Stage 2
Please review attachments. I have attached the first part of the assignment as well as the instructions and case study.
Stage 2: Process Analysis
Before you begin work on this assignment, be sure you have read the Case Study and reviewed the feedback received on your Stage 1 assignment.
Overview
As the business analyst in the CIO’s department of Maryland Technology Consulting (MTC), your next task in developing your Business Analysis and System Recommendation (BA&SR) Report is to conduct a process analysis. This will identify how the current manual process is working and what improvements could be made to the process that would be supported by a technology solution.
Assignment BA&SR: Section II. Process Analysis
The first step is to review any feedback from Stage 1 to help improve the effectiveness of your overall report and then add the new section to your report. Only content for Stage 2 will be graded for this submission. Part of the grading criteria for Stage 4 includes evaluating if the document is a very effective and cohesive assemblage of the four sections, is well formatted and flows smoothly from one section to the next. For this assignment, you will add Section II of the Business Analysis and System Recommendation (BA&SR) Report to Section I. You will conduct an analysis of the current hiring process and present information on expected business improvements. This analysis lays the ground work for Section III. Requirements of the BA&SR Report (Stage 3 assignment) which will identify MTC’s requirements for a system.
Using the case study, assignment instructions, Content readings, and external research, develop your Section II. Process Analysis. The case study tells you that the executives and employees at MTC have identified a need for an effective and efficient hiring system. As you review the case study, use the assignment instructions to take notes to assist in your analysis. As the stakeholders provide their needs and expectations to improve the process, identify steps that could be improved with the support of a hiring system. Also look for examples of issues and problems that can be improved with a technology solution.
Use the outline format, headings and tables provided and follow all formatting instructions below.
Begin with your Section I (Stage 1 assignment) and add Section II. Apply specific information from the case study to address each area along with relevant supporting research.
II. Process Analysis
A. Hiring Process
At the beginning of this section, write an introductory opening sentence for this section that addresses what the complete table provides. Refer to Week 3 and 4 content on processes and analyzing process improvements. Additional research can expand your knowledge of these areas.
The first step in analyzing the process is to document what the current process steps are and who is responsible for doing them. Therefore, the table provides the current steps in the manual hiring process provided by the case study. Remember, a process is a series of steps to perform a task; therefore, think about what the users are doing as part of the hiring process. Retain the as-is process steps provided; do not remove or revise these. Complete the second column by identifying the stakeholder responsible for this step based on the interviews in the MTC Case.
The next step is to identify how a hiring or applicant tracking system could improve each step in the process and how the business will benefit from that improvement. For each of the as-is process steps provided, complete the To-Be Process column in the table. indicating how this step in the process will be done using the hiring or applicant tracking system. For each process step, the statement should be concise and include an action verb and align with improving or replacing the current manual, as-is process step provided. Then complete the Business Benefits of the Improved Process column by explaining how this part of the process can contribute to the overall business strategy think at a higher level than the specific process step. Review the examples provided in the Hiring Process table. For each to-be process step, identify the result of using the system, as shown in the two examples. While it is true that the system will speed up each step of the process, think about how MTC would benefit more strategically from using an automated system to perform that step.
The first row and last rows have been completed for you as an example and must be retained and not revised. Be sure your table contains a total of 12 steps. Use the examples to help you provide clear to-be process steps and business benefits. Your responses should be written in complete sentences.
MTC Hiring Process
As-Is Process
Responsible MTC Position
To-Be Process How the system Will Support and Improve the hiring process
Business Benefits of Improved Process (Align with MTCs overall business strategy and needs.)
1. Recruiter receives application from job hunter via Postal Service Mail.
Recruiter
EXAMPLE PROVIDED (Retain text as #1 but remove this label and gray shading in your report)
System will receive application via on-line submission through MTC Employment Website and store in the applicant database within the hiring system.
A more efficient submission process decreases time needed to receive and begin processing applications. This will present a positive image to potential employees and help MTC compete for top IT talent.
