Returning Warriors Organization (RWO)

 

Returning Warriors Organization (RWO) is a rapidly-growing association in Washington, DC. Last year, Vietnam veteran William Jones has held the CEO role of the organization which has more than doubled in membership. It now has over 3,000 members and has added Cassandra Jenkins as Director. Prior to the rapid growth, most of RWO’s records have been in paper format. However, the organization’s business manager, Regina Collins, has emphasized the need for a computerized system to help meet its information needs and to manage activities.

In addition to Ms. Collins, the organization employs a part-time administrative assistant, Martha Reynolds. Martha performs clerical duties such as filing, recordkeeping, answering phone calls, and producing the monthly newsletter to members using Word on a Windows personal computer. Shawn Johnson is a Desert Storm veteran who performs maintenance activities part-time in the evenings. Robert Duncan serves in a part-time paid marketing coordinator position, overseeing 25 volunteers who meet every Tuesday to prepare contribution letters to send to the membership.

The main concern of the RWO is with registering new members. When a prospective member wants to join, Mr. Jones, Ms. Jenkins or Ms. Collins speaks on the phone or in person with that person to establish rapport. Then, the person is mailed pre-numbered envelops for use in regular contributions to the RWO. Most contributions are made to the RWO using these envelops, although about 15% of each collection comes from cash and checks from non-member contributors. Additionally, RWO has a capital improvement campaign to purchase a building (and stop leasing) for the organization. Contributions to this fund are collected at fund-raising campaigns held once per month. The cost of acquiring the property, paving it, and making it ready for use is $500,000. RWO obtained a bank loan to finance this project, and makes monthly payments from the funds received at its fundraisers. As contributions are made, the remaining balance is reduced.

Since RWO is recognized as a 501(c) 3, non-profit organization, all contributions are tax-deductible. In January, RWO send out a summary report of all contributions made using envelops during the previous year for use in income tax preparation. RWO must also keep track of records of all its fund raising campaigns.

Mr. Jones and Ms. Jenkins have hired your small, information systems consulting firm to look into the possibility of developing an information system for RWO. This system will address the organization’s revenue resources and its record keeping requirements. Your contract has a six month turnaround time to complete the analysis and design of a feasible solution.

 

In Unit Two, you will be required to complete:

Introductory analysis phase requirements to include a cover letter addressed to the organization's management, a title page, a table of contents, and an executive summary of the analysis phase.

 

You are required to plan and track their project progress by constructing a Gantt chart and PERT chart using Microsoft Project. These charts are expected to be clear, accurate, and complete in terms of identifying summary tasks, more specific tasks, and the timing and person(s) primarily responsible for each task. You will iterate this these charts, adding more and more specific tasks, throughout your project.

 

You are required to create an organizational hierarchy chart to show the reporting relationships of this enterprise.

 

Create and explain a list of problems, opportunities and objectives for the project

Consider the shortcomings of the current system

How will your proposed solution enhance the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness?

 

Write a narrative to describe the best data collection methods to use and why (interviews, observation or surveys)

Create a list of six interview questions (two for each feasibility requirement) to ask the business manager addressing processes, data and general information about RWO

 

Determine the best development process for the project

Prototyping

Agile

SDLC

In Unit Three, you will be required to complete the work on the Returning Warriors project:

Perform analyses to determine if the project is feasible in three principal ways:

Technically

Based on the current technical resources, is an upgrade possible?

Based on the current technical resources, is a new system needed?

Operationally

Will the system operation when put in service?

Will the system be used when put in service?

Economically

Cost/benefit analysis of your proposed system itemizing all tangible costs and benefits associated with the development and implementation of the system

Identify and discuss intangible costs and benefits

 

Ascertain Logical Movement of Data, Hardware and Software Needs

Create a data flow diagram including a context level diagram, a level 0 diagram, and several child diagrams to show important, representative parts of the recommended solution

Discuss system hardware and software needs and evaluate options for acquiring hardware and software

 

Propose recommended solution

Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of at least three alternative options for the case

Leaving the present system in tact

Purchasing a packaged software solution

Developing a custom application using a relational database management system such as Assess or SQL

 

Read the RWO case study and complete the introductory analysis phase requirements to include a cover letter addressed to the organization's management, a title page, a table of contents, and an executive summary of the analysis phase.

You are required to plan and track their project progress by constructing a Gantt chart and PERT chart using Project. These charts are expected to be clear, accurate, and complete in terms of identifying summary tasks and more specific tasks, the timing, and person(s) primarily responsible for each task.

 

You will iterate this these charts, adding more and more specific tasks throughout your project.

You are required to create an organizational hierarchy chart to show the reporting relationships of this enterprise.

Create and explain a list of problems, opportunities, and objectives for the project.

What are the shortcomings of the current system?

How will your proposed solution enhance the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness? Describe and justify your data collection methods.

Write a narrative to describe the best data collection methods to use and why (interviews, observation, or surveys).

Create a list of six interview questions (two for each feasibility requirement) to ask the business manager addressing processes, data, and general information about RWO.

Determine and explain the best development process for the project:

1. Prototyping

2. Agile

 

3. SDLC