Overview: This Assignment Is The First Milestone You Will

Overview This Assignment Is The First Milestone That You Will Complete

This assignment is the first milestone that you will complete for your final project. In this milestone, you will address the following: you will begin drafting parts of your final project, focusing on your business requirements, competitors, and technology. This assignment is an important practice opportunity for you to create a draft and to get feedback from your instructor to improve your final draft. The rubric reflects that this is a practice opportunity. You should focus on getting the necessary information into your draft. No draft is perfect. This milestone aligns with sections I, II, and III of your final project. Use the questions in the critical elements as a guide. You are free to work in the Final Project Template document or on a separate word document for your drafts. It is recommended you use the template to ensure you do not miss any items you need to address. The critical elements are highlighted in yellow in the template. The decision matrix is not required for this milestone; however, you will be submitting the decision matrix in Milestone Two. It is recommended that you use the template provided to help narrow your technology recommendation. For additional resources on developing the decision matrix, refer to articles on decision matrix evaluation and analysis.

Prompt: Imagine that you work for the small brick-and-mortar business described in the final project case scenario. The owner wants to focus on generating new revenue through e-commerce, but knows this requires integrating new technology. She has asked you to create a business systems analysis.

In this analysis, you will introduce the problem facing the business, determine the business requirements for solving that problem—including the requirements that any new technology must meet—and justify why the business should undertake this project. Use the Decision Matrix document to support your research and organize your thoughts. The final decision matrix will be submitted in Milestone Two.

Paper For Above instruction

The small brick-and-mortar business specializing in designer clothing, shoes, and handbags faces a significant challenge in expanding its market reach. With only a basic website and in-store sales, the business struggles to compete with larger online retailers that leverage technological advancements to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency. The primary problem is the limited online presence, which restricts customer access and sales opportunities. To address this, the business owner aims to establish a comprehensive e-commerce platform that integrates online shopping, inventory management, order processing, and secure payment systems. This initiative requires a thorough business systems analysis to identify suitable technology solutions that meet specific requirements.

The core objective of this project is to support the business’s growth by transitioning from a traditional brick-and-mortar setup to an integrated online retail environment. The project aims to enable seamless online purchasing, improve inventory control, streamline shipping, and enhance overall customer experience. Achieving these objectives will position the business to attract new customers, increase sales, and compete more effectively in the digital marketplace. The implementation of new technology is pivotal for long-term sustainability and relevance, especially given the rapid rise of e-commerce and changing consumer preferences.

To realize these goals, the business needs to adopt technological solutions that support multiple functions such as online storefronts, inventory and order management, payment gateways, customer relationship management (CRM), and data reporting. These requirements ensure that the new system can handle front-end sales as well as back-end administrative tasks, providing a comprehensive view of operations. The technology must also prioritize data security and privacy, protecting sensitive customer and business information from cyber threats. Additionally, ease of integration with existing physical store processes is critical to smooth transition and staff adaptability.

The key technological requirements include capabilities for real-time inventory updates, secure online transactions, integration with logistics providers, customer contact management, user-friendly interfaces, and reporting tools. The chosen system must be scalable to accommodate future growth and flexible enough to incorporate new functionalities as the business evolves. Security features such as encryption, fraud detection, and compliance with data protection standards are essential to safeguard internal and customer data alike. Furthermore, the system should support collaboration among staff and external partners, facilitating efficient communication and operational coordination.

In assessing potential technologies, two options stand out: cloud computing and business analytics and intelligence solutions. Cloud computing offers scalable infrastructure, cost efficiency, flexibility, and robust security measures that align with the business’s needs. It allows seamless integration of online services, inventory management, and payment processing while providing access from multiple devices and locations. Business analytics tools help in making data-driven decisions, improving forecasting, optimizing stock levels, and understanding customer behaviors, thereby enhancing competitiveness.

Research on industry competitors reveals how similar companies leverage technology to achieve strategic advantages. For instance, Zappos employs cloud-based solutions to manage a vast inventory and provide rapid, reliable customer service. They utilize analytics to personalize shopping experiences and improve operational efficiency, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. Nordstrom Rack integrates customer contact management and reporting tools to tailor promotions and track sales trends, boosting revenue and customer engagement. These examples demonstrate that effective technology adoption directly correlates with business growth and customer retention.

If the business adopts a comparable approach, benefits could include streamlined operations, enhanced customer experiences, and improved decision-making capabilities. For example, implementing cloud computing can reduce infrastructure costs and enhance system resilience, while analytics can identify sales patterns and inventory needs more accurately. These technological improvements can translate into increased sales, better inventory turnover, and stronger customer relationships, ultimately fostering sustainable growth.

References

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