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June 18, 2025

Evaluating OD Interventions

Evaluating OD Interventions

The last part of a change process typically includes the analysis and monitoring of any interventions that were implemented. This process entails data collection and measuring outcomes. The analysis would also require assessing the actual effectiveness of the interventions.

Once the initial effectiveness of interventions is determined, it is important to continue with routine or regular follow-up evaluations These evaluations would enable organizations to do the following:

Identify any other areas requiring improvement
Track progress
Make any necessary adjustments to the interventions

Answer the following questions:

What are some examples of ways to analyze the effectiveness of organizational development (OD) interventions?,
Why is key stakeholder involvement and feedback important to evaluate success of OD interventions?,
What monitoring strategy would you recommend to ensure that OD interventions are maintained?,
Reflect on a successful change that you were a part of., What advice would you give to help others manage change?

Your final submission should consist of a 5–7-page Word document (including cover page and resource page).

1. Examples of Ways to Analyze OD Effectiveness
Analyzing OD interventions involves both qualitative and quantitative methods. Common techniques include:

Surveys and Questionnaires: To assess employee satisfaction, engagement, and perception of change.
Performance Metrics: Comparing productivity, turnover rates, or financial indicators before and after the intervention.
Interviews and Focus Groups: Gaining in-depth feedback from team members and leadership.
Benchmarking: Comparing internal results against industry standards or competitors.
360-Degree Feedback: Collecting evaluations from supervisors, peers, and subordinates to gauge behavioral change.

2. Importance of Stakeholder Involvement and Feedback
Stakeholder involvement ensures transparency, relevance, and alignment of the intervention with organizational goals. Their feedback:

Helps identify unforeseen obstacles or resistance points.
Ensures buy-in from those who implement and are impacted by the changes.
Allows real-time adjustments based on informed perspectives.
Builds trust and enhances cooperation across departments.
Offers practical insights, improving the chances of success.

3. Recommended Monitoring Strategy
A sustainable monitoring strategy should include:

Scheduled Progress Reviews: Monthly or quarterly reviews to assess milestone achievement.
KPIs and Dashboards: Use of key performance indicators (KPIs) that are regularly tracked and reported.
Change Champions: Appoint internal leaders to oversee and advocate for sustained implementation.
Feedback Loops: Maintain open channels (e.g., suggestion boxes, periodic surveys) for ongoing employee input.
Documentation and Reporting: Keep detailed records of what works and what doesn’t for future reference and scaling.

4. Reflecting on a Successful Change
In a previous role, our team transitioned from a traditional project management model to an agile framework. This shift was driven by a need for faster delivery and improved collaboration. The success was attributed to:

Inclusive planning sessions that engaged all team members.
Ongoing training to support the transition.
Regular check-ins to refine the process.
Leadership that modeled agility and responsiveness.
The result was a more flexible and efficient team that adapted to customer needs more effectively.

5. Advice for Managing Change
To navigate change successfully:

Communicate Clearly and Often: Keep everyone informed about what’s changing, why, and what’s expected.
Start with Small Wins: Demonstrating early success builds confidence and momentum.
Be Flexible: Not every plan will work as expected—adjust as needed.
Encourage Participation: Allow employees to contribute ideas and voice concerns.
Recognize Efforts: Acknowledge those who support and lead the change positively.

Please use this template to complete your work.

June 18, 2025

Special Education Course

By Academic Wizard Blog

Week 3: Special Education Course

Please read the directions carefully as this is a two-part assignment. For the first part you must create an interview the school district for reference is in Miami-Dade County.

PART 1

Educators should be able to identify specific learning and behavioral characteristics for students with moderate to severe disabilities to support program planning and interventions in current and future settings. They can consider how the environment, language, culture, family background, and technology influence the learning and behavioral characteristics of individuals with moderate to severe disabilities while collaboratively working with other team members on IEP planning and implementation.

In person, or via phone or internet-based communication such as FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype but not email, interview two individuals from the following list: a paraprofessional, a general education teacher, a special education staff member, including a special education teacher, director, or administrator, regarding their roles in planning and implementing components of an IEP for students with moderate to severe disabilities who are transitioning into high school, currently in high school, or working in a supportive employment post-secondary setting. Take notes, as these interviews will be submitted as part of the assignment deliverable.

The interviews should use the following questions to guide conversation:

· How do you collaborate with students and parents/guardians to ensure person-centered planning strategies around the development of the present level summary?,

· What strategies do you use when collaborating with general educators and others in selecting the best environment for the student to move towards their post-secondary transition goals and future settings?,

· How do you work cooperatively with general educators to create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments that engage individuals with disabilities in meaningful learning activities and social interactions?,

· What are some examples of developmentally appropriate assessments administered to the student by a parent/guardian?,

· How does the data gathered from these assessments guide planning and implementation decisions in addressing the unique learning and behavioral needs of individuals (Grades 9-Adult) with moderate to severe disabilities?

