GG Freightways (GGFRT) IT Decision Paper AssignmentBefore you begin this assignment, be sure you have read the “GG Freightways Case Study,” any feedback
on your proposed IT project from your ITSP Part 2 assignment, and the previously assigned course
materials.
Purpose of this Assignment
This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the course concepts to develop an IT Decision Paper
to explain and defend an IT project at GG Freightways (GGFRT). This assignment specifically addresses
the following course outcomes to enable you to:
•
Apply best practices in information technology management and governance to make, defend,
and justify an IT decision.
IT Decision Paper for Your Proposed IT Project
For your ITSP, Part 2, you proposed an IT project for GGFRT. Lance, the CIO at GGFRT, has asked you
to write an IT Decision Paper to explain your proposed project. He wants to use the Paper to gain
approval from the Governance Board to move forward with the project. This assignment uses a format
for a Decision Paper that has been tailored to the course material covered in this class. You may work
for an organization that has a format for IT decision papers, and it would be a good idea for you to look
at it, but it will likely be structured a little differently from this one. Each organization develops tools and
techniques that will work for them.
Assignment
You will develop an IT Decision Paper, using the outline below. Each of the topics to be included in your
outline is covered in the course content readings assigned thus far. In addition to the course materials,
at least one external resource (resource other than those provided in the class) must be used. Two or
more cited references will earn top credit. Use a separate References page to list just the
references you have cited. Remember to use the APA formatting rules and correctly cite and
reference your sources with APA format. Use the Grading Rubric to be sure you have covered
everything.
Please use this outline to build your IT Decision Paper. Use the numbering and headings shown below.
1. Project Description – In two or three sentences:
(1) describe the IT project you proposed for GGFRT in Part 2 of your ITSP.
(2) Describe what major function(s) the system would perform and who would use it. (Do not
provide a technical description with hardware, software, etc.)
2. Strategic Alignment – In a short paragraph:
(1) explain how the proposed project aligns to the business strategic objectives in Part 1 of your
ITSP, and,
(2) explain how the proposed project aligns to the IT strategies in Part 2 of your ITSP.
Your proposed project must be aligned directly with at least one business strategic objective and one IT
strategy shown in your ITSP.
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3. IT Portfolio Roadmap Alignment – In a paragraph:
(1) Briefly explain where this project fits into the IT Portfolio Roadmap you included in Part 2 of
your ITSP.
(2) What functional area does it support?
(3) Where should it be included in the timeline – i.e., should it take priority or be done before
another project in the IT Portfolio (with justification)
4. IT Architecture – In a short paragraph:
(1) Briefly explain how this project fits in with other systems in place or in development at
GGFRT.
(2) Explain whether it should interface with (share data of any kind with) other systems either
in place or in development, what information is being shared, and its purpose.
(3) Explain whether it replaces another system or multiple systems in use at GGFRT.
Refer to the Inventory of Current IT Projects in Part 1 of your ITSP and the IT Portfolio in Part 2
of your ITSP.
5. Benefits: Describe at a high level three (3) benefits the project provides to GGFRT. The benefits
should correspond to the business strategies and the strategic alignment discussed in section 2
above. State the Business Strategic Objective. Then, discuss this
relationship/alignment for each benefit to the Business Strategic Objective. Refer to
course content readings from Week 4 on Value Attainment. External research may also be
beneficial. Benefits of the solution should not be accomplishment of business strategic
objectives nor accomplishment of IT strategies.
Please copy/paste the following table into your paper and complete it:
Benefit
Example: do not use
but leave it in the table
when completing this
section.
(If the project you chose
is updating the Route
Optimization/Freight
Tracking System to
include a package tracking
feature):
State Business Strategic
Objective/Provide Explanation of
Alignment of Benefit to Business
Strategic Objective
Tracking freight to provide customers
with better delivery dates & times
This real-time feature of package status
will allow both customers and GGFRT
employees to see where the package is
while in transit. This will allow the
customer to know where/when the
package will be delivered.
Better visibility for GGFRT
and its customers into the
delivery status of
packages.
1.
2.
3.
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6. Requirements – List and briefly explain the high-level requirements for the project.
First, explain the primary driver of the project (major need of the business area
related to the project you have chosen) in a well-written introductory paragraph.
Refer to course content readings regarding requirements (Week 7). External research may also
be beneficial. Requirements were also covered in IFSM 300 (the prerequisite to be taken prior to
this course; in Stage 3 requirements you noted requirements; refer to this assignment for
examples). Develop ten (10) requirements for the project and include what category of the
requirements below your presented requirements fit into:
a. Business/user requirements
b. IT/system requirements
c. At least one system performance requirement
Defining Requirements – The next step is to identify the essential requirements for your
chosen project. User requirements express specifically what the user needs the system to do.
