Please take a look at the attachments. In the attachment stage 3, please add on stage 4 information. Please follow the format for Stage 4 attachment requirements. All information provided will aide in completing the assignment posted. Including information below regarding SaaS implementation. 

Solution

   

       

Differentiating Between Commercial Off-the-Shelf Software (COTS) and SaaS Solutions

   

Up to this point, we have been using the term commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) to include software-as-a-service (SaaS)  solutions. COTS is most-often used to refer to applications that are  purchased and installed at the user location, either on a personal  computer or on a server for multiple individuals to use. This includes  such familiar purchased software as word processing or spreadsheet  applications. Some COTS solutions come with vendor maintenance and  updates, while others require an additional payment to be made for an  upgraded version. Once the organization purchases a COTS solution, the  vendor’s involvement in the day-to-day operation is nonexistent.

   

A SaaS solution, on the other hand, is usually leased or  subscribed to by the customer, and the software is owned by the vendor,  runs on the vendor’s hardware, and is accessed via the internet as a  “service.”  Microsoft is now providing its office applications as a  service via Office 365 for Business, which is provided as a subscription  service rather than a purchased download. In that instance, it becomes a  SaaS application. Even though it is a COTS product, the way it is  delivered to the end user via the internet, along with ongoing service  and maintenance from the vendor, makes it a SaaS solution. Other  well-known SaaS products are SalesForce (customer relationships  management system), Amazon Web Services (eCommerce platform), and  DocuSign (electronic signature services). For SaaS solutions, the vendor  is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the system, for the  ongoing operation and maintenance of the system, for protecting the  sensitive business data housed in the system, for upgrading and  enhancing the system, and for providing training and support. Usually  all that is required at the customer location is an internet connection  and end-user devices to connect to the system.

   

Unique Considerations for Selecting a SaaS Solution

   

When a SaaS solution is being considered, a primary aspect is  that the relationship with the vendor is very different from a solution  that is hosted on-site at the organization. A long-term relationship is  established with the vendor beginning with the lease or subscription to  the system. The customer becomes reliant upon the vendor for all the  services listed above.

   

Since the system is not purchased (instead, the customers are  “renting” or “leasing” the software and services), the customer will  make monthly or annual payments for its use; these can either be a set  amount or can fluctuate depending on the actual use of the system. A  Service Level Agreement (SLA) is used to document the responsibilities  and commitments of the vendor and the customer. Most vendors of SaaS  solutions have an SLA already developed for their customers; this should  be studied thoroughly, and changes negotiated if necessary, prior to  the customer signing up for the services.

   

One big consideration is that the system is operated at the  vendor’s location. It is much more likely that a vendor supporting  multiple customers can achieve a higher level of security for the system  than an individual organization. The vendor has the combined resources  to hire and retain security experts to manage the system, the hardware,  the network, and the facility. Many SaaS vendors have implemented a  distributed system so that hardware, software, and databases are housed  at multiple locations; many vendors provide “hot backup” meaning that  the database is replicated elsewhere so that if one database or system  is unavailable, there is an automatic switch to the replicated database.  SaaS vendors also can afford to offer quick recovery at a much lower  cost than is available to an individual organization. They are also much  more likely to have physical security measures in place to protect the  data center, including fire suppression, surveillance, access security,  and guards.

   

Since SaaS solutions depend on use of the internet to connect  users to the application or system, the following should also be  considered:

• the availability and speed of the internet connection;
• protection of proprietary or personal information transmitted via the internet; and
• location of the system. Some government systems are required to be hosted within the United States, and not overseas.

   

Identifying COTS/SaaS Solutions

   

Over the past decades, COTS and SaaS solutions have proven to  be viable models for acquiring software. SaaS is now a mature model  that can be relied upon if a vendor is selected based on a deliberate  evaluation and selection process. There are many sources for locating a  vendor, including technical journals, industry survey, vendor  advertisements, advisory or consultancy services, and even internet  searches.  An organization would be wise to identify a few solutions  that appear to meet their needs and then conduct a detailed evaluation  of each one. It is important to identify solutions that align with  achieving the business strategy, improve the process(es), and meet the  requirements.

   

Evaluating COTS/SaaS Solutions

   

In evaluating a COTS or SaaS solution, four major factors are  involved: user requirements, system performance requirements (system  quality and security requirements), the vendor, and cost. The method for  evaluating each of these is discussed below.

   

Most SaaS vendors provide access to a “free” trial version of  their system. During the product evaluation period, the trial version  can be used to determine the basic functionality and performance of the  system.  This version of the software is used for marketing purposes and  may not exactly represent how the software would function in a specific  situation. Some vendors may offer to provide access to a more robust  version of their system in order to allow further testing and  evaluation. An organization should try out the software for itself and  not rely on vendor demonstrations, which can be set up to appear to  provide functionality and ease of use that is actually not part of the  system.

   

User Requirements

   

The first step in evaluating a COTS/SaaS solution is to address the user requirements and answer the following questions:

• How closely do the capabilities and functions of the solution meet the requirements?
• Conversely,  are there a lot of extra “bells and whistles” that the organization  does not need or would not use, but add to the cost and complexity of  the system?
• How closely does the application package fit the  process used by the organization? If the solution is implemented, would  the organization be able to use it for their process? Will the business  process need to change significantly, requiring additional training and  other organizational changes? Would the changes in the process used by  the vendor’s solution actually help improve the business process? The  more the business process has to adapt to the system, the less likely  the system is to be accepted by the users. If significant differences  exist between the system and the process in use, and major changes are  required to the off-the-shelf system, the cost, complexity, and risk may  well outweigh any benefits of the COTS solution. However, if the  organization is seeking to improve its business processes, COTS/SaaS  solutions often implement optimized business processes in the software, a  benefit for the organizations that implement them.
• How much  configuration or customization will be needed to put the COTS system  into use?  Some COTS products allow or require extensive configuration  or customization in order to make the system useful to any organization.  Others require minimal configuration to set the system up for use in a  specific organization. These activities are major determinants of  initial cost and implementation time, and add to the ongoing maintenance  costs.  

  Configuration is functionality that can be created using built-in workflow tools and templates that come with the product.
  Customization  is functionality that is added to or replaces functionality as provided  by the vendor. There is no guarantee that customizations will be  compatible with future upgrades, and they can be extremely costly to  maintain over time.  

• How much and what data will need to be migrated to the new  application/system? How easily can that be accomplished and at what  cost? The organization likely has information that supports the process  for which a system is being sought, and that information will most  likely need to be imported into the new system. If the data is already  in electronic form (in a spreadsheet or database), the migration of that  data should be accommodated. However, if data is in paper form,  decisions will need to be made about how much of the existing data is to  be manually entered into the system, and in what form it will be  entered.

   

Migrating data into a new system can be very time consuming  and costly, so these are important considerations for the organization.