2. Recruiter screens resumes to identify top candidates by matching with job requirements from job description.
3. Recruiter forwards top candidates to Administrative Assistant via interoffice mail
4. Administrative Assistant forwards candidates resumes and applications to hiring manager for the position via interoffice mail.
5. Hiring Manager reviews applications and selects who he/she wants to interview.
6. Hiring Manager sends email to Administrative Assistant on who he/she has selected to interview and identifies members of the interview team.
7. AA schedules interviews by contacting interview team members and hiring manager to identify possible time slots
8. AA emails candidates to schedule interviews.
9. Interview is conducted with candidate, hiring manager and other members of the interview team.
Hiring Manager and Interview Team
Interview is conducted with candidate, hiring manager and other members of the interview team. (Hiring System is not used for this step.)
n/a
10. Hiring manager informs the AA on his top candidate for hiring
11. AA collects feedback from interviews and status of candidates
12. Administrative Assistant prepares offer letter based on information from recruiter and puts in the mail to the chosen candidate.
Administrative Assistant
EXAMPLE PROVIDED (Retain text as #12 but remove this label and gray shading in your report)
System enables AA to prepare job offer letter by storing the offer letter template and information on each candidate; allows AA to select information to go into letter and put it into the template, which can then be reviewed and emailed to the candidate.
More efficient offer process presents positive image to applicants and decreases time needed to prepare offer letter, and enables MTC to hire in advance of the competition.
B. Expected Improvements – As noted in the case study, there are a lot of manual processes, overwhelming paperwork, difficulty scheduling interviews, etc. related to MTCs current manual hiring process. A technology solution can address many of these issues. For each of the areas listed in the table below, provide an example of an issue from the case study and how a technology solution could be used to improve that area. Issues and improvements should be addressed in 1-2 clear, complete sentences with information incorporated from the case study. The first one is provided as an example. Note: This is not about the stakeholders’ wishes or expectations for the new system but identifying the current issues they have. Some may be explicitly stated in the interviews and for others you may need to apply some critical thinking. (Provide an introductory sentence and copy the table and insert information within.) For explanations of these areas, refer to Week 4 content on analyzing process improvements. Additional research can expand your knowledge of these areas.
Area
Current Issues
(from the Case Study)
Improvements
(due to use of technology)
Collaboration:
EXAMPLE PROVIDED
(Retain text but remove this label and gray shading in your report)
The Hiring Manager states that recruiting is only one area he is responsible for and he isnt as responsive to HR as he could be. Therefore, he counts on the Recruiters to help manage the process and keep him informed.
Current manual system causes considerable communication breakdowns and takes additional effort and time to stay on top of the hiring process.
An efficient system with all information in one place, easily accessible via a dashboard, and updated in real time could make his recruiting job easier; and he could devote time to effectively working collaboratively and proactively with HR on his staffing needs.
Communications: Explain how a hiring system could improve internal and external communications
Workflow: Explain how a hiring system could improve the MTC hiring process by providing a consistent structure for each participant to perform his/her part in the hiring process.
Relationships: Explain how implementing an enterprise hiring system could foster stronger relationships with applicants/potential employees.
Formatting Your Assignment
Consider your audience you are writing in the role of an MTC business analyst and your audience is MTC and your boss, the CIO. Dont discuss MTC as if the reader has no knowledge of the organization. Use third person consistently throughout the report. In third person, the writer avoids the pronouns I, we, my, and ours. The third person is used to make the writing more objective by taking the individual, the self, out of the writing. This method is very helpful for effective business writing, a form in which facts, not opinion, drive the tone of the text. Writing in the third person allows the writer to come across as unbiased and thus more informed.
In Stage 2, you are preparing the second part of a 4-stage report. Use the structure, headings, and outline format provided here for your report. Use the numbering/lettering in the assignment instructions as shown below.
