Section 5).

5 Sections 3, 4 and 5, Appendices, and Bibliography

Section 3, (Relevant Technologies and the Technology Environment); Section 4, (Description of the Development/Acquisition Process and Findings), and Section 5, (Assessment and Conclusions), of the consolidated PIR report should be the updated and corrected (if corrections or changes were suggested) submissions, for PIR Assignments two, three and four. These sections should require minimal rewriting. They will require section numbering.

The Appendix/Appendices should follow Section 5. Any documents that you wish to include should be in an Appendix, with each separate document being listed as Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C etc. The documents should include actual web pages referencing other software solutions to the issue solved by the target system. Web pages referenced in the body of the report should also be included in the appendices. The bibliography should follow the Appendices.