   

System Performance Requirements

   

Next, the quality of the COTS/SaaS solution is evaluated  answering the following types of questions regarding the attributes of  the system (which are specified as system performance requirements):

• Usability—Can new users quickly adapt to the software?  How easy is the system to use, and how is help provided for the users?  Does the vendor provide training? Is online help provided in the system?  Is user support provided (e.g., a help desk or documentation)?
• Scalability—Can  the system accommodate the anticipated number of eventual users and/or  records/transactions? Can it be scaled back if there are actually fewer  users or transactions?
• Availability—Will the system be  available for use when needed? If there is any anticipated maintenance  downtime, is that compatible with the organization’s needs?
• Reliability—Does the system create and maintain the data correctly?  
• Maintainability—What is the vendor’s approach to maintenance and how often are updates applied? How quickly can corrections be implemented?
• Performance—Is  the system able to meet response time requirements? Is it able to  handle the volume of the expected workload (or number of transactions)?
• Portability—Does  the system run or operate on the types of end-user devices and  operating systems that the organization uses or anticipates using?
• Interoperability—Is the system capable of exchanging data with any required legacy (existing) system?  
• Security—What  security protections are provided by the vendor? What security steps  are needed within the organization? How is the system protected from  malicious or accidental actions? How will users authenticate to the  system and be authorized to perform functions and/or access data? Does  the system effectively prevent unauthorized access and prevent  unauthorized ability to change data? How is data protected as it is  transmitted and when it is stored? Does the system keep a log of who  logged in, when they logged in, what information they accessed and what  changes they made?  What data backup and recovery is provided by the  vendor? The answers to these questions will help determine whether the  system provides adequate security.

   

Vendor Ability

   

The vendor’s ability to support the organization and provide  the services needed is a third area of consideration. The organization  should do its due diligence and consider the financial stability of the  vendor and look at such things as how long they have been in business,  how robust their customer support is, and their industry reputation. The  number of paying customers and the length of time they have been with  the SaaS vendor is a good indication of the quality of the software and  the vendor’s services. In evaluating a SaaS vendor, it is a good idea to  check with some of their customers to learn about their experience with  the SaaS. The organization needs to ensure the vendor will be able  support it for some time to come. Keep in mind that once the  organization signs up, the expectation is that there will be a long-term  relationship—the organization does not want to keep changing its SaaS  software and vendor, and the vendor will want to keep the organization  as a long-term customer providing recurring revenue. At the end of the  day, the organization is responsible for the use of the system as it  impacts their employees and customers. Although the vendor owns and  hosts the system, the reputation of the organization can be at risk if  issues arise and are not properly addressed.

   

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

   

The fourth area of consideration is the cost of the COTS/SaaS  solution. In determining how a system is to be acquired and/or which  system is to be acquired, the organization must consider the total cost  of ownership (TCO) of the solution. The TCO for each alternative can be  estimated in order to make comparisons. This concept is something we are  very familiar with when we are making a major purchase in our daily  lives. In general terms, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is the  sum of all costs associated with an acquisition that will accumulate  over the life of the asset. One of the personal acquisitions for which  we use the TCO is the purchase of a new car. Clearly, the purchase price  is not the only consideration. Today, automakers recognize the  importance of the TCO to their customers; in their advertising, they  talk about gas mileage, resale value, length of warranty, free servicing  over some period of time, and special financing terms.

   

The table below identifies the cost categories of an IT TCO.   Although there are several ways of categorizing and listing the costs,  this list contains some of the often overlooked and crucial costs that  are important to understand. The specifics of how the categories apply  to a SaaS solution are also provided.

    Cost Categories of an IT TCO Cost Categories Description Costs as Applied to SaaS Solution acquisition
 The costs of acquiring IT assets: the lease, purchase, or  subscription cost of hardware and software, including research, travel,  freight, and tax; and/or the cost of developing the software from  scratch.
 

Lease or subscription costs for software and system (SaaS vendor).

Purchase or lease of end-user hardware devices (PCs, tablets, printers, etc.).

communications
 The cost of all communications, including network costs, wiring, service provider fees, communications hardware, and software.
 Initial setup costs of Internet Service Provider (ISP) and ongoing monthly charges.
 security
 The costs of ensuring security of the IT infrastructure and data,  including security software, usage monitoring, and facility security  costs.
 

Most security services provided by vendor, documented in the SLA.

End-user policies and device protection are the responsibility of the customer organization.

installation
 The costs of making IT assets operational; could include building  modifications, increased cooling requirements, and increased utility  capacity at the datacenter.
 Responsibility of the vendor.
 configuration
 The costs associated with COTS or SaaS software to set it up to  function correctly within the organization; using built-in tools such as  workflow, report layout, terminology and/or organizational logo.
 Costs to configure SaaS to function for the organization (e.g., workflow, reports, terminology, logo).
 customization
 The costs of making changes to the COTS or SaaS software that are  unique to the organization. The ongoing cost of maintaining these  changes over time and testing future upgrades must be considered as  well.   
 Costs to make changes to the software for the specific customer; may cause additional cost for maintenance.
 testing
 The costs of preparing test cases and using the system to determine  whether it is functioning properly and meets the requirements. Also  includes the costs of recording deficiencies and re-testing when changes  are made.
 Costs generally are limited to the customer creating and using test  cases to ensure the system works as needed. This is very different from  using a demonstration or “free trial” system before selection; it is  testing the actual system after it is configured and is operational for  the customer.
 support
 The cost of keeping the infrastructure functioning as planned; could  include a help desk, hardware technicians, telecommunications  specialists, programmers, and maintenance support staff.
 Most costs borne by vendor. There may be an additional charge for  user help-desk support or technical support, or it may be included in  the monthly/annual fee.
 maintenance
 The cost of keeping IT assets current and in a condition that can  meet their planned functions; includes updates and enhancements as well  as fixes for problems; could include maintenance contracts, programmers,  and telecommunications specialists.
 These costs are borne by the vendor. The customer pays a monthly/annual fee for ongoing service and system maintenance.
 coordination costs
 The costs related to keeping the infrastructure tuned to maintain  optimal performance when changes to an infrastructure element are  required
 These costs are borne by the vendor.
 disaster recovery
 The costs of ensuring continued operation of the infrastructure,  including maintenance of a current plan, cost of backup sites and  equipment, costs of emergency power, and costs of practice exercises.
 Most of these costs are borne by the vendor (if the vendor provides  disaster recovery services) since the vendor is responsible for its  hardware, software and internet access; but the organization is  responsible for its own infrastructure (end-user devices, internet  access, local power, etc.).
 organizational change management
 Any costs associated with organizational changes resulting from  implementation of the system; includes such things as consolidating  departments, establishing new groups or responsibilities, reorganizing  or reassigning personnel.
 Always a customer cost.
 data migration
 The costs of determining what existing data (either in electronic or  paper form) would need to be entered into the system to get started,  and entering that data.
 

The customer must bear the cost of determining what existing data (electronic or paper) is to be entered into the system.

The cost of entering the data is borne by the customer; sometimes the vendor is willing to assist for a fee.

SaaS solutions generally offer many of these categories of  service as part of their initial fee and/or the ongoing maintenance fee.  All must be taken into consideration when developing the TCO.

   

Making the Selection

   

In the end, a cost-benefit analysis can be used to determine  which solution best meets the needs of the organization. All four  factors discussed above must be considered, with the organization  determining which of them is most important or which combination of the  factors best suits that organization, considering any specific needs,  such as security of highly sensitive data, particular functionality that  must be present, controlling costs, etc.