II. Process Analysis
A. Hiring Process
B. Expected Improvements
Begin with Section I, considering any feedback received, and add to it Section II.
Write a short concise paper: Use the recommendations provided in each area for length of response. Its important to value quality over quantity. Section II should not exceed 3 pages.
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.
Continue to use the title page created in Stage 1 that includes: The title of report, company name, your name, Course and Section Number, and date of this submission.
Use at least two resources with APA formatted citation and reference for this Stage 2 assignment. Use at least one external reference and one from the course content. 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.
Add the references required for this assignment to the Reference Page. Additional research in the next stages will be added to this as you build the report. The final document should contain all references from all stages appropriately formatted and alphabetized.
Running headers are not required for this report.
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.
Your submission should include
your last name first in the filename: Lastname_firstname_Stage_2
GRADING RUBRIC:
Criteria
90-100%
Far Above Standards
80-89%
Above Standards
70-79%
Meets Standards
60-69%
Below Standards
< 60% Well Below Standards Possible Points Stakeholder Identification Identification of a logical stakeholder based on the case study Generally, 1 point per stakeholder. 9-10 Points 10 stakeholders correctly identified as derived from the Case Study. 8.5 Points 10 stakeholders correctly identified as derived from the case study or logical assumption. 7.5 Points Minimum of 8 stakeholders correctly identified as derived from the case study or logical assumption. 6-7 Points Fewer than 8 stakeholders correctly identified as derived from the case study or logical assumptions; and/or contains significant incorrect information. 0-5 Points Content missing or extremely incomplete, did not reflect the assignment instructions, demonstrated little effort, is not supported with information from the Case Study; and/or is not original work for this class section. 10 To-Be Process Analysis Analysis describes how the system will support and improve the hiring process Generally, 0-3 points per to-be process step. Both quantity and quality evaluated. 27-30 Points To-Be Process step improvements clearly relate to corresponding As-Is Process step and fully explain how the system will support it; demonstrates sophisticated analysis. 24-26 Points To-Be Process step improvements relate to corresponding As-Is Process step and explains how the system will support it; demonstrates effective analysis. 21-23 Points To-Be Process step improvement is provided for each As-Is Process step and an explanation is provided for each. 18-20 Points Fewer than 10 To-Be Process step improvements and/or explanations are provided; and/or contains significant incorrect information. 0-17 Points Content missing or extremely incomplete, did not reflect the assignment instructions, showed little or no originality, demonstrated little effort, is not supported with information from the Case Study; and/or is not original work for this class section. 30 Business Benefits of Improved Process Explains how each step in the process can contribute to the overall business strategy Generally, 0-2 points per improved process step. Both quantity and quality evaluated. 18-20 Points Business benefits for all 10 process steps are fully explained; demonstrates sophisticated analysis. 16-17 Points Business benefits for all 10 process steps are explained; demonstrates effective analysis. 14-15 Points Business benefits for all 10 process steps are included. 12-13 Points Business benefits for fewer than 10 process steps are provided; and/or contains significant incorrect information. 0-11 Points Content missing or extremely incomplete, did not reflect the assignment instructions, showed little or no originality, demonstrated little effort, is not supported with information from the Case Study; and/or is not original work for this class section. 20 Expected Improvements Issues from case study and improvements due to technology in areas of Communication, Workflow, and Relationships Generally, 0-7 points per area. Both quantity and quality evaluated. 18-20 Points Issues and improvements for all 3 areas are fully and correctly explained; demonstrates sophisticated analysis. 16-17 Points Issues and improvements for all 3 areas are explained; demonstrates effective analysis. 14-15 Points Issues and improvements for all 3 areas are provided. 12-13 Points Issues and improvements for fewer than 3 areas are provided; and/or contains significant incorrect information. 0-11 Points Content missing or extremely incomplete, did not reflect the assignment instructions, showed little or no originality, demonstrated little effort, is not supported with information from the Case Study; and/or is not original work for this class section. 