This can be in terms of tasks/processes the users need to perform, data they need to input,
what the system might do with that data input, and output required. System performance
requirements express how the system will perform in several performance areas and security.
IT/System requirements present what the system will do, i.e., the functions it must perform.
They include characteristics that a product must have to meet the needs of the stakeholders and
can include function or nonfunction requirements. As a member of the CIO’s organization, you
will use your professional knowledge to ensure all 3 types of requirements are covered
(User/Business, IT/System, and System Performance). Refer to Week 7 content on
requirements. Additional research can expand your knowledge of these areas.
Once you have identified the 10 requirements, evaluate each one using the criteria below and
create 10 well-written requirements statements for your chosen project.
The requirement statement:
• Is a complete sentence, with a subject (system) and predicate (intended result or action)
• Identifies only one requirement; does not include the words “and,” “also,” “with,” and “or.”
• For User Requirements, states what tasks/processes the system will support or perform.
• For System Performance Requirements, states how the system will perform.
• For IT/System Requirements, states what the system will do and the functions it must
perform.
• Includes a measure or metric that can be used to determine whether the requirement is met
(time or quantity), where appropriate.
• Is stated in positive terms and uses “must” (not “shall,” “may” or “should”); “the
system must xxxx” not “the system must not xxx”.
• Avoids the use of terms that cannot be defined and measured, such as “approximately,”
“robust,” “user friendly,” etc.
• Is achievable and realistic; avoids terms such as “100% uptime,” or “no failures”.
Do not provide generic statements but relate to the needs of GGFRT and your project.
Please copy/paste the following table into your paper and complete it:
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Winter, 2021
Requirement Statement (explanation
refers to the solution and case study)
Example: do not use but leave it in the
table when completing this section. The
Business/User; IT/System or System
Performance (state one or more of
these categories)
System Performance
Route Optimization/Freight Tracking System
package status must be available to users
95% of the time
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
7. Cost Estimation – During the Assessment Phase, Cost Estimation consists of estimating the size
and complexity of the project, not the effort required or the actual projected dollar costs. Copy
the table below and place an X (or other indication) in the box that most closely describes the
size and complexity of your proposed solution. Use your judgment and then write a short
paragraph to introduce and explain the assessments in your table (the choice must be
justified). Refer to course content readings from Week 4 on Cost Estimation, especially the
Assessment Phase. Note that your project cannot have multiple sizes and complexities;
the table should only contain one X.
Assessment of Project Size and Complexity
Size/Complexity
Small
Medium
Very Complex
Moderately Complex
Straightforward
Large
8. Performance Measures – This section explains how GGFRT will know whether the project is
achieving the benefits identified above in section 5. First, present the table with a brief
paragraph discussing the solution, table that follows, and to properly evaluate benefits, they
should be measurable/quantifiable. Review the benefits, and look at the requirements you
identified, and come up with three (3) performance measures that will indicate the extent to
which the projected benefits have been achieved. (For example, if you had identified a benefit
that the project would result in more repeat customers, then a measurement for that would be
the number of repeat customers with the goal that the number would increase.) Refer to course
content readings on Performance Measurement. This may be a good area to do some web
research. The measures should be presented in a table with an introductory sentence or two:
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Benefit to Business (stated from
section #5)
Example: do not use but leave it in
the table when completing this
section.
Better visibility for GGFRT and its
customers into the delivery status of
packages.
Measure (quantifiable)
50% reduction in the number of packages
returned for next-day delivery because of more
efficient scheduling as customers can also
reschedule packages when they see delivery
status; or,
Increase of 20% in the number on same-day
deliveries due to better communication
between GGFRT dispatchers, drivers, and
customers.
1.
2.
3.
9. System Development – Describe how you will use the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
process to approach this project (the project you presented in the ITSP2). Include only the
following 5 stages: Plan, Design, Build, Test, Launch. The activities in each stage may
differ depending if you are building your solution or using a cloud-based solution. If
you are using a specific methodology (Agile, Spiral, Waterfall, etc. your discussion should be
specific to that methodology. List the stage followed by a colon, then in two to three sentences
each, explain how each stage would be handled by Lance’s IT team and who else in GGFRT
should be involved in each stage. Refer to course content materials on SDLC in Week 8.
Formatting Your Assignment
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•
•
•
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•
Avoid quotation where possible by paraphrasing ideas and findings from your sources into both your
own words and writing style. Changing a few words but including most of the wording and structure
from the original text of your sources is not acceptable. Verbatim text directly from sources is not
acceptable, even if cited. The work of the ideas and the writing needs to be your own. If you do use
verbatim text, you must use quotation marks even if you have cited the source.