   

Implementing the System

   

Implementation of a COTS or a SaaS solution is a major  project for the organization. A system owner and a project team should  be designated, and best practices for IT project management should be  employed. A project plan for implementing a SaaS solution should include  the following steps:

• Establish the vendor agreement, contract or SLA; a mechanism  needs to be put in place to give the organization access to the system,  identify responsibilities of the vendor and the customer, and lay out  initial and ongoing costs.
• Acquire the end-user hardware and  telecommunications, if necessary, and/or validate the capability of  existing hardware and telecommunications to access and use the system.
• Configure  the system for use in the organization; identify what needs to be done  to implement the organization’s desired workflow, reports, terminology,  logo, etc.; identify who will configure the system and how it will be  done, and whether there is any additional cost.
• Develop a plan  for User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and test the configured system to  ensure requirements are met and that it is functioning correctly,  including use of any user support tools or services provided. The UAT  plan explains how each requirement will be specifically tested to ensure  it is working properly and the requirement is met. For example, if the  requirement is that the system determine the customer’s city and state  based on the zip code entered, then a zip code would be entered into the  system and the result would be checked to ensure the correct city and  state were provided.
• Apprise the employees of what is taking  place and why, and make any organizational or process changes that are  needed. Leaders of the organization need to be involved as sponsors and  coaches to encourage system adoption and use, and they should employ  change management techniques to ensure a smooth transition.
• Train administrative personnel in their role(s) for supporting the system.
• Conduct user training.
• Migrate  the data needed to operate the system; determine how this will be done  (electronically, manually, etc.), who will do it, how long it will take,  and what it will cost.
• Oversee operations to ensure continued  end-user support and system maintenance are performed by the vendor  according to the SLA; identify any need for support or maintenance by  the organization itself, such as hardware and software upgrade for  end-user devices, a local help desk, etc.

   

Using a comprehensive project plan as laid out above will  help ensure a successful implementation and ongoing support for the new  system.

            
 

UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc. is a fictitious company designed for the UMGC IFSM 300 case study and its product, EZ-ATS is an applicant tracking
system representative of typical SaaS products. (10/19/2019 ver. 1)

EZ-ATS APPLICANT TRACKING SOFTWARE

Page 1

EZ-ATS
Brought to you by UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc .

Applicant Tracking Software that provides
everything you need to create a high performing
Hiring Process and a great Candidate Experience!

More Efficient and Cost-Effective
Hiring!

Guaranteed!

Easy to implement…..and

Easy to use!

EZ-ATS is a single platform for all of your applicant
tracking needs. We guarantee that we’ll improve
your total hiring system results or your money
back!

With EZ-ATS you’ll see:

• Increased Collaboration and
Communication with Hiring Managers

• Decreased Time to Fill Positions

• Applicants’ Skills Highlighted

• The Best Candidates Before Others Hire
Them

• Decreased Cost-per-Hire

• Less work for HR to Manage and Report
on the Hiring Process

Do you need to replace your paper applications
and spreadsheets, but don’t have a big
budget? We make it easy to get a hiring system
without breaking the bank!

With EZ-ATS you’ll get:

• No Long-Term Contracts Required
• Access to all EZ-ATS Capabilities
• Global access 24/7
• System and data security
• Mobile device access
• Unlimited Support at No Additional Cost
• Pricing Based on Number of Users

($50 to $500/month)
• Free 30-day Trial

What You Get

Custom Implementation

Dedicated Account Manager

Automatic Software Updates

UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc. is a fictitious company designed for the UMGC IFSM 300 case study and its product, EZ-ATS is an applicant tracking
system representative of typical SaaS products. (10/19/2019 ver. 1)

EZ-ATS APPLICANT TRACKING SOFTWARE

Page 2

Use EZ-ATS to:

• Attract top talent with a responsive, professional interaction
with applicants.

• Retain and motivate top HR talent with a flexible, workflow-
driven applicant tracking system.

• Align hiring goals with corporate goals with clear visibility
into how efficiently hiring the right talent contributes to the
success of the organization.

• Drive a strategic, end-to-end hiring strategy with a single,
integrated system for all hiring-related activities.

Customers love our:

• Configurability: Arrange your dashboards and workflows
however you like, to meet your needs.

• Custom Reports: Create customizable reports to track
performance and recruit more effectively.

• Workflow: Expedite approval processes for job openings,
candidates, and formal offers.

• Customer Support: Our mission is your success — our
customers are our top priority.

Cloud-Based Software as a Service (SaaS)

√ Connect Anywhere – Just connect with Internet or WIFI

√ Use Any Device – PC, laptop, mobile devices

√ No New Hardware – Systems at our data centers

√ Unlimited data storage – Online and archived data

√ Secure Your Data – Professional protection

UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc. is a fictitious company designed for the UMGC IFSM 300 case study and its product, EZ-ATS is an applicant tracking
system representative of typical SaaS products. (10/19/2019 ver. 1)

EZ-ATS APPLICANT TRACKING SOFTWARE

Page 3

Everything You Need to Track and Manage Applications

Preparation: Work seamlessly with hiring managers to develop job requisitions that will allow automatic
screening.

Advertise: Post your job to hundreds of job boards, social media sites, workforce services, colleges, and
associations with a click of the mouse.

Screening: Automate your screening of new applicants by having the system compare the application to the
requisition and highlight resumes with requisite expertise and/or experience.

Evaluation: Easily review and evaluate candidates to ensure minimum qualifications are met.

Workflow: Use the system to automate your company’s steps in the hiring procedure workflow from recruiter
to reviewer to hiring manager as tasks are completed – working the way your company already works.

Dashboards: All authorized stakeholders in the organization can have a custom dashboard with relevant
information and notices of actions that need to be taken in the system.

Collaboration: Quickly coordinate actions while maintaining transparency and security in the hiring process.

Interview Scheduling: Coordinate electronic calendars to schedule interviews to include all participants.

Selection: Obtain the best candidates before they are hired by others by using a streamlined hiring process.

Communication: Efficiently and effectively communicate with job seekers and hiring managers throughout the
hiring process using our integrated email and QuickText communication inbox.

Metrics: Generate real time hiring metrics to help you identify opportunities for improvement in your process
and job requirements.

Integration: Easy integration with your corporate email, existing systems, website, and social media sites.

Impress the Candidates: Impress applicants with the efficiency of the process and professional
communication, including offer letters.

Capture Skills of New Hires: As applicants are hired, their information and skills can be exported to your
employee management system.

Try EZ-ATS for FREE!

FREE 30-day trial
No obligation, no credit card needed. Getting started is as easy as 1-2-3!

Test drive EZ-ATS and when you have decided it is the system for you, visit our website and sign up!

UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc. is a fictitious company designed for the UMGC IFSM 300 case study and its product, EZ-ATS is an applicant tracking
system representative of typical SaaS products. (10/19/2019 ver. 1)

EZ-ATS APPLICANT TRACKING SOFTWARE

Page 4

Launching EZ-ATS

1. Select the services you need at a price that fits your budget
➢ Up to 25 system users $50 per month
➢ 25-100 system users $100 per month
➢ 101-1000 system users $200 per month
➢ Over 1000 system users $500 per month
➢ One-time system setup fee $1,000 to initialize system connections
➢ One-time configuration fee $2,500 to individualize system for your company
➢ Web-based training $295 for “Train the Trainers” course
➢ Unlimited data storage Included in licensing fees
➢ Comprehensive security Included in licensing fees
➢ System maintenance Included in licensing fees
➢ Regular updates Included in licensing fees
➢ Offsite backup and recovery Included in licensing fees

2. Sign the User Agreement with the vendor and provide credit card or purchase order information.
3. When your User Agreement and payment are received, your dedicated Account Manager will contact

you to help you with the configuration steps and preparation to “go live.”
➢ Use your company name and logo
➢ Link to your corporate email and social media sites
➢ Link to the LinkedIn and job boards you use to post job announcements
➢ Show you how to

▪ Set up custom reports
▪ Set up user accounts for your employees
▪ Set up your custom workflow
▪ Redesign and upload your job requisitions to use the automated screening function
▪ Test each function to ensure it is working as intended

Deploying EZ-ATS is just as simple!

