Stage 2: Process Analysis
Before you begin work on this assignment, be sure you have read the Case Study and reviewed the feedback received on your Stage 1 assignment.
Overview
As the business analyst in the CIO's department of Chesapeake IT Consulting (CIC), your next task in working towards an IT solution to improve the hiring process at CIC is to conduct a process analysis. This will identify how the current manual process is working and what improvements could be made to the process that would be supported by a technology solution.
Assignment – BA&SR Section II – Process Analysis
The first step is to incorporate the feedback you received on your Stage 1 assignment, making any needed corrections or adjustments. Part of the grading criteria for Stage 4 submission includes addressing previous feedback to improve the final report. For this assignment, you will add Section II of the Business Analysis and System Recommendation (BA&SR) Report by conducting an analysis of the current hiring process and presenting information on expected business improvements. This analysis lays the ground work for Section III – Requirements of the BA&SR Report (Stage 3 assignment) which will identify CIC's requirements for a system.
Using the case study, assignment instructions, Course Content readings, and external resources, develop your Section II: Process Analysis. The case study tells you that the executives and employees at CIC have identified a need for an effective and efficient hiring system. As you review the case study, use the assignment instructions to take notes to assist in your analysis. As the stakeholders provide their needs and expectations to improve the process, identify steps that could be improved with the support of a hiring system. Also look for examples of issues and problems that can be improved with a technology solution.
Use the outline format, headings and tables provided and follow all formatting instructions below.
Begin with your Section I (Stage 1 assignment), making changes based on feedback you received and add Section II. Apply specific information from the case study to address each area.
II. Process Analysis
A. Hiring Process:
Part 1 - To understand what the new hiring system needs to do for CIC, you will first analyze the current hiring process (often referred to as the “as-is process”). The stakeholder interviews in the CIC Case Study provide some needed information about how the process is currently conducted, but you may need to make some additional logical assumptions. You will need to combine the steps that each interviewee discusses and organize them into a logical sequence showing the high-level start to finish process. First, insert an introductory opening sentence for this section that addresses both Part 1 and Part 2 below. Then, insert into the table the steps that are missing and enter the position title of the person who would perform each step. The beginning and ending steps have been provided for you and should remain in your table. Each process step should be concise and include an action verb. (Provide an introductory sentence that applies to the complete table and copy the table and insert information within.) Note: Although different organizations can use different hiring practices, focus on information from the case study to capture key steps needed for this system. Incorporating additional steps such as testing, second round of interviews, etc. may cause you to omit key steps required to for CIC’s process.
Part 2 - The overall hiring process has several steps which you listed for Part 1 above. For each of the steps listed, complete the To-Be Process column in the table describing how this part of the process will be supported by the technology solution to improve the hiring process. Then complete the Business Benefits of the Improved Process column by explaining how this part of the process can contribute to the overall business strategy – think at a higher level than the specific process step. For each step, identify the result of using the system, as shown in the two examples. While it is important the system will speed up each step of the process, think about how CIC or the responsible employees would benefit from using an automated system to perform that step.
The first row and last rows have been completed for you as an example and must be retained and not revised. Insert logical steps that would sequentially fall between #1 and #12.
CIC Hiring Process
As-Is Process
(Part 1)
Responsible CIC Position
(Part 1)
To-Be Process – How the System Will Support the New Process
(Part 2)
Business Benefits of Improved Process
(Part 2)
1. Recruiter receives application from job hunter via Postal Service Mail.
EXAMPLE PROVIDED – (Retain text as #1 but remove this label and gray shading in your report)
Recruiter
Receive application via on-line submission through CIC Employment Website and store in applicant database.
More efficient submission process decreases time needed to receive and begin processing applications. This will present a positive image to potential employees and help CIC compete for top IT talent.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11
12. Ted prepares offer letter based on information from recruiter and puts in the mail to the chosen candidate.
EXAMPLE PROVIDED – (Retain text as #12 but remove this label and gray shading in your report)
Administrative Assistant
Prepares job offer letter by selecting information needed for specific candidate; system completes the template with stored information, and Ted reviews and emails to candidate.
More efficient offer process presents positive image to applicants and decreases time needed to prepare offer letter, and enable CIC to hire in advance of the competition.
B. Expected Improvements - As noted in the case study, there are a lot of manual processes, overwhelming paperwork, difficulty scheduling interviews, etc. related to CIC’s current manual hiring process. A technology solution can address many of these issues. For each of the areas listed in the table below, provide examples of issues from the case study and how a technology solution could be used to improve these areas. Issues and improvements should be addressed in 1-2 clear, complete sentences with information incorporated from the case study. The first one is provided as an example. (Provide an introductory sentence and copy the table and insert information within.)
Area
Current Issues
(from the Case Study)
Improvements
(due to use of technology)
Collaboration:
EXAMPLE PROVIDED
(Retain text but remove this label and gray shading in your report)
The Hiring Manager states that he isn’t as responsive to HR as he could be since recruiting is only one of the many areas he is responsible for. Therefore, he depends on Recruiters to stay on top of the recruiting process.