· How individual differences, abilities, interests, learning environments, and cultural and linguistic factors influenced the selection, development, and adaptation of learning experiences for individuals with disabilities?

· Why are the goals of self-determination (choice-making, self-cueing, and self-management) important to the long-term success for students?

· What direct modeling and coaching supports should be considered for effectively implementing social skills and daily living skills in a school or post-secondary setting?

· How do you work collaboratively with other team members when planning and implementing an IEP to consider how the environment, language, culture, family background, and technology?

· How does your assessment consider the learning and behavioral characteristics of individuals with moderate to severe disabilities?

In 500-750 words, summarize the responses you received for each question and interview. Reflect on why it is important to identify the best environments to enhance learning and behavior outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Explain how you will use your findings related to the role of the special education teacher in your future professional practice.

Support your summary with at least two scholarly resources.

Submit your interview notes and reflection to the learning management system.

Part 2

As educators, it is important to remember that parents/guardians may not have prior knowledge about learning disabilities, their risk factors, or early intervention strategies for exceptionalities in children of various ages. Additionally, parents/guardians may not understand how specific learning disabilities affect students in educational settings as well as everyday life. As educators, we can communicate and collaborate with parents/guardians to provide information and resources that help them understand learning disabilities, define the roles of the state, school, and the parents/guardians in accessing and providing intervention services, and navigate the acquisition of information and support agencies and services provided to students with disabilities.

Consider students in the grade level (K-3, 4-8, or 9-Adult) that is the focus of your field of study. Select a specific moderate to severe disability category (intellectual disability, specific learning disability, emotional behavior disorders, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, or orthopedic impairment).

Create a 250-500 word digital brochure that could be given to families that provides information about services and supports for individuals with disabilities. The brochure should include the following:

· Short rationale explaining how you will use the brochure to communicate with parents/guardians and establish mutual expectations to help you work collaboratively to support child development and achievement.

· Short definition and explanation of the disability category including the developmental and individual differences typically associated with the disability category.

· Three developmentally appropriate, specially designed instructional strategies that can be used to address the educational needs of students with this disability.

· Three ways communication/collaboration will occur with general educators, support staff, or service providers to create a safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environment that includes meaningful learning activities and social interactions for all students.

· Three intervention strategies families can implement at home to promote communication skills, social skills, and literacy skills in their children affected by the chosen disability category.

· Recommend local organizations families could use to learn more about the disability and community services that might be available to them. Provide contact information for the organizations and services.

Support the assignment with a minimum of three scholarly resources.

June 17, 2025

Cybersecurity Project Plan

By Academic Wizard Blog

Cybersecurity Project Plan

Overview

This assignment consists of two sections: a written project plan, and a Gantt chart that is created through the use of MS Project. You must submit the two sections as separate files for the completion of this assignment. Label each file name according to the section of the assignment it is written for. Additionally, you may create and/or assume all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment.

Tip: Review instructor feedback from all of your assignments, particularly the Planning a Software Development Project assignment from Week 6. Be sure to implement any changes based on that feedback in this assignment.

Scenario

Due to your extensive ability and knowledge of project management, you have been promoted to senior project manager for a national cybersecurity organization. For this role, you will be responsible for managing the launch of a new cybersecurity service that will attract new customers. This project will require:

Updating cloud-based systems that interface with customers. This effort requires programmers to update databases and web interfaces that will include new cybersecurity
Performing billing configurations to financial information systems. This effort includes modifying the back-end programs that calculate billing and financial reports data and include new cybersecurity service rates.
Providing training on the new service for the company’s customer service staff. This effort includes developing an online training manual, conducting training for customer service staff, and updating an internal website with a Frequently Asked Questions section for the new cybersecurity service.

Your job is to assist in the development of each described deliverable.

Your team is composed of four web-based developers, one database manager, two network specialists, two technical trainers, and one technical writer. They are devoted to operational management duties 35 percent of the time. One of the web-based developers has recently joined the team and has minimal experience with configuring cloud-based systems.

The service product launch must be completed within nine months. Upper management is available to supply the necessary funding required to complete this project.