1. Train your employees
➢ Using free EZ-ATS website videos
➢ Using EZ-ATS training resources to develop on-site training to meet your needs

2. Provide users with account and login information, including one-time password
3. Identify user support resources provided by your company

Using the system is even easier!

1. Authorized users can access EZ-ATS
➢ From any device
➢ From any location
➢ At any time

2. System maintenance does not interrupt user experience
3. Security and other updates are automatically installed – with no action on your part required!

UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc. is a fictitious company designed for the UMGC IFSM 300 case study and its product, EZ-ATS is an applicant tracking
system representative of typical SaaS products. (10/19/2019 ver. 1)

EZ-ATS APPLICANT TRACKING SOFTWARE

Page 5

About Software as a Service (SaaS)

What is Software-as-a-Service?

• Available to customers over the Internet; available from anywhere

• Application is hosted by a third-party provider; typically no additional IT
infrastructure or expertise required for customer; low startup costs for customer

• Updates and data backups automatically available

• Subscription services available; cost based on number of users; predictable
scheduled payments

Key Benefits of EZ-ATS Cloud-based SaaS to Your Organization

• Cost efficiency and fixed payment schedule
• Saves time and money on implementing a solution; low up-front costs
• No disruption due to product installation
• Frees staff to focus on key business activities
• Greater flexibility – available anywhere, anytime, from any device
• More efficient support – controlled environment managed by experts
• Safety and security of systems and data through access control, network security

using firewalls, and data encryption
• Easy scalability as business grows
• Free upgrades and enhancements

Reference Listing and Citation for this Brochure

UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc. (2019). EZ-ATS Brochure [Course Resources]. In IFSM 300: Information
Systems in Organizations. Retrieved from http://learn.umgc.edu

In-text citation (UMGC Hiring Solutions, 2019)

http://learn.umgc.edu/

Stage4: System Recommendation and Final BA&SR Report

Before you begin work on this assignment, be sure you have read the Case Study and reviewed the feedback received on your Stage 1, 2 and 3 assignments.

Overview

As the business analyst in the CIO’s department of Maryland Technology Consulting (MTC), your next task in working towards an IT solution to improve the hiring process at MTC is to write a justification and implementation plan for a system that the CIO has decided will meet MTC’s needs. The system, EZ-ATS, is described in the vendor brochure provided with this assignment. The vendor, UMUC Hiring Solutions, Inc., and EZ-ATS are fictitious names created for use with this case study but based on real-world SaaS application information. In this Stage 4 assignment, you will explain how the selected system meets MTC’s requirements, and what needs to be done to implement the system within MTC. You will combine Stages 1-4 to provide a complete final BA&SR Report.

Assignment – BA&SR Section IV. System Recommendation and Summary & Conclusion

The first step is to review any feedback from previous stages to help improve the effectiveness of your overall report and then add the new section to your report. In addition to the Stage 4 content, part of the grading criteria for this final stage 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

Section IV of the Business Analysis and System Recommendation Report will explain how the selected system helps MTC achieve its strategy, improve its hiring process, and meet its system requirements, and you will explain how each implementation area might be addressed to help ensure a successful implementation of the technology solution.

Using the case study, assignment instructions, vendor brochure, Course readings (in particular, Implementing a SaaS Solution and Developing a System Proposal) and external research, develop your Section IV. System Recommendation. Approximate lengths for each section are provided as a guideline; be sure to provide all pertinent information.

As you review the case study, use the assignment instructions to take notes to assist in your analysis; in addition, review information provided in earlier stages of this report to identify where the proposed solution can address the needs and requirements.

Use the outline format and headings provided and follow all formatting instructions below.

IV. System Recommendation

· System Justification

Provided with the Stage 4 Assignment Instructions is a brochure that describes an IT solution that the CIO has selected, with the HR Director’s endorsement, to meet the needs of improving MTC’s hiring process. In Stage 1, you analyzed the strategy and objectives for MTC and how a technology solution to improve the hiring process would contribute. In Stage 2, you analyzed how to improve the hiring process with a technology solution, and in Stage 3 you identified specific requirements. After reviewing the EZ-ATS Brochure, briefly describe the recommended solution. Then, describe how that selected solution aligns with achieving the strategy, improves the process, and meets the requirements. Write two to three clear, concise, well-organized paragraphs to summarize this assessment. Don’t just repeat information from previous stages but synthesize this information and provide strong information and justification to explain why this proposed solution is a good fit for MTC. Don’t describe details of the functionality but address overall how this solution will address the current issues with the manual hiring process and benefit MTC. Remember you are writing a report to your boss, the CIO of MTC, that he can use to convince the leadership team why this is the best solution based on your analysis.

· Implementation Areas

To successfully implement this technology solution, MTC will need to develop an Implementation Plan and below is a list of key implementation areas that should be included. First, provide a brief introduction to this section – what it contains and why an Implementation Plan is so important for MTC. Then address each of the seven (7) areas below to explain what MTC needs to do (with support by the vendor). Provide the numbered heading and then write one to two paragraphs to address the area. The sub-areas (a,b,c, etc.) contain questions and areas to help guide your thinking about what should be covered and should be incorporated within your response to the major category. For an explanation of the implementation areas, refer to the Week 7 Reading “Implementing a SaaS Solution” as well as conduct additional external research. The vendor brochure provides information for some of these areas, but you need to include what MTC must do as well. Remember you are writing this section to help MTC plan for a successful implementation. It is not sufficient to just indicate “Vendor provides” or “employees need to be trained.” In addition to incorporating course content, external research on implementation areas will strengthen your understanding and explanation. The goal for this section is to help MTC know what needs to happen in each area and who might be responsible for given activities to help support a successful implementation of EZ-ATS.

· Vendor agreement (MTC must enter into a contractual agreement with the vendor before full implementation. This identifies responsibilities as well as costs.) Incorporate answers to the following questions in your paragraph – do not include the questions themselves.

· What does the vendor require from MTC to be able to start using the system?

· How much will it cost to get access to and configure the system for MTC’s use?

· How much will it cost per month to support 60 system users?

· What option is offered for MTC to just try out the system to see how it works?

· Hardware and telecommunications

(Although this is a SaaS solution, MTC must ensure that its IT infrastructure can support the use of the system and that its employees can correctly access the system.) Include the following:

· List the types of hardware MTC employees can use to access the system.

· Identify what kind of telecommunications will be used for the solution, including local connectivity inside MTC and Internet access from outside MTC.

· List any other considerations related to ensuring employees can access the applicant tracking system.

· Configuration

(Even SaaS solutions require a degree of configuration for each client. What needs to be done to implement the MTC job requisitions, workflow, reports, terminology and/or logo/graphics?) (Include the answers to the questions below, but not the questions themselves.)

· What options does the vendor offer for configuring the off-the-shelf system to MTC’s needs?

· How will the configuration be done and by whom?

· Testing

· Once MTC has signed up and configured the system, how will it test the system to see if it is working properly for its needs? Describe how MTC will conduct User Acceptance Testing. (This would be a good area for you to research.)

