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BISM1201

Transforming Business with Information Systems

Assignment

Semester 1, 2023

Question 1. IS strategy and Enterprise Resource Planning (10 marks)

Two restaurant chains – ‘Lord of the Fries’ and ‘Pie In The Sky’ – are both operating in the same market and trying to gain a competitive advantage. ‘Lord of the Fries’ focuses on cost leadership, aiming to offer lower prices than its competitors. On the other hand, ‘Pie In The Sky’ differentiates itself from its competitors by offering superior products. Both companies are entering an expansion phase and need a system to manage data across their whole operation.

An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a software system that integrates various business processes, such as accounting, inventory management, human resources, and customer relationship management, into a single, unified system. It provides real-time visibility into business operations and helps streamline processes for increased efficiency and productivity. Specific components in an ERP can aid towards different competitive advantages by reducing costs, meeting strategic business objectives, and improving operational efficiency. An effective ERP can help businesses to optimize their supply chain, improve customer satisfaction, and enhance employee productivity.

To achieve their respective goals, both restaurant chains realize they need an ERP system that can help them streamline their operations and make data-driven decisions.

Business Brief - Lord of the Fries

This low-cost food chain is focused on providing quick and affordable meals to customers on-the-go. Their menu consists of classic fast-food items such as burgers, fries, and chicken sandwiches, but also includes healthier options like salads and wraps. With a streamlined ordering process and efficient kitchen operations, they can keep prices low while maintaining quality and speed. Each restaurant only keeps on hand the ingredients needed for the day, ensuring meal orders are made fresh, and inventory levels are kept low. Stock agreements are kept with local suppliers – delivering ingredients directly to individual stores. With multiple locations, Lord of the Fries aims to continue expanding and providing delicious meals at an affordable price point.

Business Brief - Pie In the Sky

This food chain is committed to offering superior quality products to its customers. They prioritize sourcing ingredients from the best suppliers, ensuring each dish is made with highest-quality ingredients. Their menu features a variety of options to cater to different dietary preferences and restrictions, such as vegetarian and gluten-free options. There is a particular emphasis on understanding their customers special needs and preferences. The chain also invests in its employees by providing training and opportunities for growth, which results in excellent customer service. The chain also prioritizes eco-friendly practices such as minimizing food waste and using recyclable packaging. With a strong focus on quality and sustainability, Pie In The Sky aims to continue providing exceptional products and service to its customers.

Question 2. Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) (10 marks)

Both restaurant chains – ‘Lord of the Fries’ and ‘Pie In The Sky’ – require an application to manage food wastage. The Application Architect has analysed both sets of requirements and found a common application will work for both companies. You have been commissioned to draw the Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) for the application.

The Architect as analysed the requirements and rationalised the entities for the core data of the application. The core data will store Recipes, Shopping Lists, and record what Food a restaurant currently has on hand in the Refrigerator, Freezer and Pantry. The companies have multiple places they shop for food, so separate Shopping Lists need to be catered for. The application will then work with this data to help manage the food wastage in the restaurants.

Architect Notes:

The central Entity is Food. It requires a Primary Key – FoodID – that will be used in the relationships to the other Entities. The Food Entity requires an Attribute for the Name as well as ContainsGulten, ContainsDairy and ContainsNuts to record possible allergies.

The second Entity is Recipe. It requires a Primary Key – RecipeID – for use in the relationships to other Entities. A Recipe has Attributes for Name, Description, CookingDuration and ServingSize. A Recipe can have Many steps to describe how to prepare a meal, so an Entity RecipeMethod is required. RecipeMethod has a composite Primary Key, the RecipeID for which the method belongs AND a RecipeMethodID. The RecipeMethod also requires an Attribute for Method. Each Recipe has at least one Method.

There is a Many-to-Many relationship between the Food and Recipe Entitles. Resolve this with an Entity called RecipeIngredient. The RecipeIngredient needs to also record Quantity and the Units of the Food used in the Recipe. (For example, 3 Cups of Flour). Each Recipe has at least one Ingredient, but not every Food is in a Recipe – some Food is sold as-is (ie soft drink).

Instead of making separate entities for Refrigerator, Freezer and Pantry, a single entity Storage will be used. It requires a Primary Key – StorageID – and an attribute for Name (e.g. Refrigerator, Freezer, Pantry). There is a Many-to-Many relationship between Food and Storage. Resolve this with StorageItem and appropriate composite Primary and Foreign Keys. Attributes for Quantity, Units and ExpiryDate are required. Each Storage has at least one Item.

Instead of making separate lists for different shopping locations, a single entity ShoppingList with a Primary Key and Description attribute is required. The Many-to-Many relationship with the Food Entity needs to be resolved with ShoppingListItem and appropriate Primary and Foreign Keys. Attributes for Quantity, Units and IsPurchased are required. A ShoppingList starts empty.

Question 3. Information systems development (15 marks)

In February 2005, the Surrey Integrated Reporting Enterprise Network (SIREN) ICT Project was commissioned for emergency services in the UK, then just four years later it was discontinued. In this time just under £15m had been spent on training, hardware and software, staff costs and consultancy, and yet very little is reported to be left to show for all this investment. The project was intended to create a centralized system that would enable different emergency services to share information seamlessly during a crisis, thereby improving the response time and efficiency of emergency services.

The project management was by the Surrey Police Force (the Force) and chosen supplier, Memex Technology Ltd (Memex), and involved a large team of experts from different fields, including government officials, emergency services personnel, and IT specialists. The project was divided into several phases, each of which had specific deliverables and timelines. The project management team was responsible for ensuring that the project was delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards.

Due to the complex nature of the requirements an Agile Project methodology was adopted at the project outset, even though the Force had little experience with the method. This contributed to the scope being poorly controlled for a significant period of the project, delays, and shortfalls in funding (resulting from missing scope or skill shortages) were identified late in the process.

A fundamental factor in the project's failure was the lack of acceptance of delivered modules from very early in the project. Despite this, subsequent modules continued to be delivered. Neither Memex nor the Force sought to resolve this issue at an early stage. This meant the project accumulated excessive risk and became out of control. This was compounded by the lack of control of scope, which allowed the project to move forward on very unsound foundations and extended significantly the original timelines. When the Force eventually moved to the 'Waterfall' methodology (a more traditional approach to delivering projects of this nature) late in the process, it became apparent that there was still a substantial amount of work required to integrate each of the modules and that much of the work carried out prior to this point was of limited or no use without integration.

There were several reasons for the project's failure, including:

• Poor planning: The project management team failed to adequately plan and identify the risks associated with the project. As a result, the project was beset with problems and delays from the outset.

• Inadequate communication: Communication between the different stakeholders involved in the project was poor. This led to misunderstandings, delays, and conflicts, which ultimately contributed to the project's failure.

• Technical difficulties: The development of an integrated ICT system for use by emergency services is a complex and challenging task. The project team encountered several technical difficulties, including problems with data integration, interoperability, and cybersecurity.

• Changing requirements: The project's requirements changed frequently, making it difficult for the project team to keep up with the changes and deliver a cohesive and integrated system.

Overall, the failure of the SIREN ICT project highlights the importance of effective project management, risk management, and communication in large-scale, complex projects. It also underscores the need for a clear understanding of the project's objectives, requirements, and stakeholders, as well as the technical expertise required to deliver the project successfully.

The Excel workbook file for the tasks described below (BISM1201 Assignment Part B Excel S1 2023.xlsx) is available on the assessment tab on the course Blackboard site.