Instructions

Section 1: Written Project Plan

Write a 10-12 page paper in which you:

Select a project management framework/methodology that could be used to develop this project and ensure that project objectives are met. Provide the rationale for your selection.,
Evaluate the possibility of using agile project management for any deliverables of the project.,
Develop a WBS that meets the project scope., Provide details at the activity level for the efforts required to achieve each deliverable. Note: WBS must be in the indented format as shown in Figure 5.5B in Chapter 5 of the text.,
List all possible resources that would be required for completing this project. Assign resources to each activity., Describe each resource’s role and the level of experience each activity would require.,
Utilize estimation techniques to generate estimates of costs, resources, and durations for each activity. Determine the constraints that must be observed and the basis for each estimate.
Determine the monitoring and control process that will be utilized for the project. Include a discussion on how you would perform earned value analysis to provide details on project status.
Determine the values that could be utilized to calculate planned costs, actual costs, and earned value.
Develop a quality management plan that will minimize defects for project deliverables. Determine the frequency and metrics that will be utilized for inspections.
Determine the techniques that could be used to enumerate the various risks that may exist within the project. Recommend risk management practices that will mitigate ongoing risks throughout the project.
Use at least six quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Section 1 of your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all support. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Section 2: Gantt Chart

Use Microsoft Project (or its equivalent) to create a Gantt chart in which you:

Record the data generated from the estimation process.
Describe your assumptions and declare the dependencies for the logical succession of each activity.

Section 2 of your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Include charts or diagrams created in Excel, Visio, MS Project, or one of their equivalents such as Open Project, Dia, and OpenOffice. The completed diagrams/charts must be imported into a Word document.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

Plan a software development project.

June 17, 2025

Data Analytics Career Plan

By Academic Wizard Blog

Data Analytics Career Plan

COMPETENCIES

4156.1.3 : Differentiates the Variety of Careers and Roles

The learner differentiates the variety of careers and roles related to the broad field of data analytics.

4156.1.4 : Identifies Potential Career Goals

The learner identifies potential career goals based on foundational knowledge of self and career pathways.

INTRODUCTION

In this task, you will create a career plan differentiating three different roles or careers in data analytics. You will compare data analytics disciplines and address your academic skills and needs for the careers you are considering.

You will use the CliftonStrengths tool to assess your career strengths, describing and reflecting upon your personalized results.

REQUIREMENTS

Your submission must represent your original work and understanding of the course material. Most performance assessment submissions are automatically scanned through the WGU similarity checker. Students are strongly encouraged to wait for the similarity report to generate after uploading their work and then review it to ensure Academic Authenticity guidelines are met before submitting the file for evaluation. See Understanding Similarity Reports for more information.

Preparation Task Overview Submissions Evaluation Report

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Grammarly Note: Professional Communication will be automatically assessed through Grammarly for Education in most performance assessments before a student submits work for evaluation. Students are strongly encouraged to review the Grammarly for Education feedback prior to submitting work for evaluation, as the overall submission will not pass without this aspect passing. See Use Grammarly for Education Effectively for more information.

Microsoft Files Note: Write your paper in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) unless another Microsoft product, or pdf, is specified in the task directions. Tasks may not be submitted as cloud links, such as links to Google Docs, Google Slides, OneDrive, etc. All supporting documentation, such as screenshots and proof of experience, should be collected in a pdf file and submitted separately from the main file. For more information, please see Computer System and Technology Requirements.

You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.

You must do the following:

A. Create a career plan. 1. Describe three different roles or careers in data analytics.,

a. Discuss the differences between the roles or careers from part A1. 2. , Describe how each role from part A1 supports the data analytics life cycle.,

B. Compare three different data analytics disciplines as described by ProjectPro. ,1. Identify three types of careers from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics government data,

in your career plan. 2., Identify your academic skills and needs for the careers considered in part B1.

C. Identify a potential career goal in your career plan based on your strengths and academic/MSDA track interests. 1. Reflect on your career strengths as identified in your personalized CliftonStrengths

assessment results.

D. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.

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E. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.

File Restrictions

File name may contain only letters, numbers, spaces, and these symbols: ! – _ . * ‘ ( ) File size limit: 200 MB File types allowed: doc, docx, rtf, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, odt, pdf, csv, txt, qt, mov, mpg, avi, mp3, wav, mp4, wma, flv, asf, mpeg, wmv, m4v, svg, tif, tiff, jpeg, jpg, gif, png, zip, rar, tar, 7z

RUBRIC

A:CAREER PLAN

A1:ROLES OR CAREERS IN DATA ANALYTICS

A1A:DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ROLES OR CAREERS

NOT EVIDENT

The submission does not

provide a career plan.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The submission provides an

incomplete career plan.

COMPETENT

The submission provides a

clear, complete career plan.

NOT EVIDENT

A discussion of roles or ca-

reers in data analytics is not

provided.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The description addresses 1

or 2 different roles or ca-

reers in data analytics.

COMPETENT

The description addresses 3

different roles or careers in

data analytics.

NOT EVIDENT

A discussion of differences

between roles or careers is

not provided.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The discussion of differ-

ences between the roles or

careers described is not ac-

COMPETENT

The discussion of the differ-

ences between the roles or

careers from part A1 is accu-

rate.