· Choose one of the user requirements (listed in Section III of your BA&SR Report) and explain how that requirement will be specifically tested to ensure it is working properly and the requirement is met.

(Note: A free trial period does not suffice as software testing)

· Employee preparation and support

– Identify what MTC should do in each area below to prepare the employees (including the hiring managers in the various departments) for the introduction and use of the new applicant tracking system. Identify who (by their title or role) should do what in each area. (Incorporate information from Course readings on Leadership and Change Management.)

· Leadership (2-3 sentences)

· Change Management (2-3 sentences)

· Training (2-3 sentences)

· User Support (2-3 sentences)

· Data Migration – Consider what existing data (applications in process with the manual process) would need to be entered into the system to get started and how this might be accomplished.

· Maintenance

– How will updates and enhancements to the EZ-ATS system be made? What will the vendor be responsible for and what should MTC address?

Summary and Conclusion: Close your Business Analysis and System Recommendation Report with a summary of the key points including the benefits MTC can expect to gain from this solution and the alignment with strategic objectives. (One well-written paragraph). Don’t just repeat information presented earlier but put it in context of a conclusion to provide a strong finish to this report. Just as your introduction informed your reader about why you’re writing and what’s to come, the conclusion should provide a clear and concise final paragraph to reinforce/emphasize key points and a compelling argument for the chosen solution – and it should urge the reader to take action.

Formatting Your Assignment

NOTE: This final submission should be a cohesive Business Analysis and Systems Recommendation Report for the CIO of Maryland Technology Consulting. The formatting should be consistent throughout the document, and the writing should flow well from beginning to end. Headings, section and page numbering should be correct for a final submission. Although you prepared this in stages, the final product should not seem to be piecemeal or disconnected. Any track changes or feedback from previous versions should be removed once addressed.

Consider your audience – you are writing in the role of a MTC business analyst and your audience is MTC and your boss, the CIO. Don’t 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 4, you are preparing the final 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.

IV. System Recommendation

· System Justification

· Implementation Areas

· Vendor Agreement

· Hardware and telecommunications
· Configuration
· Testing
· Employee preparation and support

· Data migration

· Maintenance

Summary and Conclusion

· Begin with Sections I, II and III, considering any feedback received, and add Section IV to your final report.

· Write a complete, well organized paper that includes the four sections of the Business Analysis and System Recommendations (BA&SR) report. Use the recommendations provided in each area for length of response. It’s important to value quality over quantity. Length for Section IV should not exceed five (5) pages in addition to Sections I, II and III.

· Content areas should be double spaced; table entries should be single-spaced.

· Ensure that each of the tables in the final report 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 company name, title of report, your name, Course and Section Number, and date of this submission.

· For Section IV, use at least three resources with APA formatted citation and reference. One reference must be from an external source, one must be the EZ-ATS Brochure, and one must be another reference from the IFSM 300 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.

· Finalize the Reference Page for resources required for all sections of 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_4

GRADING RUBRIC:

15

15

10

Criteria	90-100% Far Above Standards	80-89% Above Standards	70-79% Meets Standards	60-69% Below Standards	< 60% Well Below Standards	Possible Points
How the Proposed IT Solution Meets the Requirements How the IT solution aligns with achieving the strategy, improves the process, and meets the requirements	14-15 Points Clear, complete, compelling and related to the Case Study and Vendor Brochure; demonstrates sophisticated analysis and writing.	12-13 Points Complete and related to the Case Study and Vendor Brochure; demonstrates effective analysis.	10-11 Points Provided and related to the Case Study.	9 Points Incomplete, inaccurate and/or not related to the Case Study.	0-8 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.			15
Implementation Steps An introduction and all areas (vendor agreement, hardware/ telecom, configuration, testing, employee preparation, data migration, and maintenance) Generally, 0-5 points each. Both quantity and quality evaluated.	31.5-35 Points Clearly and thoroughly included introduction and covered all areas, strongly derived from the Case Study and vendor brochure, and demonstrates sophisticated analysis and writing. All 7 areas well done.	28-31 Points Clearly covered and included introduction and all areas, derived from the Case Study and vendor brochure, and demonstrates effective analysis and writing. 6 areas covered.	24.5-27 Points Covered and included introduction and majority of areas and related to the Case Study and the vendor brochure. 5 areas covered.	21-24 Points All areas not covered, and/or are not related to the Case Study and/or the vendor brochure. 4 areas covered.	0-20 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. 3 or fewer areas covered.	35
Summary and Conclusion Summarizes the BA&SR and provides a compelling explanation of benefits to be gained	9-10 Points Provides strong, clear and concise summary; demonstrates sophisticated analysis and writing.	8.5 Points Provides clear summary; demonstrates effective analysis and writing.	7.5 Points Provides summary.	6.5 Points Lacks sufficient information to provide adequate summary.	0-5 Point 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.		10
Research Three or more sources—one is the vendor brochure, one from within the IFSM 300 course content, and one external (other than the course materials)	14-15 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.	12-13 Points At least three sources are incorporated (vendor, course content and external) and are relevant and somewhat support the analysis. References are appropriately incorporated and cited using APA style.	10-11 Points Fewer than 3 resources properly incorporated, and/or reference(s) are not cited using APA style.	9 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.	0-8 Points No course content or external research incorporated; or reference listed is not cited within the text
Complete BA&SR Report Well organized and clearly presented information for all four stages. `	14-15 points Document is a very effective and cohesive assemblage of the four sections, is well formatted and flows smoothly from one section to the next.	12-13 Points Document is a good assemblage of the four sections with appropriate formatting and flow.	10-11 Points Document includes content for all four stages; lacks a cohesive presentation and flow.	9 Points Incomplete stages; lack of continuity of flow and presentation of final information.	0-8 Points Incomplete report, missing stages, is not supported with information from the Case Study; and/or not well compiled and presented as a cohesive document.
Format Uses outline format provided; includes Title Page and complete Reference Page including sources for all 4 stages.	9-10 Points Very well organized and is easy to read. Very few or no errors in sentence structure, grammar, and spelling; double-spaced, written in third person, contains all required references, 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, contains all required references, and presented in a professional format.	7.5 Points Some organization; may have some errors in sentence structure, grammar, and spelling; missing some required references. 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, missing several required references, and written in third person.	0-5 Points Extremely poorly written, has many grammar and/or spelling errors, missing required references, or does not convey the information.
TOTAL Possible Points	100

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 MTC’s

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 MTC’s onsite teams in the U. S.

Goal 3: Continue to increase MTC’s ability to quickly provide high quality consultants to
awarded contracts to best serve the clients’ needs.

Goal 4: Increase MTC’s 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. MTC’s 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 can’t be out in the market soliciting new business if we can’t deliver on what we’re

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 we’re talking about this initiative. As CFO, obviously I’m focused on the bottom line. I

also recognize it’s 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 MTC’s 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

don’t 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. We’ve 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, MTC’s 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. I’m

also interested in solutions that are easy-to-use and can interface with our existing systems and

enhance processes. I’m willing to consider a basic system that can grow as MTC grows and

provide more capabilities in the future. I’m sure Sofia, our Manager of Recruiting, can provide

more specifics.”

