For this project, you will approach an organization, ask for permission to learn about their information system, and interview an employee who was involved in the initiation, development, and/or implementation of the system. Possibly interview managers, developers, and daily users. You will then write a report based on your findings.
Interview questions should include but are not limited to:
NOTE: Phone, skype, facetime, etc interviews are acceptable. E-mail exchanges where you send a list of questions to an individual and they respond via e-mail the answers are not accepted. This project requires you to engage and communicate. Being in the business world is about networking and communication- speaking with someone in person, via phone, skype, facetime, etc will give you more insight into information systems and the analysis and implementation.
NOTE: You must provide proof that you visited or spoke with a member or members of an organization. This can include an email to me from the person you interviewed (recommended), a copy of an email exchange between you and the interviewee setting up the interview and thanking them for their time, a copy of their signed business card, etc. Failure to submit this is an automatic 30 point deduction.
NOTE: As you are asking permission and interviewing, make sure up-front you are asking questions about the system- not their actual data. If a business suspects you are looking to see their data, they’re likely to shut you down quickly. Their data is private and confidential. You are asking about the system in place to track (enter, maintain, analyze, retrieve, etc) to keep their business up and running.
Guidelines:
In your report include their answers to the questions you raised and any recommendations you may have based on your interview. Do not simply provide word-for-word what they answered. Summarize it in a way that you are explaining their process and the system to someone outside of the organization. Reports must be a minimum of 1000 words, correct spelling/grammar. Any sources used beyond information you gather in the interview must be properly documented. APA writing style preferred; MLA accepted as well.
NOTE: You must provide proof that you visited or spoke with a member or members of an organization. This can include an email to me from the person you interviewed (recommended), a copy of an email exchange between you and the interviewee setting up the interview and thanking them for their time, a copy of their signed business card, etc. Failure to submit this is an automatic 30 point deduction.
To give you some ideas- this list is not all inclusive- there are so many opportunities:
Don’t think too much here; think about small businesses in your area first. Every business has an information system to keep track of inventory, employees, sales, profits, expenses, etc.