20 Research Two or more sources--one source from within the IFSM 300 course content and one external (other than the course materials) 9-10 Points Required resources are incorporated and used effectively. Sources used are relevant and timely and contribute strongly to the analysis. References are appropriately incorporated and cited using APA style. 8.5 Points At least two sources are incorporated and are relevant and somewhat support the analysis. References are appropriately incorporated and cited using APA style. 7.5 Points Only one resource is used and properly incorporated and/or reference(s) lack correct APA style. 6.5 Points A source may be used, but is not properly incorporated or used, and/or is not effective or appropriate; and/or does not follow APA style for references and citations. 0-5 Points No course content or external research incorporated; or reference listed is not cited within the text. 10 Format Uses outline format provided; includes Title Page and Reference Page 9-10 Points Well organized and easy to read. Very few or no errors in sentence structure, grammar, and spelling; double-spaced, written in third person and presented in a professional format. 8.5 Points Effective organization; has few errors in sentence structure, grammar, and spelling; double-spaced, written in third person and presented in a professional format. 7.5 Points Some organization; may have some errors in sentence structure, grammar and spelling. Report is double spaced and written in third person. 6.5 Points Not well organized, and/or contains several grammar and/or spelling errors; and/or is not double-spaced and written in third person. 0-5 Points Extremely poorly written, has many grammar and/or spelling errors, or does not convey the information. 10 TOTAL Points Possible 100 Stage 2: Process Analysis 03/17/2020 1 Maryland Technology Consultants is a fictitious company created for the IFSM 300 Case Study. MTC Case Study 11/23/2019 Ver. 1 1 Maryland Technology Consultants, Inc. Maryland Technology Consultants (MTC) is a successful Information Technology consulting firm that utilizes proven IT and management methodologies to achieve measurable results for its customers. Its customer base includes small to mid-tier businesses, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies at the local, state and federal levels. MTC feels strongly that its success is dependent on the combination of the talent of its IT consultants in the areas of, Business Process Consulting, IT Consulting and IT Outsourcing Consulting and their ability to deliver truly extraordinary results to their clients. Corporate Profile Corporate Name: Maryland Technology Consultants, Inc. Founded: May 2008 Headquarters: Baltimore, Maryland Satellite Locations: Herndon, Virginia; Bethesda, Maryland Number of Employees: 450 Total Annual Gross Revenue: $95,000,000 President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Samuel Johnson Business Areas MTC provides consulting services in the following areas: Business Process Consulting - Business process redesign, process improvement, and best practices IT Consulting - IT strategy, analysis, planning, system development, implementation, and network support IT Outsourcing Consulting Requirements analysis; vendor evaluation, due diligence, selection and performance management; Service Level Agreements Business Strategy MTC's business strategy is to provide extraordinary consulting services and recommendations to its customers by employing highly skilled consultants and staying abreast of new business concepts and technology and/or developing new business concepts and best practices of its own. Maryland Technology Consultants is a fictitious company created for the IFSM 300 Case Study. MTC Case Study 11/23/2019 Ver. 1 2 Excerpt from the MTC Strategic Business Plan While the complete strategic plan touches on many areas, below is an excerpt from MTCs latest Strategic Business Plan that identifies a few of MTC's Goals. Goal 1: Increase MTC Business Development by winning new contracts in the areas of IT consulting. Goal 2: Build a cadre of consultants internationally to provide remote research and analysis support to MTCs onsite teams in the U. S. Goal 3: Continue to increase MTCs ability to quickly provide high quality consultants to awarded contracts to best serve the clients needs. Goal 4: Increase MTCs competitive advantage in the IT consulting marketplace by increasing its reputation for having IT consultants who are highly skilled in leading edge technologies and innovative solutions for its clients. Current Business Environment MTC provides consultants on-site to work with its clients, delivering a wide variety of IT-related services. MTC obtains most of its business through competitively bidding on Requests for Proposals issued by business, government and non-profit organizations. A small but growing portion of its business is through referrals and follow-on contracts from satisfied clients. MTC anticipates it will win two large