Formatting: 1” margins, 12-point Times New Roman font.
In the IT Decision Paper assignment, you are preparing the document based on the feedback from all
previous assignments and scoring rubrics.
Continue to use a title page from the ITSP #1 assignment that includes: The company name, title of
assignment, your name, Course and Section number and date.
Use the outline format in the assignment instructions above, for these sections:
1. Project Description
2. Strategic Alignment
3. IT Portfolio Roadmap Alignment
4. IT Architecture
5. Benefits
6. Requirements
7. Cost Estimation
8. Performance Measures
9. System Development
Write a short, concise paper: Use the recommendations provided in each area for length of
response. It’s important to value quality over quantity.
Content areas should be double spaced; table entries should be single spaced.
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Winter, 2021
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•
•
•
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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.
1. Use at least two resources that are APA formatted (both in in-text citations and references).
Any course content should be from the class reading content, not the assignment instructions or
case study itself. For information on APA format, refer to Content>Course Resources>Writing
Resources.
Begin a Reference Page for resources required for this assignment. Use APA format for your
reference page.
Running headers are not required for this report; however, please include page numbers.
Writing should always be in third person.
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_IT Decision
The “right” and “wrong” answers have to do with if you correctly incorporated the course concepts
from the course content and addressed all parts of the assignment. You need to do some external
research on at least one aspect of the assignment – your choice – and incorporate it and
cite/reference it in APA format in your response. The project you proposed in the ITSP#2 is not as
important as that it makes sense considering the course content and the Case Study. Use the Rubric
below to be sure you have covered all aspects of the assignment.
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Winter, 2021
GRADING RUBRIC:
Criterion
Project
Description
Strategic
Alignment
IT Portfolio
Roadmap
Alignment
90-100%
Far Above
Standards
5 Points
80-89%
Above
Standards
4 Points
70-79%
Meets
Standards
3.5 Points
60-69%
Below
Standards
3 Points
< 60%
Well Below
Standards
0-2 Points
Description of
the project is
clear and
concise, covers
functions and
users, and sets
the stage for the
remainder of the
paper;
demonstrates
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis, and
critical thinking.
9-10 Points
Description of the
project is clear
and concise,
covers functions
and users, and
sets the stage for
the remainder of
the paper.
Description of the
IT Project
includes what it
does (functions it
performs) and
who uses it.
Description of
the project is
unclear, not
concise,
and/or does
not set the
stage for the
remainder of
the paper.
Little or no
description of
the proposed
IT project is
included.
8 Points
7 Points
6 Points
0-5 Points
Explanation of
proposed
project includes
clear and wellsupported
alignment to at
least one (1)
business
objective in the
ITSP #1 and
one (1) IT
strategy in the
ITSP #2,
explanation is
very appropriate
to the Case
Study and
clearly tied to
the proposed IT
project.
9-10 Points
Explanation of
proposed project
includes clear
alignment to at
least one (1)
business objective
in the ITSP1 and
one (1) IT
strategy in the
ITSP #2;
explanation is
appropriate to the
Case Study and
tied to the
proposed IT
project.
Explanation of
proposed project
includes direct
alignment to at
least one (1)
business strategic
objective in the
ITSP #1, and one
IT strategy in the
ITSP #2.
Explanation of
business
objectives
and/or IT
strategies are
incomplete
and/or are
only partially
appropriate to
the Case
Study or the
proposed IT
project.
Explanation
of Strategic
Alignment is
minimal or
not included.
8 Points
7 Points
6 Points
0-5 Points
This section
thoroughly
explains the
relationship of
the proposed IT
This section clearly
explains the
relationship of the
proposed IT
project to the IT
This section has
an explanation of
the relationship
of the proposed
IT project to the
This section
includes only
part of the
required
information on
This section
minimally
covers the
relationship
of the
Possible
Points
5
10
10
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Winter, 2021
IT
Architecture
Benefits
project to the IT
Portfolio
Roadmap in the
ITSP #2 and/or
updated if
required,
including a full
explanation of
the functional
area supported,
and where this
project fits in
the timeline.
Portfolio Roadmap
in the ITSP #2
and/or updated if
required, including
a good
explanation of the
functional area
supported, and
where this project
fits in the timeline.
IT Portfolio
Roadmap in Part
2 of the ITSP,
including:
where the
proposed project
fits into the IT
Portfolio
roadmap;
identification of
the functional
area it supports;
and where it
should be
included in the
timeline in the
ITSP.