An efficient system with all information in one place, easily accessible 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
Workflow: Explain how a hiring system could improve the CIC hiring process by providing a consistent structure for each participant to perform his/her part in the hiring process.
Relationships: Explain how implementing an enterprise hiring system could foster stronger relationships with applicants/potential employees.
Formatting Your Assignment
Consider your audience – you are writing in the role of a CIC business analyst and your audience is CIC and your boss, the CIO. Don’t discuss CIC 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 2, you are preparing the second part of a 4-stage report. Use the structure, headings, and outline format provided here for your report.
· Begin with Section I, revised according to any feedback received and add to it Section II.
· Write a short concise paper: Use the recommendations provided in each area for length of response. It’s important to value quality over quantity. Section II should not exceed 3 pages.
· Content areas should be double spaced; table entries should be single-spaced.
· To copy a table: Move your cursor to the table, then click on the small box that appears at the upper left corner of the table to highlight the table; right click and COPY the table; put the cursor in your paper where you want the table and right click and PASTE the table.
· Ensure that each of the tables 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.
· Use at least two resources with APA formatted citation and reference for this Stage 2 assignment. Use at least one external reference and one from the course content. Course content should be from the class reading content, not the assignment instructions or case study itself.
· Add the references required for this assignment to the Reference Page. Additional research in next stages will be added to this as you build 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_2
GRADING RUBRIC:
Criteria
90-100%
Far Above Standards
80-89%
Above Standards
70-79%
Meets Standards
60-69%
Below Standards
< 60%
Well Below Standards
Possible Points
As-Is Process Analysis
Analysis describes the hiring process in terms of CIC requirements.
18-20 Points
10 steps in logical sequence and responsible position appropriately identified; clearly derived from the Case Study, and demonstrates sophisticated analysis.
16-17 Points
10 steps in logical sequence with responsible position identified; derived from the Case Study, and demonstrates effective analysis.
14-15 Points
10 steps are mostly in sequence and logical; responsible position identified; related to the Case Study.
12-13 Points
Fewer than 10 steps and/or responsible position not identified and/or is not related to the Case Study, and/or contains significant incorrect information.
0-11 Points
Content missing or extremely incomplete, did not reflect the assignment instructions, showed little or no originality, demonstrated little effort and/or is not original work for this class section.
20
To-Be Process Analysis
Analysis describes how the system will support the new hiring process
18-20 Points
To-Be Process step clearly relates to corresponding As-Is Process step and fully explains how the system will support it; demonstrates sophisticated analysis.
16-17 Points
To-Be Process step relates to corresponding As-Is Process step and explains how the system will support it; demonstrates effective analysis.
14-15 Points
To-Be Process step provided for each As-Is Process step and an explanation is provided for each.
12-13 Points
Fewer than 10 To-Be Process steps and/or explanations are provided; and/or contains significant incorrect information.
0-11 Points
Content missing or extremely incomplete, did not reflect the assignment instructions, showed little or no originality, demonstrated little effort and/or is not original work for this class section.
20
Business Benefits of Improved Process
Explains how each step in the process can contribute to the overall business strategy
18-20 Points
Improvements for all 10 process steps are fully explained; demonstrates sophisticated analysis.
16-17 Points
Improvements for all 10 process steps are explained; demonstrates effective analysis.
14-15 Points
Improvements for all 10 process steps are included.
12-13 Points
Improvements for fewer than 10 process steps are provided; and/or contains significant incorrect information.
0-11 Points
Content missing or extremely incomplete, did not reflect the assignment instructions, showed little or no originality, demonstrated little effort and/or is not original work for this class section.
20
Expected Improvements
Issues from case study and improvements due to technology in areas of Communication, Structure, and Relationships
18-20 Points
Issues and improvements for all 3 areas are fully explained; demonstrates sophisticated analysis.
16-17 Points
Issues and improvements for all 3 areas are explained; demonstrates effective analysis.
14-15 Points
Issues and improvements for all 3 areas are provided.
12-13 Points
Issues and improvements for fewer than 3 areas are provided; and/or contains significant incorrect information.
0-11 Points
Content missing or extremely incomplete, did not reflect the assignment instructions, showed little or no originality, demonstrated little effort and/or is not original work for this class section.
20
Research
Two or more sources--one source from within the IFSM 300 course content and one external (other than the course materials)
9-10 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.
8.5 Points
At least two sources are incorporated and are relevant and somewhat support the analysis. References are appropriately incorporated and cited using APA style.
7.5 Points
Only one resource is used and properly incorporated and/or reference(s) lack correct APA style.
6.5 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.
0-5 Points
No course content or external research incorporated; or reference listed is not cited within the text.
10
Format
Uses outline format provided; includes Title Page and Reference Page
9-10 Points
Well organized and easy to read. Very few or no errors in sentence structure, grammar, and spelling; double-spaced, written in third person 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 and presented in a professional format.
7.5 Points
Some organization; may have some errors in sentence structure, grammar and spelling. 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 and written in third person.
0-5 Points
Extremely poorly written, has many grammar and/or spelling errors, or does not convey the information.
10
TOTAL Points Possible
100