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A2:HOW ROLES SUPPORT THE DATA ANALYTICS LIFE CYCLE

B:COMPARISON OF DATA ANALYTICS DISCIPLINES

B1:CAREER TYPES

B2:ACADEMIC SKILL AND NEEDS

curate, or the roles or ca-

reers described differ from

part A1.

NOT EVIDENT

A description of how any

role supports the data ana-

lytics life cycle is not provid-

ed.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The description addresses

how 1 or 2 roles from part

A1 support the data analyt-

ics life cycle.

COMPETENT

The description addresses

how each role from part A1

supports the data analytics

life cycle.

NOT EVIDENT

A description of data analyt-

ics disciplines is not provid-

ed.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The comparison includes 1

or 2 data analytics disci-

plines as described by

Project Pro.

COMPETENT

The comparison includes 3

different data analytics disci-

plines as described by

Project Pro.

NOT EVIDENT

The submission does not

identify types of careers.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The submission identifies 1

or 2 types of careers in the

career path.

COMPETENT

The submission identifies 3

types of careers in the career

path.

NOT EVIDENT

The submission does not

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The identified academic

COMPETENT

The identified academic skills

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C:CAREER GOAL

C1:CLIFTONSTRENGTHS REFLECTION

D:SOURCES

identify any academic skills

and needs.

skills and needs for the ca-

reers considered in part B1

are incomplete or do not

accurately align with the

careers considered in part

B1.

and needs for the careers

considered in part B1 are

complete and accurately

align with the careers consid-

ered in part B1.

NOT EVIDENT

The submission does not

identify a potential career

goal.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The potential career goal is

not based on the candidate’s

strengths and academ-

ic/MSDA track interests, or

it is unclear or inappropri-

ate.

COMPETENT

The potential career goal is

clear and is based on the can-

didate’s strengths and acade-

mic/MSDA track interests.

NOT EVIDENT

A reflection on the candi-

date’s career strengths is

not provided.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The reflection on the candi-

date’s career strengths is

incomplete or not aligned

with the personalized

CliftonStrengths assess-

ment results.

COMPETENT

The reflection on the candi-

date’s career strengths is

complete and aligned with

the personalized Clifton-

Strengths assessment re-

sults.

NOT EVIDENT

The submission does not

include both in-text cita-

tions and a reference list for

sources that are quoted,

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

The submission includes in-

text citations for sources

that are quoted, para-

COMPETENT

The submission includes in-

text citations for sources

that are properly quoted,

paraphrased, or summarized

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E:PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

WEB LINKS

CliftonStrengths

paraphrased, or summa-

rized.

phrased, or summarized and

a reference list; however,

the citations or reference

list is incomplete or inaccu-

rate.

and a reference list that ac-

curately identifies the au-

thor, date, title, and source

location as available.

NOT EVIDENT

This submission includes

pervasive errors in profes-

sional communication relat-

ed to grammar, sentence

fluency, contextual spelling,

or punctuation, negatively

impacting the professional

quality and clarity of the

writing. Specific errors have

been identified by Gram-

marly for Education under

the Correctness category.

APPROACHING COMPE- TENCE

This submission includes

substantial errors in profes-

sional communication relat-

ed to grammar, sentence

fluency, contextual spelling,

or punctuation. Specific er-

rors have been identified by

Grammarly for Education

under the Correctness cate-

gory.

COMPETENT

This submission includes sat-

isfactory use of grammar,

sentence fluency, contextual

spelling, and punctuation,

which promote accurate in-

terpretation and under-

standing.

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June 17, 2025

Nursing Informatics Presentation

By Academic Wizard Blog

Nursing Informatics Presentation

Health Care Informatics presents powerful means to help meet the responsibilities and improve the standard of patient care. It’s a system that helps follow patient health data, records clinical outcomes, monitors the quality of healthcare delivery, and evaluates provider performance.

The goal of health care informatics is to provide an effective tool for the healthcare team who need better ways to manage their patients’ information while providing optimal care at the same time. Health Care Informatics is a relatively new field of study that provides both clinicians and healthcare team members with the necessary skills to use information technology to improve healthcare.

We have learned that Health Care Informatics provides safe patient care, as it allows for access to accurate information on the patient, such as his or her medical history, medication list, lab results, and physician team notes. In addition to QI, patient outcome data, and provides statistical information to generate QI projects.

Informatics is a system of organizing and utilizing data to solve problems. With the widespread use of electronic medical records, there is a need to have access to information that can help the healthcare team assess patients more accurately and make better decisions about their care.

Some examples we have learned this semester are for Example, before CPOE, nurses had to transcribe provider orders by hand, which was caused by handwriting that was hard to read and human error, resulting in medication errors, delays, and omissions.

From this, you can see why healthcare informatics is essential for nurses and the entire healthcare organization.