7 Points
the
relationship of
the proposed
IT project to
the IT
Portfolio
Roadmap in
Part 2 of the
ITSP (where it
fits, the
functional area
supported,
and the
timeline);
and/or is not
relevant to
Case Study.
6 Points
proposed IT
project to the
IT Portfolio
Roadmap in
Part 2 of the
ITSP or does
not cover it
at all.
9-10 Points
8 Points
A correct and
convincing
explanation of
the IT
Architecture
includes how
the project fits
with, interfaces
with and/or
replaces other
systems,
including data to
be shared with
full explanation;
explanation is
clearly relevant
to the Case
Study and the
proposed
project;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
9-10 Points
An accurate
explanation of the
IT Architecture
includes how the
project fits with,
interfaces with
and/or replaces
other systems,
including data to
be shared with
explanation;
explanation is
relevant to the
Case Study and
the proposed
project;
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis, and
critical thinking.
Explanation of
the IT
Architecture
includes: how the
proposed IT
project fits in
with other
systems in place
or in
development at
the business in
the Case Study;
whether it should
interface with
other systems
either in place or
in development;
and whether it
replaces another
system or
multiple systems
in use at the
business in the
Case Study,
includes data to
be shared.
IT
Architecture
explanation
partially
covers how
the project fits
with,
interfaces
with, and/or
replaces other
systems;
information on
data to be
shared is
missing, is not
relevant to the
Case Study or
the proposed
project.
IT
Architecture
explanation is
minimal or
not included.
8 Points
7 Points
6 Points
0-5 Points
Three (3) or
more business
benefits are
Three (3) or more
business benefits
are fully explained
At least two (2)
business benefits
that the proposed
IT project
Fewer than
two (2)
business
benefits are
Business
benefits are
minimally
0-5 Points
10
10
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Winter, 2021
Requirements
thoroughly and
convincingly
explained and
are clearly
stated and
aligned to the
business
objectives and
IT strategies
noted above in
section 2;
benefits are
highly applicable
to and
appropriate for
the proposed
solution and the
Case Study.
and are stated and
aligned to the
business
objectives and IT
strategies noted
above in section 2;
benefits are clearly
applicable to and
appropriate for the
proposed solution
and the Case
Study.
provides to the
organization in
the Case Study
are stated and
described at a
high level. The
benefits
correspond to the
business
objectives and
the IT strategies
discussed in
section 2 above.
shown;
benefits are
not aligned to
business
objectives and
IT strategies
above and are
not applicable
to or
appropriate
for the
proposed
solution
and/or the
Case Study.
addressed or
not included.
9-10 Points
8 Points
7 Points
6 Points
0-5 Points
This section
includes an
effective and
well-written
introduction that
is applicable to
the Case Study
and thoroughly
and convincingly
explains the
primary business
driver for the
proposed IT
project. At least
ten (10) unique
requirements
are identified
and discussed,
clearly
applicable to the
Case Study;
requirements
are in full
sentences in
proper
requirement
statement
format and
properly
This section
includes a wellwritten
introduction that is
applicable to the
Case Study and
fully explains the
primary business
driver for the
proposed IT
project. At least
nine (9) unique
requirements are
identified and
discussed, clearly
applicable to the
Case Study;
requirements are
in full sentences in
proper
requirement
statement format
and properly
classified;
requirements
cover items a-c in
the assignment;
demonstrates
understanding of
This section
includes an
introduction that
explains the
primary driver
behind the
system (major
business need).
Then, at least
eight (8)
requirements are
listed and briefly
explained,
requirements
may not be in full
sentences in
proper
requirement
statement format
and/or properly
classified, are
applicable to the
Case Study and
include: (a)
business/user
requirements, (b)
IT/system
requirements;
and (c) at least
This section
does not
include an
introduction
identifying the
primary driver
for the
system; eight
(8) or fewer
requirements
are identified,
requirements;
requirements
may not be in
full sentences
in proper
requirement
statement
format and/or
properly
classified; are
not applicable
to the Case
Study, and/or
items a-c in
the
assignment
are not
covered.
This section
minimally
addresses
requirements,
or
requirements
are not
included.
10
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Winter, 2021
Cost
Estimation
Performance
Measures
classified;
requirements
cover items a-c
in the
assignment;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
9-10 Points
course concepts,
analysis and
critical thinking.
one system
performance
requirement.
8 Points
7 Points
6 Points
0-5 Points
This section
includes an
effective and
well-written
introductory
paragraph that
is applicable to
the Case Study
and thoroughly
and convincingly
justifies the
assessments in
the table that
follows. Cost
estimation table
is included, with
appropriate
selection for size
and complexity.