contracts in the near future and is preparing proposals for several other large projects. MTC, as a consulting company, relies on the quality and expertise of its employees to provide the services needed by the clients. When it is awarded a contract, the customer expects MTC to quickly provide the consultants and begin work on the project. MTC, like other consulting companies, cannot afford to carry a significant e number of employees that are not assigned to contracts. Therefore, they need to determine the likelihood of winning a new contract and ensure the appropriately skilled consultants are ready to go to work within 60 days of signing the contract. MTC relies on its Human Resources (HR) Department to find, research, and assess applicants so that line managers can review and select their top candidates and hire appropriate consultants to meet their needs for current new contracts. It is very much a "just in time" hiring situation. The Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, houses approximately 350 employees. Satellite offices have been opened in the last two years in both Herndon, Virginia and Bethesda, Maryland to provide close proximity to existing clients. It is anticipated that new pending contracts would add staff to all locations. The management team believes there is capacity at all locations, as much of the consultants' work is done on-site at the clients locations. Maryland Technology Consultants is a fictitious company created for the IFSM 300 Case Study. MTC Case Study 11/23/2019 Ver. 1 3 Strategic Direction As a small to mid-size business (SMB), MTC recognizes that it needs to carefully plan its future strategy. Considering the competitive environment that contains many very large IT consulting firms, such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH), and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), as well as numerous smaller companies with various skill sets, market niches, and established customer bases, MTC will be evaluating how best to position itself for the future and recognizes that its ability to identify its core competencies, move with agility and flexibility, and deliver consistent high quality service to its clients is critical for continued success. MTCs plan for growth includes growing by 7% per year over the next five years. This would require an increase in consulting contract overall volume and an expanded workforce. One area that is critical to a consulting company is the ability to have employees who possess the necessary knowledge and skills to fulfill current and future contracts. Given the intense competition in the IT consulting sector, MTC is planning to incorporate a few consultants in other countries to provide remote research and analysis support to the on-site U.
S. teams. Since MTC has no experience in the global marketplace, the Director of HR has begun
examining international labor laws to determine where MTC should recruit and hire employees.
Challenges
Increased business creates a need to hire IT consultants more quickly. Overall, the Director of
HR is concerned that the current manual process of recruiting and hiring employees will not
allow his department to be responsive to the demands of future growth and increased hiring
requirements. There are currently two contracts that MTC expects to win very soon will require
the hiring of an additional 75 consultants very quickly. He is looking for a near-term solution
that will automate many of the manual hiring process steps and reduce the time it takes to hire
new staff. He is also looking for a solution that will allow MTC to hire employees located in
other countries around the world.
Management Direction
The management team has been discussing how to ramp up to fill the requirements of the two
new contracts and prepare the company to continue growing as additional contracts are
awarded in the future. The company has been steadily growing and thus far hiring of new
employees has been handled through a process that is largely manual. The HR Director
reported that his staff will be unable to handle the expanded hiring projections as well as
accommodate the hiring of the 75 new employees in the timeframe required. The Chief
Information Officer (CIO) then recommended that the company look for a commercial off-the-
shelf software product that can dramatically improve the hiring process and shorten the time it
takes to hire new employees. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) wants to ensure that all
investments are in line with the corporate mission and will achieve the desired return on
investment. She will be looking for clear information that proposals have been well researched,
provide a needed capability for the organization, and can be cost-effectively implemented in a
Maryland Technology Consultants is a fictitious company created for the IFSM 300 Case Study.
MTC Case Study 11/23/2019 Ver. 1 4
relatively short period of time to reap the benefits. The CEO has asked HR to work with the CIO
to recommend a solution.