Health Care informatics can advance communication between health professionals by providing them with more accurate information about patients and their treatment plans, thus allowing better decision-making regarding medication administration or treatments that are needed for the patients. It includes a wide assortment of fields such as computer science, data management, and analysis, healthcare policy research, clinical decision support systems for nurses, design of software to assist with patient care or education.

Each student will develop a scholarly presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint® to inform peers/colleagues of “the importance of informatics and health technologies in nursing practice”.

Criteria for this presentation are provided in the grading rubric. This presentation must be 15 slides long (not counting references and cover slide) and contain a minimum of 8 citations WITH SPEAKER NOTES.

What is the importance of Health Care Informatics in nursing practice?,
How does informatics improve patient care and safety?,
What are real-world examples of informatics improving healthcare outcomes?,
How does Health Care Informatics enhance communication among healthcare professionals?,
What are the components or disciplines involved in Health Care Informatics?

June 17, 2025

ABC Tech IT Audit Plan

By Academic Wizard Blog

ABC Tech IT Audit Plan

You are an IT consultant hired by ABC Tech Solutions, a small but growing technology firm specializing in software development. The firm has recently expanded its operations and is looking to ensure its IT infrastructure is secure and compliant with industry standards.

As part of your engagement, you are tasked with conducting a preliminary IT audit and providing recommendations to improve their security posture.

Develop the information for a basic IT audit plan for ABC Tech Solutions by answering the following questions:

· What are the key steps involved in conducting an IT infrastructure audit for ABC Tech Solutions?

· Explain why it is important to use the following documentation in compliance auditing:

· standards,

· procedures, and

· guidelines for maintaining security.

· Explain the role of proper security controls, such as configuration and change management, in maintaining IT infrastructure security.

· Why is it crucial to review system configurations and implementations during the audit? Provide an example of a configuration issue.

· Discuss each of the following parts of the IT audit plan:

· scope,

· objectives,

· goals, and

· frequency of an audit.

· Why is it important to use industry standards when developing an IT audit plan?

· Describe the process and importance of establishing and maintaining security baselines.

· Why is the alignment of security policy frameworks with the specific needs of an organization’s IT infrastructure important? What problems may happen if the security policy framework’s specific needs of an organization’s IT infrastructure were misaligned?

Submit your three-page plan using MS Word.

What are the key steps involved in conducting an IT infrastructure audit?,
Why are standards procedures and guidelines important in compliance auditing?,
What is the role of configuration and change management in IT security?,
Why is it important to review system configurations during an audit?,
What are the scope, objectives, goals, and frequency of an IT audit?

June 17, 2025

Porter’s Value Chain Analysis

By Academic Wizard Blog

Porter’s Value Chain Analysis

Creating Value

Read or listen to these resources on Dr. Michael Porter’s competitive strategies.

Porter, M. E. and Mauborgne, K. R., HBR’s 10 must reads on strategy. Ascent Hu. Audio book.

Go to Library Access. In Additional Library Resources, select Skillsoft Books. In the search box enter: HBR’s 10 must reads on strategy, select the Books tab, then select: HBR’s 10 must reads on strategy.

Kamran, Qeis (2021). Strategic value chain management: Models for competitive advantage. Kogan Page. Chapters 1 – 5

Go to Library Access. In Additional Library Resources, select Skillsoft Books. In the search box enter: Strategic value chain management: Models for competitive advantage, select the Books tab, then select: Strategic value chain management: Models for competitive advantage.

Research a firm that interests you and on which you can obtain sufficient information; find information through sources such as Forbes.com and Businessweek.com, etc., or journal publications.

In this assignment, you are to apply Porter’s value chain model to the firm you selected. Your paper should cover the following:

1. Discuss what competitive forces entail, the competitive environment of your firm, and the strategy (strategies) that it undertakes.

2. Explain what value chain means and use it to analyze the company of your choice. Describe the tasks that the firm must accomplish for each primary value chain activity.

3. Given the nature of its business, how would the firm’s information systems contribute to its competitive strategy,

What competitive forces entail, and what is the firm’s strategy?,
What is the value chain, and how is it applied to the firm?,
What tasks are associated with primary value chain activities?,
How do information systems support the firm’s strategy?,
What is the role of the competitive environment in strategic planning?

SLP Assignment Expectations

1. The paper has proper introduction, discussion, and summary.

2. The report should address all questions, but they do not need to be in the order the questions are raised. The key is to have a paper that flows well.

3. References used need to be listed according to the APA7 format.

Module 3 – Resources

Creating Value

You have your strategy in place, and you have your prioritized list of projects to pursue. But, wait! What happens if one of the projects proves to be more expensive or less impactful than originally assessed? What happens if one of the strategic pillars is called into question—due to a change in the economy, for example? One of my favorite quotes about planning comes from the famed German military strategist, Helmuth von Moltke, who said, “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.” You do not have enemies per se, but you do have a variety of realities that may logically require changes to either the strategy or to the project list. What then?