9-10 Points
This section
includes an
appropriate
introductory
paragraph that is
applicable to the
Case Study and
provides a good
explanation of the
assessments in
the table that
follows. Cost
estimation table is
included, with
appropriate
selection for size
and complexity.
This section
includes an
introductory
paragraph that
explains the
assessments and
applies to the
Case Study. Cost
estimation table
is included;
selections are
made for size and
complexity.
This section
does not
include an
introductory
paragraph
and/or cost
estimation
table is
included, but
selection for
size and
complexity are
not
appropriate or
adequately
justified.
This section
provides little
or no
information
on the cost
estimation,
cost
estimation
table is
missing,
and/or
information
presented
does not
apply to the
Case Study.
8 Points
7 Points
6 Points
0-5 Points
This section
includes an
effective and
well-written
introductory
paragraph that
is applicable to
the Case Study,
the proposed
solution, and the
table that
follows. The
completed table
contains all
required
information,
This section
includes an
appropriate
introductory
paragraph that is
applicable to the
Case Study, the
proposed solution,
and the table that
follows. The
completed table
contains all
required
information,
accurately
reflecting the Case
This section
includes at least
one or two
sentences that
introduce the
table.
Performance
Measures Table is
included showing
three (3) benefits
and three (3)
measures that
are appropriate
to the proposed
solution and the
Case Study.
This section
includes fewer
than three (3)
benefits and
associated
performance
measures,
measures do
not align to
benefits,
benefits and
measures are
not
appropriate to
the Case
Study and the
This section
provides little
or no
information
on
Performance
Measures;
table is
missing;
and/or
information
presented
does not
apply to the
Case Study.
10
10
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Winter, 2021
System
Development
External
Research
accurately
reflecting the
Case Study and
the proposed
solution; the
performance
measures are
quantifiable,
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts,
analysis, and
critical thinking.
9-10 Points
Study and the
proposed solution;
the performance
measures are
quantifiable,
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts,
analysis, and
critical thinking.
proposed
solution,
and/or
introduction is
missing.
8 Points
7 Points
6 Points
0-5 Points
The five (5)
stages of the
SDLC are
thoroughly
covered;
explanation is
tied directly to
the project and
to the case
study; includes
IT team
responsibilities
and appropriate
involvement of
others at the
business in the
Case Study;
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of course
concepts and
vocabulary.
5 Points
The five (5) stages
of the SDLC are
fully covered;
explanation
includes discussion
of the project and
the case study;
includes IT team
responsibilities
and appropriate
involvement of
others at the
business in the
Case Study;
demonstrates
understanding of
course concepts
and vocabulary.
The five (5)
stages of the
SDLC are
covered:
Plan, Design,
Build, Test,
Launch. Two to
three sentences
are used to
explain how each
stage would be
handled by the
team and identify
others who need
to be involved at
the business in
the Case Study.
The five (5)
stages of the
SDLC are not
all covered;
explanations
are not
appropriate to
the project
and the Case
Study; and/or
do not include
IT team
responsibilities
and/or
appropriate
involvement of
others at the
business in
the Case
Study.
The stages of
the SDLC are
minimally
addressed or
are not
included.
4 Points
3.5 Points
3 points
0-2 Points
Two (2) or more
sources other
than the course
materials are
incorporated in
two or more
sections of the
paper and are
used effectively.
At least one (1)
source other than
the course
materials is
incorporated and
used effectively.
Source(s) are
relevant and
contribute to the
At least one (1)
source other than
the course
materials is used
and properly
incorporated into
the text.
Reference is cited
using APA style.
A source other
than the
course
materials may
be used but is
not properly
incorporated
or used and/or
is not effective
No external
research is
incorporated,
or reference
listed is not
cited within
text.
10
5
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Winter, 2021
Report
Format
Sources used
are relevant and
timely and
contribute to the
analysis.
References are
appropriately
incorporated
and cited using
APA style.
analysis.
References are
appropriately
incorporated and
cited using APA
style.
or appropriate
and/or is not
relevant or
timely and/or
does not
follow APA
style for
references and
citations.
9-10 Points
8 Points
7 Points
6 Points
0-5 Points
Report is very
well organized
and is easy to
read. Very few
or no errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar, and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
Report reflects
effective
organization; has
few errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar, and
spelling;
presented in a
professional
format.
Report has some
organization;
may have some
errors in
sentence
structure,
grammar, and
spelling.
Report is not
well
organized,
and/or
contains
several
grammar
and/or spelling
errors.
Report is
extremely
poorly
written, has
many
grammar
and/or
spelling
errors, or
does not
convey the
information.
