EOCP Assignment Instructions

Basic Instructions:

Choose between two options:

Working individually, the student will demonstrate additional competency in project, operations, and information systems management by preparing a succinct report that integrates project, operations, and information systems management to meet a student-selected managerial challenge

at his or her enterprise

or

at the American Society for Quality (ASQ) Education Division

and significantly improve its performance

NOTE: Any student may choose either of the two options above. However, the second option is intended to facilitate preparation of the required EOCP by students who are either

not employed, or
employed by an enterprise that does not disclose the nature of its work
A case study providing current information on the ASQ Education Division is here, that is, the next topic below.

In both options, your report must include at least the following topics

An executive summary
Description of the managerial challenge
Application of project management to the challenge
Application of operations management to the challenge
Application of information systems management to the challenge
Approach to measurement of quality post-project
Assignment of the project sponsor and project team
Training needed
Work breakdown/Gantt chart including critical path
A planning budget
The report will be submitted in pdf format except for the budget, which will be in xlsx format, and for the work breakdown/Gantt chart including critical path, which will be prepared with a project management software such as MS-Project in its particular format, such as mpp for MS-Project..

Critical thinking, managerial decision making, information literacy, problem-solving, systems thinking, and technology fluency are needed.

Additional Instructions:

What is a succinct report? Could it not be 10 pages plus a cover page and references or less? One reads that IBM decision papers are limited to that length, and we all recall the single-sheet Ringo Sho approach to important decisions at Toyota.

Project management always refers to the Triple Constraint and involves a project team, plus a work breakdown/Gantt chart with critical path.

Operations management refers here to the daily processes at your organization or the ASQ Education Division; you should show how the daily processes will be improved after the project is completed.

Information systems management refers to the support provided by IS and included Information Technology both during the project and also afterwards; you should describe it.

Required Format:

Except as provided above, you should again use A Format for Your Text Assignments (Mandatory)

Required Readings:

Meredith, J.R., & Mantel, S.J., Jr. (n.d.). Technological Forecasting.(http://wiley.com/college/dec/meredith298298/resources/addtopics/addtopic_s_02a.html). Scan Includes forecasting methods for reference by those electing the optional Enrichment Opportunity
Multimedia:

Christensen, C.M. (2012). Tech futures – Christensen on solar energy. Cambridge: Harvard Business School Publishing. To be found in Content/Week 10 Makes a “shocking” prediction
Additional Readings:

Find them in Content/Week 10/Optional Resources.

(These include optional articles of value to those electing to do the separate, optional Enrichment Opportunity.)

This Paper does not have a paper length or word requirement either. It must however address each of the bullets listed above