Manager of Recruiting: Sofia Perez

“You don’t know how long I’ve 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. It goes without saying that a consulting company is

dependent on having well-qualified employees to deliver to our customers. We’re in a

competitive market for IT talent and want to be able to recruit efficiently, process applicants

quickly, and move to making a job offer to the best candidate before the competition snaps

him/her up. When I talk with my colleagues in other companies, they mention applicant

tracking systems that have enabled them to reduce their hiring time by 15-20%. I’m so envious

of them and look forward to having our new solution in place before the next set of contracts

are won and we need to hire 75 (to as many as 150) staff in a 2-month period. I do not think my

Maryland Technology Consultants is a fictitious company created for the IFSM 300 Case Study.

MTC Case Study 11/23/2019 Ver. 1 6

team can handle such an increase in an efficient and effective manner. On-going growth at

MTC will continue to increase the demands to hire more consultants quickly. It really seems like

there would be a rapid return on investment in a technology solution to support and improve

the hiring process.”

Recruiters: Peter O’Neil (along with Mike Thomas and Jennifer Blackwell)

“This project should have happened 2 years ago but glad it’s finally getting some attention. As a

recruiter, I’m sort of the middleperson in this process. On one hand, we have the job applicant

who is anxious to know the status of his/her application and fit for the advertised position. It’s

important that the recruiters represent MTC well, as we want the best applicants to want to

come to work for us. Then we have the actual hiring manager in one of our business areas who

has issued the job requisition and wants to get the best applicant hired as quickly as possible.

Obviously recruiting is not the hiring manager’s full-time job, so we’re always competing for

time with other job responsibilities, so we can keep things moving as quickly as possible. They

provide us with job descriptions to meet the needs of clients and look to us to screen resumes

and only forward the best qualified applicants to them so they can quickly identify their top

candidates. Working with Tom, our administrative assistant, we need interviews to be

scheduled to accommodate everyone’s calendars. After the hiring managers make their final

selections of who they would like to hire, it is our task to get the job offers presented to the

candidates – hopefully for their acceptance. Everything is very time sensitive, and the current

process is not nearly as efficient as it could be. Applications and resumes can get lost in

interoffice mail or buried in email; and, when a hiring manager calls us, we often cannot

immediately provide the status of where an applicant is in the process. This can be very

frustrating all around. Speaking for myself and the other recruiters, I have high expectations for

this solution. We need to really be able to deliver world-class service to MTC in the recruiting

and hiring areas to meet the business goals.”

Administrative Assistant: Tom Arbuckle

“I support the recruiters in the hiring process. After the recruiters screen the resumes and select

the best candidates for a position, my job is to route those applications and resumes via

interoffice mail to the respective functional/hiring manager, receive his or her feedback on who

to interview and who should be involved in the interviews, schedule the interviews based on

availability of applicants and the interview team members, collect the feedback from the

interview team and inform the assigned recruiter of the status of each candidate who was

interviewed. In addition to preparing the job offer letter based on the recruiter’s direction, after

a job offer has been made and accepted, I coordinate the paperwork for the new hire with HR

and Payroll to ensure everything is ready to go on the first day. As you can imagine when hiring

volume is up, I’m buried in paperwork and trying to keep all the applicants and their resumes

straight, track their status in the process, and ensure everyone has what they need is very

challenging. I love my job, but want to ensure I can continue to keep on top of the increased

hiring demands and support the recruiting team effectively. Any tool that would help the

workflow and enable many steps in the process to be done electronically would be wonderful.”

Maryland Technology Consultants is a fictitious company created for the IFSM 300 Case Study.

MTC Case Study 11/23/2019 Ver. 1 7

Hiring Manager (in functional area; this person would be the supervisor of the new employee

and would likely issue the job requisition to fill a need in his/her department/team):

“While it’s a good problem to have – new business means new hires — the current method for

screening applications, scheduling interviews, identifying the best qualified applicants, and

getting a job offer to them is not working. My team is evaluated on the level of service we

provide our clients, and it is very important that we have well-qualified staff members to fulfill

our contracts. Turnover is common in the IT world and that along with new business

development, makes the need for hiring new staff critical and time-sensitive. I confess that

sometimes I’m not as responsive to HR as I should be; but although hiring new consultants for

the contracts I manage is important to successfully meet the clients’ needs, this is only one of

several areas for which I’m responsible. I look to the recruiters to stay on top of this for me. In

the ideal world, I’d like an electronic dashboard from which I can see the status of any job

openings in my area, information on all qualified candidates who have applied and where they

are in the pipeline. Electronic scheduling of interviews on my calendar would be a real time

saver. It’s important that we impress candidates with our technology and efficiency – after all

we are an IT consulting company—and using manual processes makes us look bad. And, this

system must be easy to use – I don’t have time for training or reading a 100-page user’s

manual. Just need to get my job done.”

Maryland Technology Consultants, Inc. (MTC)

Business Analysis and System Recommendation (BA&SR)

Name

Class

Date

I. STRATEGIC USE OF TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION:

Maryland Technology Consultants, Inc. is an Information Technology Consulting Services Company that has managed to prove itself through utilizing IT and management programs that have been measured to be efficient and effective in providing positive and measurable results for their consumers. “The consumers are from small-mid size businesses, non-profit organizations, and government entities at the local, state, and federal levels (Maryland Technology Consultants Case Study, 2018, p. 1)”. The company’s headquarters is located in Baltimore, Maryland and was founded on May 2008. The company has a total annual gross revenue of ninety-five million dollars and has employed 450 hardworking individuals whom are scattered across the varying company locations which include: Baltimore, MD, Herndon, VA, and Bethesda, MD. The firm’s major concern is the need to hire 75 additional employees in order to meet the needs of acquiring two new contracts, but with the current utilization of the manual hiring system there is fear that the task at hand may cause difficulty in meeting such requirements (Maryland Technology Consultants Case Study, 2018, p.1).

A. BUSINESS STRATEGY

The business strategy of Maryland Technology Consultants (MTC) is to provide high quality services and recommendations to its consumers by hiring employees who are knowledgeable and highly skilled with the business practices of technology. The company would also like to build a plethora of international consultants in order to promote research and analysis to assist in supporting MTC’s onsite teams in the U.S. It is crucial for the company to not only move from using the outdated manual system of hiring new employees, but to transition to an automated system in order to hire new employees in an adequate timeframe to meet the company’s objectives and goals for future contracts. The just-in-time concept will motivate the company to meet the needs of the new contracts so that resources are not wasted utilizing an outdated system compared to if an automated system were in place (Maryland Technology Consultants Case Study, 2018).

B. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE:

“MTC receives and obtains most of its contracts through proposals from business, government entities, and non-profit organizations through placing bids on solicitations (Maryland Technology Consultants Case Study, 2018, p. 2)”. MTC’s business has grown due to the accumulation of referrals and follow-on contracts from previous satisfied consumers and the business continues to grow and awaits taking on 2 new contracts in the future. Thus, updating and transitioning to an automated hiring system would be beneficial in improving time efficiency along with weeding out varieties of highly suitable candidates to hire on board from across the globe. The new hiring system would be able to increase its competitive advantage by assigning consultants who are appropriately skilled in meeting the needs of the contract and consumers. By providing greater value in services and using highly skilled consultants will improve and add to the reputation of the company and will allow more contracts to be taken on by the business increasing revenue. The process, organization culture, risk management, quality, and variety offered by the company will put itself above its other competitors.

C. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:

In the table below are goals and objectives the company would like to reach systematically in a timely order to help increase getting the brand-name out there and allow more opportunity to bring in more contracts while ensuring the ability to keep up with efficiency and quality of services provided.