TOTAL
Possible
Points
10
100
12
Winter, 2021
Case Study: GG Freightways (GGFRT)
GGFRT is a regional transportation and distribution company in operation for over 30 years. The
company serves major cities in the southwestern region of the United States. Their
headquarters (1), terminals/warehouses (8) and maintenance facilities (2) are noted below.
Corporate Profile
Corporate Name: GG Freightways
Founded: August 1989
Headquarters: Los Angeles CA
Terminals/Warehouses (8): Los Angeles CA, San Diego CA, San Bernardino CA, Bakersfield CA,
Scottsdale AZ, Phoenix AZ, Tucson AZ, and Las Vegas NV
Maintenance Facilities (2): San Bernardino CA, Scottsdale AZ
Number of Employees: 750 (includes truck drivers)
Fleet: 400 delivery vehicles (average of 50 per terminal) which include: 80 tractor/semi-trailer
units, 160 box trucks and 160 panel vans
Total Annual Gross Revenue: $35 million
Current economic climate: stable industry, highly competitive business environment, 6% profit
Future financial goals: 8% profit with 8% reduction in operating costs
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Marissa Schmidt
To familiarize yourself with commonly used shipping terms in the freight industry, visit this site
and refer to it as you read the case study and assignments:
https://shipnorthamerica.com/resources/shipping-wiki/shipping-terms/
Current Business Operations
GGFRT operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sales personnel (40 people, five per terminal)
visit prospective customers to outline company capability, services provided and costs. When a
customer decides to use GGFRT they call the dispatch office with shipment information. Usually
they FAX a copy of the bill(s) of lading to a terminal with information such as origin, destination,
product description, weight and number of packages.
A dispatcher at a terminal makes a list of freight pickups and sends a truck to get the freight. To
do this they use the Route Optimization/Freight Tracking System to determine the sequence of
pickups by zip code. They use local maps within a zip code to map out the specific order of
pickups since there may be several in a zip code area. They have a performance goal of 98% of
freight picked up within 24 hours of availability.
A driver follows the dispatch order for pickups. Many of the drivers complain that the pickup
order is not efficient. When they pick up an order they sign for receipt and either load the
freight or guide the customer’s forklift operators to arrange it properly in the truck.
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After freight is picked up it is brought to the terminal where it is unloaded and sorted by
destination. A dispatcher then prepares a delivery ticket (again using the Route
Optimization/Freight Tracking System) that is used to load a truck in the proper sequence for
delivery. Some trucks take freight from one terminal to another while others make local
deliveries. Since some terminals are close to 12 hours away from each other, there are many
“out and back” routes where drivers meet halfway between terminals to exchange freight
trailers, which benefits drivers so they don’t exceed their permitted daily maximum driving
hours of 11 per day. About half of a terminal’s space is used on any given night. Dispatchers
have a goal to turn freight around in the terminal overnight for next day delivery.
When freight is sent out for delivery, the driver follows the delivery ticket order. Often, they are
held up at a delivery destination by traffic or by lack of available unloading space. This can
cause the driver to be late trying to make the day’s deliveries. Sometimes they get to a
destination and the facility is closed and they bring the freight back to the terminal for delivery
the next day. It is unloaded and re-sorted by destination. The dispatchers then add it to the
next day’s delivery tickets.
The major freight volumes are between Phoenix, San Diego and Los Angeles (about 70% of total
volume). Trucks run at about 70% average of capacity between terminals. Local delivery volume
is heaviest in Los Angeles, followed by Phoenix and then San Diego. Local delivery trucks
operate at about 80% full while pickups fill about half of the vehicles space. Some customers
pick up and/or drop freight at a terminal/warehouse, with their own equipment.
Truck drivers communicate with the dispatchers using two-way commercial radios. Some also
carry personal cell phones and use them if the radio is out of range. A few drivers also carry GPS
devices to help locate addresses. In general, the drivers are content with the company. Pay and
benefits are good, and they get overtime pay when deliveries run late. Complaints are few and
mostly center around either the sequence of pickup and delivery of shipments or vehicle
maintenance.
The fleet is maintained at the main Scottsdale maintenance shop and at a smaller shop in San
Bernardino. Either one can handle minor maintenance and preventative work. Only Scottsdale
can perform major engine and transmission work. Overall the fleet is in good operating
condition. All vehicles are on a preventative maintenance schedule which places them out of
service two days a month, usually on weekends. Maintenance scheduling is a challenge because
it can interfere with the steady flow of shipments both between terminals and for local
delivery. There are no “extra” vehicles in the fleet.
Administration
The company management team consists of the President (CEO), Vice President of Operations
(COO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Information Officer (CIO), Sales Manager, and a Fleet
Maintenance Manager who oversees maintenance and safety. They meet weekly to discuss
opportunities and issues and to plan for future goals. Except for the CIO, the management team
has been in place for many years.
