Reference no: EM132320454 , Length: word count : 1800

Assignment – Decision Framing

1) Assignment Content(required)

Step 1:Identify decisions.  Identify the primary decision that will be addressed by the decision framework you are developing.  There should be one major main decision and several supporting subsidiary decisions which need to be made before the main decision can be finalized.  You will be including the decisions as part of the Decision Requirements Diagram (DRD) you develop within the DecisionsFirst software.

Ideally, the major decision you cite should meet the criteria that Mr. Taylor outlined as being best for this approach, i.e., the main decision should be an operational one that is made frequently, has a measurable impace, and suitable for automation.  The subsidiary decisions are those that need to be made to provide inputs to the main decision.  However, for this exercise other types of decisions can be used.  Some suggestions:

If possible, use a real decision from your organization.  Think of a decision that is made frequently at the operational level and use this as the main decision for the assignment.

Alternatively, use one of the more common decisions referred to by Mr. Taylor (e.g., churn, determining fraud, what marketing offer to make, which persons to promote or layoff, etc.).

(NOTE: you should give considerable thought and research to the kinds of decisions, subsidiary decisions, information sources and knowledge sources that need to be included to make the problem “frame” as complete as possible.)

Step 2: Add more details to the decision nodes.  Add additional details to the decisions using the Edit Object node to fully complete the needed details for the decisions contained in the Decision Requirements Diagram, which will become part of the complete Analytics Requirements Document (ARD).NOTE: The completed ARD is to be attached as an appendix to the written assignment document.
 
Step 3: Add necessary information and knowledge source items. Decisions need to be supported by information nodes and knowledge nodes. 

Specify and fully complete the information and knowledge source items required to make the decisions and add them to the Decision Requirements Diagram.This involves identifying a number of elements, all of which should beconnected (using the appropriate link arrows) to their relevant decision nodes on a Decision Requirements Diagram where they can be associated to form a Decision Requirements Model:

Input Data items

Knowledge source items

Analytic Requirement—no analytics model is to be developed, but there should be inclusion of a block to indicate that an analytics input is part of the process and some description of what kind of information the analytic would provide to facilitate the decision

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
 
Step 4:Complete the model. Refine it until enough is included that the analytic project can be successful. The process for this step involves:

Decompose Decisions

Refine Information Sources

Refine Authorities

Define Information Sources for Analytics

Iterate
 
Step 5:Generate an Analytics Requirement Document (ARD).  Package this information as an Analytics Requirements Document (ARD). 

[NOTE: Faculty members will generate the needed API key to allow you to print and download, as a .doc file, the completed Analytics Requirements Document (ARD)].

When this process is complete you will have a decision requirements model that is a complete and accurate representation of the decision-making involved and of the role of analytic knowledge in that decision making.Attach this documentas Appendix A, to your paper:

Be clear what objectives or KPIs are being impacted and how.

Identify the analytics to be developed. Along with the information to be analyzed to produce them.

Be specific about which decisions are being influenced. Which part of the decision is influencedexactly?

Be specific about deployment. Which organizations will be involved? Which business processes will be impacted? Which systems will have to be altered?

Include project details. Executive sponsor, timeline, resources, planned analytic approach and the rest of a standard project document should be included also.

Optional: You may add an appendix B to the submitted assignment.  The appendix B could contain additional supporting screenshots or other insights that you find from the process of “framing” the decision.

2) Delivery/Submission Guidelines

Each student will submit 1 (one) document for this assignment based on the following content and formatting.

Document format: limited to 6 pages (excluding title page, references, and appendix), double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, 1” margins, bottom-right page numbering (excluded on page 1).

Note: Submitted report must be either in MS Word or PDF format and titled: “Assignment1_Name”.

Content

1) Title page (1 page limit): course number and term, assignment number and project title, contact information and instructor’s name.

2) Introduction: provide a brief outline of the purpose of this assignment.

3) Identify Decisions (step 1)

a. Brief background on the proposed project and challenge/problem you are trying to address.

b. Objective of the project, intended audience, and practical implication for the organization (i.e. why is this needed and why should we care about it?).

4) Insights gained: Include a brief analysis of how this approach to decision making would be useful (or why not) in your organization.  Provide any insights as to what resistance would be encountered, what advantages and disadvantages, specific areas where application of this approach would be useful, etc.

5) References (1 page limit): List all references used in preparing this report.

6) Appendix: two appendices are permitted (Appendix A is required).

Appendix A: Attach the completed Analytics Requirement Document(ARD) generated through DecisionsFirst software;  Appendix B (2 page limit): any other material that you believe is essential or very important. Document formatting rules apply.