Your Task
As a business analyst assigned to HR, you have been assigned to conduct an analysis, develop a
set of system requirements, evaluate a proposed solution, and develop an implementation plan
for an IT solution (applicant tracking system hiring system) to improve the hiring process. You
have begun your analysis by conducting a series of interviews with key stakeholders to collect
information about the current hiring process and the requirements for a technology solution to
improve the hiring process. Based on your analysis and in coordination with key users you will
produce a Business Analysis and System Recommendation Report (BA&SR) as your final
deliverable.
Interviews
In the interviews you conducted with the organizational leaders, you hear the comments
recorded below.
CEO: Samuel Johnson
While I trust my HR staff to address the nuts and bolts of the staffing processes, what is
critically important to me is that the right people can be in place to fulfill our current contracts
and additional talented staff can be quickly hired to address needs of future contracts that we
win. I cant be out in the market soliciting new business if we cant deliver on what were
selling. Our reputation is largely dependent on having knowledgeable and capable staff to
deliver the services our clients are paying for and expect from MTC.
CFO: Evelyn Liu
So glad were talking about this initiative. As CFO, obviously Im focused on the bottom line. I
also recognize its necessary to invest in certain areas to ensure our viability moving forward. I
recognize that the current manual hiring process is inefficient and not cost-effective. Having
technology solutions that improve current process and enable future functionality is very
important to MTCs success. We must consider the total cost of ownership of any technology
we adopt. MTC is run as a lean-and-mean organization and support processes must be effective
but not overbuilt. We do want to think towards the future and our strategic goals as well and
dont want to invest in technology with a short shelf-life. Along those lines, we currently have a
timekeeping and payroll system that requires input from the hiring process to be entered to
establish new employees; and to help support our bottom line financially, any new solution
should effectively integrate with, but not replace, those systems.
Maryland Technology Consultants is a fictitious company created for the IFSM 300 Case Study.
MTC Case Study 11/23/2019 Ver. 1 5
CIO: Raj Patel
As a member of the IT Department, you have a good understanding of our overall architecture
and strategy; however, let me emphasize a few things I want to be sure we keep in mind for this
project. Any solution needs to be compatible with our existing architecture and systems as
appropriate. Obviously, we have chosen not to maintain a large software development staff so
building a solution from the ground up does not fit our IT strategic plan. Our current strategy
has been to adopt Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions that can be deployed relatively quickly
and leverage industry best practices at a low total cost. In addition, our distributed workforce
means we are very dependent on mobile computing this brings some challenges in term of
portability, maintenance, and solutions that present well on mobile devices. Weve been
expanding at a rapid rate and are seeking to expand internationally so any solution will need to
be viable globally. And last, but certainly not least, MTCs success is largely dependent on our
ability to satisfy the requirements of our clients and maintain a reputation of high credibility,
reliability and security. Any security breach of our applicants data could have a devastating
effect to our ability to compete for new business as well as maintain current clients. Any
technology solution adopted by MTC must contain clear security measures to control access and
protect data and allow us to use our current security for mobile links. I recognize that MTC can
no longer rely on a manual hiring process to meet these needs.
Director of HR: Joseph Cummings
Thanks for talking with me today. I see this effort as very important to the success of
MTC. While the recruiting staff has done an excellent job of hiring top IT consultants, the rapid
growth to date and future plans for expansion have pushed our recruiting staff, and we
recognize we can no longer meet the hiring and staffing demands with manual processes. Im
also interested in solutions that are easy-to-use and can interface with our existing systems and
enhance processes. Im willing to consider a basic system that can grow as MTC grows and
provide more capabilities in the future. Im sure Sofia, our Manager of Recruiting, can provide
more specifics.
Manager of Recruiting: Sofia Perez
You dont know how long Ive been waiting to begin the process of finding a technology
solution to support our recruiting processes. In addition to myself, there are 2-3 full-time
recruiters who have been very busy keeping up with the increased hiring at MTC; and there are
no plans to increase the recruiting staff