Winter, 2021
IFSM301
The president of the company just hired its first Chief Information Officer (CIO), Lance, after the
previous IT Director retired. He comes from a nearby manufacturer who is also a major
customer. At that company he was Deputy CIO and primarily responsible for network
operations and security.
Business Strategic Objectives
At a recent meeting the management team decided to change the strategic plan for the
business to meet growth and cost goals. They highlighted three new strategies they want to
employ to increase profitability and grow the business.
1. First, they want to track the whereabouts of freight both in the terminals and on the
trucks to provide customers with accurate delivery dates and times;
2. Second, they want to improve the percent of loaded miles in their fleet to reduce
costs by coordinating the pickup and delivery of freight at the same time in the same
geographic area; and,
3. Third, they desire to provide warehousing services for customers who want to reduce
delivery time to their customers or company by having product available locally for
pickup in warehouses or quicker local delivery.
Federal/State Mandates
In addition, the management team wants to ensure that the company remains in compliance
with all applicable federal and state regulations. The ones they are most concerned about are:
1. The Sarbanes Oxley financial audit and reporting requirements;
2. A new federal requirement to conduct a vehicle safety check every 10,000 miles; and,
3. A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reporting requirement on the
number hours per day for each driver (or max per week, etc.).
CFO/CIO Goals
The CFO has been charged with the overall project. He has asked Lance to help with this effort
by modernizing information systems to support the new strategies. He has decided:
1. His first step is to update the IT strategic plan to link to the new strategies in the
corporate plan.
2. Second, he wants to engage his customers in a proactive way to first, identify and
prioritize IT projects that will help meet the new goals, and then develop a set of
requirements for each project.
3. Third, he wants to decide on the best approach to modernize the information systems
that will meet requirements at a reasonable cost, and for this he will need to make
some changes to the IT organization.
Strategic Direction
As a small player in a large transportation market serving large cities, GGFRT has many larger
competitors. They need to improve their alignment of IT with their business strategic objectives
as well as updating their operational processes and IT to become more efficient in serving their
customers and acquiring new ones.
Winter, 2021
IFSM301
Current Technology
GGFRT is using a mix of older technology products for finance and accounting, route
optimization/ freight tracking and fleet maintenance. There are several projects already in the
IT portfolio competing for resources. The CIO sees a major challenge in balancing available
funding, IT staff workload and project prioritization. The project nearest completion is the
adoption of the Precise Financial Reporting System to replace the aging finance and accounting
system. It will be completed in six months. There are two other projects under way, one for
management reporting (Management Reporting System) and one for a mobile application
(Mobile Marketing App) that sales staff can use to show potential customers information on the
fleet, distribution services available and freight rates, and warehouse options, including a
comparison to the competition.
The Route Optimization/Freight Tracking System is very important to the operations manager
and dispatchers. The current system allows the input of freight origin and destination
information. This is taken from a bill of lading which contains a plethora of specific information.
When the dispatchers enter the origins and destinations into the system, they are grouped by
zip code. The dispatchers then decide which zip codes will be loaded in a truck and in what
sequence for delivery. This takes several hours at night to accomplish and must be done as
quickly as possible so trucks can be loaded and sent out in the morning for delivery. Arranging
shipment sequence within a zip code is done by locating each address on a map and entering it
into the system in the best order. Pickups are handled in a similar manner. Freight tracking
features are not yet integrated; this should be developed in the future to meet one of the
business objectives. The freight tracking features of this system has not yet been developed.
The Fleet Maintenance System contains information on each vehicle in the fleet. It includes all
vehicle specifications, a summary of all repairs, a preventive maintenance schedule and an
inventory of parts on hand. This information is entered by accounting clerks, mechanics,
purchasing clerks and anyone else who has time to do data entry. It is not as time consuming as
the route optimization/freight tracking system, but it contains information critical to fleet
reliability. The greatest challenge is scheduling preventative maintenance since it requires
vehicles to be down for two days. The dispatchers do not want the equipment taken out of
service because it causes planning headaches. The relationship between dispatchers and
maintenance personnel is strained.
IT Organization
When Lance was hired as CIO last month, he took a close look at the current staffing. The IT
staff consists of 25 people, seven of whom are programmers. The programmers are charged
with all systems development and integration work for the company. They have three projects
in their current portfolio. Their skill sets include SQL, .Net and C+ programming, and Web
design.