Strategies should be created with the anticipation that they will need to be changed. There are events that may lead to change. And the simple passage of time should lead to changes as well. Examples of events include an economic downturn, but may also include the acquisition or divestiture of a business, a competitor beating you to the creation of a new product, a new market that is to be opened, and the like. Each of these, and other changes like them, should lead to a rethinking of the strategy. Mind you, none of these is likely to require canceling the entire strategy and starting anew, but it will be necessary to at least review the strategic plan to see if there’s anything that’s less relevant (or irrelevant) because of the event.

This is likely to be at the tactic level, rather than the objective level, but the entire plan should be reviewed. The simple passage of time is another reason to review the plan. Many people falsely believe that if there is not an event then the plan should continue to be enacted. As time moves on, aspects of the plan will be accomplished that should be reflected as changes in the plan. Likewise, new strategic opportunities may present themselves. They may need to be incorporated into the plan. And in some cases, you may replace past tactics or objectives to do so. There’s also a tendency to think about the prioritized list of projects (that have been agreed to once the budget for IT is finalized) as set in stone. There are many reasons why a project might need to be canceled, even after it commences. Those might include a significant increase in the cost to develop the project, a reduction in potential value from implementing the project, or the vendor that was to partner with you on it goes out of business. These are three of many examples that would apply. Companies often fall for the sunk cost fallacy. They might say, we’ve already spent a million dollars on the project, we should see it through to its conclusion. But why throw good money after bad? Cutting your losses and redirecting funds to something of greater value is paramount. It’s also important to note that as projects arise outside of the budgeting cycle, they should be put through the same prioritization criteria, strategic fit, cost/benefit analysis, interdependency analysis, and risk analysis. Again, you may include another category or two of your own choosing.

By using objective criteria to reprioritize, you can help avoid the situation that many CIOs and their teams find themselves in, where someone, especially when they are outside of IT, requests a project mid-year and suggests that it is their new top priority. What they often mean is, “Drop everything and work on this.” By having an objective set of criteria, you can at least speak about how the project ranks relative to projects that are in process, based on those criteria, and counterbalance this argument. Priorities and events will naturally lead to changes in your plan. But by having a sound process in place to ensure that you can handle these changes, you can be flexible enough to seize new opportunities as they arise.

Required Reading

Baumgartner, J. (2020). Why diversity is the mother of creativity . https://innovationmanagement.se/2010/11/24/why-diversity-is-the-mother-of-creativity/

Barthelemy, Jerome (2022). Myths of strategy: Dispel the misconceptions and deliver a winning strategy. Kogan Page. Chapter 5-10. Available in the Trident Online Library in Skillsoft.

Datta, S., Roy, S., & Kutzewski, T. (2021). Unlocking strategic innovation: Competitive success in a disruptive environment. Taylor & Francis Group.

Gamble, W. (2022). The cybersecurity maturity model certification (CMMC) – A pocket guide. IT Governance, audio book. Available in the Trident Online Library in Skillsoft.

Developing an AI/ML Data Strategy: The Data Analytics Maturity Model, Course. Available in the Trident Online Library in Skillsoft.

June 17, 2025

Strategy and Strategic Planning

By Academic Wizard Blog

Strategy and Strategic Planning

Review this comprehensive review of strategic planning . The website is the brain-child of Dr. Ross A. Wirth, who has extensive experience in management consulting. However, the website is about general strategic planning, rather than IT planning. While you are learning from the website, you should consider the IT context. Here is an IT plan for the US Patent and Trademark office .

· Do the general principles and strategies of strategic planning apply to IT planning? What may apply, what may not, and why?

Please write a 2- to 3-page article to answer the above questions. You can start by pondering about what IT is so special that its planning differs from the general strategic planning. You can choose to either discuss comprehensively of many perspectives or focus on two or three main perspectives that strike you the most. Bring your own experiences to support your arguments. If you don’t have any relevant experiences, ask your colleagues or those who handle strategic planning in your organization. You can also do some search on the Internet or at the Trident Online Library to find some references.

Submit your paper upon completion.

Use information from the modular background readings, please cite all sources, and provide a reference list at the end of your paper. The following items will be assessed in particular:

1. Your ability to evaluate the provided IT strategic plan.

2. As with the Case Assignment, writing, spelling, sentence and paragraph structure will be assessed.

SLP Assignment Expectations

Length: Follow the number of pages required in the assignment, excluding cover page and references. Each page should have about 300 words.

Your assignment will be graded according to the MSITM SLP Grading Rubric.