Strategic Goal

(from case study)

Objective

(clear, measurable and time-bound)

Explanation

(2-3 sentences)

Increase MTC Business Development by winning new contracts in the areas of IT Consulting

Award 4 new contracts monthly

Utilize the new hiring system by establishing electronic media to promote and attract new consumers against competitors. Provide innovative and market leading technology that will gain the attention of contracts across the globe with the assistance of new hires internationally.

Build a cadre of consultants internationally to provide remote research and analysis support to MTC’s onsite teams in the U. S.

Increase international recruiting efforts and employ 5 research analysts in the next 12 months.

The new hiring system would allow applicants from around the world to apply online, increasing the number of international applicants. It would enable the recruiters to carefully monitor the applications for these positions, identify the necessary research and analysis skills needed, and screen resumes for these key skills. Recruiters could quickly view the number of applicants and identify when additional recruiting efforts are needed to meet the objective.

Continue to increase MTC’s ability to quickly provide high quality consultants to awarded contracts to best serve the clients’ needs

Set aside 12 candidates that have the skillset to fulfill new contracts awarded to fit the needs and expectations that the consultant is best suited for.

The new hiring system would have a collection of data stored of vetted consultants/candidates best suited for prospective positions of future contracts. This will allow time efficiency to be of no issue as the management team will have already weeded through the necessary candidates during selection.

Increase MTC’s 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

Provide thorough trainings monthly of updated policies, procedures, and any new information within technology advancement catering towards the clients.

Trainings will allow consultants to be knowledgeable about any changes within the system of technology. In doing so, the company is able to provide the best possible services to the clientele and to overall provide the best chances of competitive advantage over other competitors.

D. DECISION MAKING:

The table below lists the different levels of decision-making within Maryland Technology Consultants to assist in aiding a better visual of responsibilities within the company.

Role

Level as defined in Course Content Reading

Example of Possible Decision Supported by Hiring System

Example of Information the Hiring System Could Provide to Support Your Example Decision

Senior/Executive Managers

(Decisions made by the CEO and the CFO at MTC supported by the hiring system.)

Strategic/Executive

1. Creates the strategy and objectives of the company.
2. Determines if the correct personnel are in the right position.
3. Responsible for the company’s name brand.

If the company is able to fulfill new contracts within enough time, this will allow the opportunity to add more employees to the workforce. Having enough consultants to add to the team will determine whether or not more contracts will be able to be processed and handled through the corporation (How Information Supports Decision Making, 2020).

Middle Managers

(Decisions made by the Director of HR and the Manager of Recruiting supported by the hiring system.)

Managerial

1. Selects the best applicants
2. Schedules the interviews
3. Makes job offer

Being able to overview the new system will allow recruiters to make sure the process of workflow is working efficiently and provide exceptional offers to new employees.

Operational Managers

(Decisions made by the line managers in the organization who are hiring for their projects supported by the hiring system.)

Operational

1. Communicating resumes between departments
2. Interviewing process
3. New hire in-processing procedures

High turnovers within the business will allow the Hiring manager to have the ability to expedite the process of hiring to add more employees to the company.

E.

II. PROCESS ANALYSIS

A. HIRING PROCESS

The MTC hiring process is outdated and needs to be changed. Below is a table, which represents the current process, who is responsible, changes to be made, and the benefit of the new process. The table shows MTC’s desire to provide customers with the best service, which means selecting top candidates to fill certain roles within the company. In due time, the hiring process will change which will take time and patience. The current process will continue to be in place until all the kinks have been worked out within the new process, so the company can better assist customer’s needs.

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 MTC’s overall business strategy and needs.)

1. Recruiter receives application from job hunter via Postal Service Mail.

Recruiter

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.

1. Recruiter screens resumes to identify top candidates by matching with job requirements from job description.

Recruiter

The system will allow select key words to help filter out criteria from applications that match or meet minimum requirements for the position listed (Gentle, 2018).

This will cut down time needed to get readily available resumes to the hiring manager to take action.

1. Recruiter forwards top candidates to Administrative Assistant via interoffice mail

Recruiter

The system will allow a time stamp and send an automated message to AA.

Reduces errors and misplacement of manual paperwork (Gentle, 2018).

1. Administrative Assistant forwards candidates’ resumes and applications to hiring manager for the position via interoffice mail.

Administrative Assistant

The system will allow to send automated message to be sent to the hiring manager with date/time.

Reduces errors and misplacement of manual paperwork.

1. Hiring Manager reviews applications and selects who he/she wants to interview.

Hiring Manager

The system will filter out the best qualified candidates to move forward to the next step/round.

Allows the hiring manager to avoid investing unnecessary time sorting through applicants manually.

1. Hiring Manager sends email to Administrative Assistant on who he/she has selected to interview and identifies members of the interview team.

Hiring Manager

The system will allow an automated message to be sent back to the administrative department with a time/date.

Reduces errors and misplacement of manual paperwork.

1. AA schedules interviews by contacting interview team members and hiring manager to identify possible time slots

Administrative Assistant, Interview Team, and Hiring Manager

The system should allow possible time slots available for candidates to be interviewed in timely fashion involving all departments.

Reduces feedback time amongst all departments when corresponding interviews in timely fashion.

1. AA emails candidates to schedule interviews.

Administrative Assistant

The system should allow possible time slots available for candidates to be interviewed in timely fashion involving all departments.

Reduces feedback time amongst all departments when corresponding interviews in timely fashion.

1. 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

1. Hiring manager informs the AA on his top candidate for hiring

Hiring Manager

The system allows the data that’s inputted to be distributed out to the AA electronically.

Allows processing time of the administrative assistant to be reduced.

1. AA collects feedback from interviews and status of candidates

Administrative Assistant

The system allows a collection of data to be consolidated from what is inputted by the interview team.

Reduces processing time through means of reviewing compiled data to determine next step.

1. Administrative Assistant prepares offer letter based on information from recruiter and puts in the mail to the chosen candidate.

Administrative Assistant

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

The table below provides information on current issues the company faces and how with the use of the hiring process they can be addressed and improved to meet the goals of not only the company but meet the needs of the client.

Area

Current Issues

(from the Case Study)

Improvements

(due to use of technology)

Collaboration:

The Hiring Manager states that recruiting is only one area he is responsible for and he isn’t 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

There is no proper communication amongst departments as stated by the hiring manager. The process for screening applicants, scheduling interviews, identifying qualified candidates, and getting a job offer are currently not sound or effective. Turnover rates are high in the IT world, thus improving communication would be ideal.

The hiring system would provide better communication amongst different departments within the hiring process by providing tracking progress on potential hires. Efficient communication to hires will allow feedback to come at a timely manner with clients to provide the needs of the customer (Sherman, 2019).

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.

The Administrative Assistant states when the hiring volume is up, the AA is then buried in vast amounts of paperwork. The Administrative Assistant has to balance keeping up with all the applicants and resumes, track status of applicant, and ensuring needs are met. Wants to be able to be stay on top of the workload while supporting the recruiters effectively. Current manual system causes organization and time efficiency to lack.

Having a hiring system would allow for time spent on sorting through applicants and filing to be cut down as all the necessary information would be accessible in the system attached with data collected through each step of the hiring process. This system will also allow the Administrative Assistant to improve scheduling candidates effectively in correlation with other departments.

Relationships: Explain how implementing an enterprise hiring system could foster stronger relationships with applicants/potential employees.

