Midterm

 
 
Open book, open notes, open internet, no collaboration
 
 
Read each question thoroughly; submit the term, phrase, multiple choice answer or explanation that best fits.
 
Fill in the blank (4pts each)

1. The worth or desirability of a thing, subjectively assessed or calculated:
2. The processes that ensure the effective and efficient use of IT in enabling an organization to achieve its goals:
3. Translation, Tailoring, Transparency, Thinking, Talking and Listening:
4. The model associated with business adapting to a new technology:
5. How the effectiveness of communication is measured:
6. The two key categories of IT budgets:
7. The three components delivering IT value:
8. The three fundamental factors to balance when selecting the right projects:
9. The two general categories of a qualities that make a good IT leader:
10. The five principles of a good business metrics program for IT:

 
 
True/False (4pts each)

11. There is one industry accepted way to measure IT value. T or F.

 

12. Business benefits are not expected during the deployment of new technology. T or F.

 

13. A business metrics program should be used as a method of control. T or F.

 

14. Realizing IT value is the IT value proposition component that is most often ignored. T or F.

 

15. Traditional budget cycles are a barrier to effective IT strategy development. T or F.

 

16. Studies have shown that IT investment alone delivers superior business performance. T or F.

 

17. It is more important that the IT team learn the business than the business team learn IT. T or F.

 
 
 
Short answer
 

16. (15pts) Consider four ways a company can prioritize (IT) projects.
17. Name them

 
 
 
 

1. Provide a brief description for each of the methods

 
 
 
 
 

1. Name a benefit and a shortcoming of each of the methods and when you would recommend using each.

 
 
 
 
 

17. (10pts) Name two significant barriers to IT conversion that exist and provide real world examples in which each of the barriers were overcome by implementation of a digital strategy or otherwise for a project’s success or in which they were not overcome and the projects were impaired or failed as a result.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

18. (10pts) A real world example (with URL) of each of the five types of IT initiatives.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

19. (10pts) Find a company that you believe or can prove is not delivering IT value successfully. Evaluate which principle(s) you believe they are not following (with references for why you believe that to be the case) and propose how you improve the situation (with actionable specifics).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

20. (10pts) Find a current or former company that has been disrupted (ie significant loss of revenue, market share, bankruptcy). Reference the year that this occurred and the cause. Using critical success factors, what changes would you have made 2 years prior as the CTO of that company?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

21. (15pts) Identify a company that uses shared services.

1. List one or more of their shared services

 
 
 
 

1. Determine the actual cost of outsourcing one of the shared services.
   (Make assumptions where necessary, use references, actual numbers)

 
 
 
 

1. Make a recommendation of another shared service not currently utilized today and list pros and cons for evaluating whether to make it a shared service.

(be specific to this service proposal)
 
 
 

1. Indicate which stage of IT maturity both the evaluated and proposed service are.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

22. (10pts) You are the CIO of a retail company, make the case for your preferred delivery option for Application Development. Include evaluation of each of the applicable criteria in your justification.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

23. (2pts) What is the hardest part of generating an IT budget.