Module 1 – Resources

Strategy and Strategic Planning

There is an open debate as to whether there should be a distinct information technology strategy separate from the enterprise strategy of a corporation. Part of this debate is understandable. Should not all divisions of the company be guided by the enterprise-level strategy? If you find that logic compelling, let me offer an example to try to convince you otherwise. Most for-profit companies have an enterprise-level strategy that is some version of grow revenue. Marketing, sales, product or service divisions, IT, and other business units or functional areas will play a role in driving that revenue. Each of those divisions of the company needs to develop their own strategies to better articulate their plans, but also to be sure that the entire division understands the substance of the plans and is pushing in the same direction to accomplish the strategy. It also helps each division to focus on the projects or initiatives that will ensure that the strategy is accomplished. Enterprise strategy is often vague by design.

Corporate strategic plans often are written with the expectation that the real work to accomplish them and therefore a translation of sorts will happen where the rubber meets the road for the company in the divisions. It is the translation of that strategy into the divisions of the company that help define specific ideas of how that strategy will be enacted. Let us remember that a good strategic plan is as much about what a company is not going to do as it is about what it is doing. The specificity of divisional plans helps focus the company. Those ideas that are not articulated in the plan should not be pursued.

The IT department is one of the few divisions of the company that touches every part of the company. The IT team is ideally suited to work with the leaders of all other divisions on their plans with a special focus on advising them on how best to bring to life those plans through better use of information and technology. Just as important, members of the IT team are positioned to see strategic priorities that are in common or that diverge for multiple parts of the company that may not even occur to the divisional leaders who propose them. As such, the IT team can help ensure that common strategic priorities are addressed commonly, or diverging needs are reconciled where necessary. In reviewing all other divisional plans, the IT leadership team will be well positioned to understand where emerging demands for technology may not yet have a supply of resources, processes, or tools to support them. That opportunity or disconnect may well lead to a strategic priority within the IT strategy.

With the strategy declared and shared, the IT team can take the necessary actions to ensure that the supply of a technology meets the demand for it by the rest of the organization. In short, the leaders of the other divisions should articulate the what, and IT leaders should articulate the how. This give and take between the other divisions and IT must be free flowing. The conversations should be frequent and IT should strive to be part of the conversations at the point at which demand is first articulated. Too often, by not having a regular cadence or even the forums for these conversations, IT finds out about new strategic priorities only after they’re fully formulated.

That’s the point when the plans are less malleable. If IT leaders can get involved earlier in the process they can advise colleagues on the art of the possible. As the IT team’s ability to do this improves they will increasingly be invited to weigh in on more strategic imperatives, creating a cycle. Therefore, IT leaders need to get more actively involved in the strategic planning processes of each division of the company, and use those conversations to inform IT’s own strategic plan. Were IT to only act against the enterprise-level strategy, IT would be stuck in a reactive mode, rather than being a prime driver of the direction of the company.

Do general strategic planning principles apply to IT planning?,
Which elements of general strategy apply directly to IT?,
What makes IT planning distinct from general strategy?,
Why might IT need its own strategy separate from enterprise strategy?,
How does IT align with and influence divisional strategies?

Required Reading

Use How to find resources in Skillsoft to access material in Skillsoft.

Bankuti, M. (2021). The Strategy Analysis Knowledge Area Course. Available in the Trident Online Library in Skillsoft.

Fernando Almeida, & José Santos. (2018). The Business Plan Reference Manual for IT Businesses. River Publishers.

Mitigating security risks: Cyber security risks course. Available in the Trident Online Library in Skillsoft.

Mayo, S. (2022). Executiv The Business Plan Reference Manual for IT Businesses.e’s guide to cyber risk: Securing the future today. John Wiley & Sons, Chapters 1 – 4. Available in the Trident Online Library

June 17, 2025

WLAN in Smart Farming

By Academic Wizard Blog

WLAN in Smart Farming

Researching Unique WLAN Applications

Using the Internet, research wireless LAN applications. Compile a list of at least five applications that you had not imagined before for WLANs, and write a one-paragraph description below each one. The paragraph should mention the challenges that you might face if you were asked to provide support for each particular implementation. If possible, contact a user of the new application and ask him or her about their particular experiences with the WLAN implementation. Add this information to your report.

Follow the correct APA guidelines for writing your assignment:

Check for spelling and grammatical errors.
A paragraph should consist of 4-5 well written sentences.
What are five unique WLAN applications?,
How is WLAN used in these scenarios?,
What are the support challenges for each?,
How does the environment affect WLAN performance?,
What user insights exist on implementation?

1. WLAN in Smart Farming

Description:
Wireless LANs are increasingly being implemented in smart agriculture to support IoT devices like soil moisture sensors, livestock trackers, and automated irrigation systems. These WLANs enable real-time data collection and decision-making on large farms without the need for extensive cabling. This results in improved crop yields and operational efficiency.