The hiring manager has emphasized that there is no proper communication, i.e. not being responsive to HR. The hiring manager heavily relies on the recruiters to stay on top the recruiting process.

The hiring system will allow feedback time to be cut down, and will provide accessibility to have automated responses available in order to allow open communication with different department and clients. The hiring managers will have data available to pull from the system to provide to clients about employees who will be able assigned to certain projects. In turn, this will allow potential employees to be inputted into the loop in having details provided to them in an adequate amount of time (Sherman, 2019).

III. REQUIREMENTS

A. STAKEHOLDERS INTERESTS

The table below shows stakeholders’ specific challenge related to hiring process and how technology solution provides a way the hiring process could address the challenge.

Role

Specific problem related to the current hiring process

How a technology solution to support the hiring process could address the problem

1. CEO

Selecting the right candidate/consultants has been difficult in meeting the needs that the client is paying for in regards to contracts.

With the hiring system in place, matching the right candidates to potential positions posted will benefit the needs of the company and the clients. This will allow efficiency and cut unnecessary time spent on filing through applications.

2. CFO

The current technology in place is not cost effective and it’s inefficient.
The payroll and time-keeping is done manually and needs to automatically integrate new employees.

The hiring system will allow integration of payroll and time-keeping accordingly of new employees and provide a cost-effective solution for the company.

3. CIO

Mobile computing is heavily relied on within the organization, thus causing conflict of incorporating and viewing portability, maintenance, and solutions.
Breach of data and security of the clientele’s information is of concern, additionally compatibility of the system is crucial.

The system will provide a way to incorporate portability, maintenance, and solutions that are compatible with the system of hiring. Security breaches will be addressed and become minimized with proper cybersecurity in place to safeguard clientele’s information.

4. Director of Human Resources

The current manual process of hiring and meeting demands of the company and clients are affecting time efficiency and deadlines.

The hiring system will allow information to be store automatically which will cut-down time consumption of tedious duties.

5. Manager of Recruiting

Being in a competitive market, time efficiency is crucial when performing the duties of hiring new staff.

The system will allow the amount of time spent on processing applicants to be cut down 15-20% by filtering through applicants and criteria they meet of the position posted (Maryland Technology Consultants Case Study, 2018, p.5).

6. Recruiters

Feedback given to the applicants is slow and does not compute in timely fashion which causes applications to get lost in the shuffle. Scheduling is not consistent or coordinated well with everyone involved in the interviewing process.

The system will ensure feedback to applicants is communicated effectively and efficiently. The system will gather information appropriately to align the best time frame for interviewers and interviewees to meet (Gentle, 2018).

7. Administrative Assistant

Applicants and resumes are not being organized in a fashion where the information is obtainable effectively for the position.

The hiring process will allow paperwork to be minimized and allow quickly filtering through applicants in selecting possible candidates.

8. Hiring Manager (Functional supervisor the new employee would be working for.)

Screening, scheduling, and identifying applicants for the position is not working effectively and is time consuming.

The system will provide a quick and efficient flow of filtering through applications and identifying candidates who meet criteria listed. The system will allow easy scheduling amongst different departments from HR to hiring managers.

B. DEFINING REQUIREMENTS

MTC is an IT consulting company that requires multiple requirements between business units. The system will have requirements that are outlined in the table below that shows functional and non-functional requirements that coordinate with the responsible stakeholder (Requirements, 2020).

Requirement ID# only

Requirement Statement

Stakeholder
(Position and Name from Case Study that identified this requirement)

User Requirements –
(What the user needs the system to do)

EXAMPLE

The system must store all information from the candidate’s application/resume in a central applicant database.

Recruiter – Peter O’Neil

1. Usability

The system must assist in screening applicants.
The system must schedule interviews with preferred applicants.

Hiring Manager

2. Usability

The system must allow resumes to be coordinated to the correct applicants.

Administrative Assistant – Tom Arbuckle

3. Scalability

The system must cut down time of communication between recruiters and hiring managers.
The system must allow quick responses to the applicants.

Recruiters – Peter O’Neil, Mike Thomas, and Jennifer Blackwell

4. Maintainability

The system must minimize obstacles dealing with maintenance along with making sure that compatibility issues are limited in regards to hiring new employees.

CIO – Raj Patel

5. Reporting

The system must minimize the process time of hiring applicants by 15-20% (Maryland Technology Consultants Case Study, 2018, p.5).

Manager of Recruiting – Sofia Perez

System Performance Requirements –
(How the system will perform)

EXAMPLE

The system must be implemented as a Software as a Service solution.

CIO – Raj Patel

6. Storage

The system must provide a time efficient process to store data to fulfil hiring demands.

Director of HR – Joseph Cummings

7. Reliability

The system must provide information to be communicated effectively between recruiters and hiring managers at a faster pace.

Recruiters – Peter O’Neil, Mike Thomas, and Jennifer Blackwell

8. Processing

The system must select prospective candidates that meet criteria of the positions posted.
The system shall schedule interviews in correlation with the candidates, team of interviewers, and the hiring manager.

Administrative Assistant – Tom Arbuckle

9. Security

The system must provide a back-up information of payroll.
The system shall provide back-up information of time-keeping.

CFO – Evelyn Lui

10. Security

The system must provide software to protect itself from possible security breaches (Developing Requirements for an IT System, 2020).

CIO – Raj Patel

References

Analyzing Process Improvements Supported by IT. [Course Content]. (2020). In IFSM 300:  Information Systems in Organizations. Retrieved from

https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/450763/viewContent/17099684/View

Developing Requirements for an IT System [Course Content]. (2020). In IFSM 300:  Information Systems in Organizations. Retrieved from

https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/450763/viewContent/17099686/View

Gentle, S. (2018, July 20). 10 Benefits of a Recruitment Software. Onrec. Retrieved from

https://www.onrec.com/news/news-archive/10-benefits-of-a-recruitment-software

How Information Supports Decision Making [Course Content]. (2020). In IFSM 300:  Information Systems in Organizations. Retrieved from

https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/450763/viewContent/17099676/View

Information Systems Security [Course Content]. (2020). In IFSM 300:  Information Systems in Organizations. Retrieved from

https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/450763/viewContent/17099690/View

Maryland Technology Consultants case study [Course Resources]. (2018). In IFSM 300: Information Systems in Organizations: Spring 2019. Retrieved from

https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/450763/viewContent/17099664/View

Requirements [Course Content]. (2020). In IFSM 300:  Information Systems in Organizations. Retrieved from

https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/450763/viewContent/17099688/View

Sherman, F. (2019, March 07). What Are the Benefits of Effective Communication in the Workplace? Small Business – Chron.com. Retrieved from

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-effective-communication-workplace-20198.html

Christensen, D. (2013) Why communication matters in your business plan. Retrieved from:

hp://www.whiteboardbusiness.com/why-communica!on-maers-in-your-business-plan/

Christensen, D. (2013) Why communication matters in your business plan. Retrieved from:
hp://www.whiteboardbusiness.com/why-communica!on-maers-in-your-business-plan/
Christensen, D. (2013) Why communication matters in your business plan. Retrieved from:
hp://www.whiteboardbusiness.com/why-communica!on-maers-in-your-business-plan/
Christensen, D. (2013) Why communication matters in your business plan. Retrieved from:
hp://www.whiteboardbusiness.com/why-communica!on-maers-in-your-business-plan/