Support Challenges:
Implementing WLAN in wide and open areas like farms presents coverage issues due to environmental interference (e.g., weather, trees). Providing support requires specialized knowledge of outdoor access point placement, long-range antennas, and mesh networking.

2. WLAN in Theme Parks

Description:
Theme parks now use WLANs to support interactive maps, real-time wait times for rides, contactless payments, and AR experiences for visitors. Staff also rely on these networks for logistics, security, and guest support.

Support Challenges:
High user density and constant motion of guests require robust bandwidth management and seamless roaming. Supporting this WLAN would involve constant network monitoring and quick response to outages or latency spikes.

3. WLAN on Cruise Ships

Description:
Cruise lines offer onboard WLAN for guests and crew to access the internet, communicate, and manage ship operations. These WLANs also support entertainment systems and emergency communication tools.

Support Challenges:
Maintaining consistent WLAN connectivity at sea is difficult due to reliance on satellite backhaul. Technicians must also manage limited bandwidth while prioritizing essential communications, requiring careful configuration and optimization.

4. WLAN in Underground Mines

Description:
Wireless LANs in underground mining environments are used to track equipment, monitor worker safety, and communicate in real time. These applications have replaced more limited wired or walkie-talkie systems.

Support Challenges:
The subterranean environment poses serious signal propagation challenges. Thick rock, dust, and humidity can degrade performance. Implementing WLAN here requires ruggedized access points and frequent maintenance in hazardous conditions.

5. WLAN in Warehouse Robotics

Description:
Many warehouses now use autonomous robots for picking and inventory tasks, all of which rely on WLAN to navigate, coordinate, and receive instructions. The WLAN supports both robots and human-operated systems.

Support Challenges:
Because mobile robots constantly roam, the WLAN must provide seamless roaming with zero packet loss. Downtime can halt operations, so troubleshooting signal handoff and interference from metallic shelves is critical.

Note:
While no direct users were contacted for this research, findings were based on publicly available sources, including case studies from Cisco, Aruba, and mining technology journals. Future exploration may involve direct interviews with IT administrators in agriculture or logistics sectors to further enrich the understanding of WLAN challenges.

June 17, 2025

Improving Project Communications

By Academic Wizard Blog

Improving Project Communications

Explain why you agree or disagree with some of the suggestions covered this week for improving project communications, such as creating a communications management plan, stakeholder analysis, or performance reports for IT software development projects. Justify your response. What other suggestions do you have?
Do you agree with creating a communications management plan?,
Do you agree with conducting a stakeholder analysis?,
Do you agree with preparing performance reports for IT projects?,
Why do you agree or disagree with these suggestions?,
What other suggestions do you have for improving communication?

Effective communication is essential to the success of any IT software development project. I agree with the suggestions covered this week—specifically creating a communications management plan, conducting a stakeholder analysis, and generating performance reports—as they establish a structured and transparent communication flow. Each of these strategies contributes to managing expectations, avoiding misunderstandings, and maintaining project alignment with goals.
1. Communications Management Plan:
I strongly agree with creating a communications management plan. It outlines what information needs to be communicated, who should receive it, when, and in what format. This is particularly important in IT projects where diverse team members, often including developers, testers, business analysts, and clients, must stay aligned. Without a structured plan, important updates or decisions can easily be missed or misunderstood.

2. Stakeholder Analysis:
I also support conducting a stakeholder analysis. Not all stakeholders require the same level of detail or updates. By identifying stakeholders’ interests, influence, and communication preferences, project managers can tailor communication efforts, improving relevance and engagement. This reduces the risk of miscommunication and ensures that critical voices are not ignored.

3. Performance Reports:
Performance reports are essential in tracking project progress, identifying risks, and providing accountability. These reports, especially when automated through project management software, provide data-driven insights that help managers make informed decisions. I’ve seen firsthand how clear performance tracking can prevent scope creep and avoid last-minute surprises.

Additional Suggestions:
- Use of Agile Stand-Ups: Daily brief meetings keep everyone updated on progress, obstacles, and next steps. It ensures consistent, real-time communication.
- Leverage Collaboration Tools: Tools like Slack, Jira, or Microsoft Teams enhance transparency and reduce communication gaps across remote or distributed teams.
- Feedback Loops: Encourage regular feedback between developers and stakeholders. This promotes adaptability and early problem detection.
- Clear Documentation: Maintain centralized, accessible documentation for processes, changes, and decisions. This ensures continuity and clarity, especially during team transitions.
Conclusion:
In summary, the suggestions discussed are not only valid but necessary for the effective management of IT projects. Incorporating structured communication practices improves team coordination, reduces errors, and boosts stakeholder satisfaction. Enhanced by modern tools and agile practices, communication can become a strength rather than a challenge in software development.

References:
- Project Management Institute. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 6th Edition.
- Highsmith, J. (2013). Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products.
- Kerzner, H. (2018). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling.

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