There are eight helpdesk personnel who support the eight distribution terminals (one at each
terminal). They work independently but report directly to the CIO. The remaining staff includes
Winter, 2021
IFSM301
two network engineers, a financial systems specialist (an expert in the features of the Precise
Financial Reporting System), a computer security expert, two shift supervisors (who supervise
the programmers, network engineers, financial systems specialist and computer security expert
at headquarters), a web designer (though there is no website currently in use, this person
reports to the shift supervisors), and the CIO and his two personal assistants.
The IT staff supports multiple locations. At the Los Angeles headquarters/terminal/warehouse
there are 15 servers (they contain all software and data; one stores a backup copy of the data)
and 30 PCs for accounting, marketing, IT, administration and management. The
terminal/warehouse operations offices have eight PCs for dispatchers, one for each of the
maintenance offices, one for parts and one for drivers in the driver lounge. The other seven
terminals have 10 PCs each and connect to headquarters by a virtual private network (VPN).
IT Portfolio
Precise Financial Reporting System- This new system will replace the current Finance and
Accounting System. It is an off-the-shelf product that requires the owner to make modifications
to interface with other systems they may own. Two programmers are working on the project.
One is setting up the database and loading the software on servers. The other is learning about
the system to write an interface with the Route Optimization/Freight Tracking System. A
representative of the vendor of Precise Financial will train the accounting staff in its use. This
will take about two weeks. It can be assumed that this new system will cover any SarbanesOxley (SOX) mandate requirements.
Management Reporting System- Senior management wanted to know financial information
daily. Two programmers have been working on a system to compile the data in a format they
can use. They plan to extract information from Precise Financials when it is ready but for now
have focused on the current system. They will be done in two months.
Mobile Marketing App- The marketing manager asked for an app that sales staff could use to
show potential customers information. This would include things like fleet photos and
specifications; pictures of the eight terminals and information about the
distribution/warehouse services GGFRT can provide; and a comparison of their costs using
sample shipments with rates from competitors compared to GGFRT costs. A programmer and
the web designer are working on the project. It will take two more months to complete. The
purpose of this app is not for tracking of freight and/or driver hours/vehicle mileage.
The current design/development process is best described by the way it worked in the selection
and integration of Precise Financials. The CFO asked the (former) CIO to develop a new finance
and accounting system. The CIO interviewed large, respected companies and, after comparing
their capability to the current system, chose Precise Financial Reporting. Two programmers
were assigned, and a Precise Financial Reporting System specialist was hired to work between
IT and the finance office. The CIO receives progress reports every two weeks.
Winter, 2021
IFSM301
Situation
When Lance was hired, he toured each terminal to see the IT setup and understand local
business operations. It was important to him to know just how each person used the systems.
He spent time with bookkeepers and accountants, dispatchers, drivers and terminal
management. Since he came from one of GGFRT’s customers he knew that customers could
offer insight into business improvements that would be good for both companies. He visited
one large customer in each of the terminal’s area of service to get feedback on how operations
between them and GGFRT could be improved. His goal was to see how he could translate what
he learned into systems improvements.
Interestingly the most complaints came from bookkeepers and accountants. They said the
system was slow and data entry was tedious because accuracy was very important. If they
entered wrong information, it could cause incorrect billing (rates are based on weight and size),
improper loading (the wrong zip code could mean sending freight in the wrong direction unless
a dispatcher caught the error), and more. They estimated current accuracy at about 95% but
they had no way of knowing for sure. Further, they complained about financial reporting and
their ability to meet compliance requirements. Reporting was mostly a manual process and
data they needed from the system was not easily accessed. Most of them had resorted to
keeping small ledgers at their desks to track information they knew they would need for
reporting.
The dispatchers explained that routing wasn’t all that hard, just time consuming. The routing
system grouped all the shipments by zip code. They would take all the shipments in a zip code
and look at the weight and size (how much cubic space each one needed in a truck), plot them
on a map and then put them in delivery sequence. They thought most trucks left the loading
dock full and that that the drivers made adjustments in their delivery sequence when needed.
Pickups were a bit more challenging. Sometimes they sent a truck out just to pick up freight and
bring it back to the terminal. Other times they contacted a driver to ask them to stop at a
customer to pick up a shipment while they were making deliveries. Since they didn’t know
exactly how much space was available on the truck this was a hit or miss situation. Drivers were
left to decide if they could make it work.
Drivers were the most outspoken, probably because no one ever asked for their opinion. They
were also the happiest of employees (this might explain why they were non-union). They liked
being able to make decisions on the go and they knew the customers very well. In fact, they
could call some of them if they were running late and the customer would stay open so they
could deliver or pick up a shipment. They seemed to have favorite customers and often spent
extra time with them talking about common interests. Generally, they were good ambassadors
for the company.
Terminal managers were under constant pressure. Their main goal was to get shipments into
and out of the terminal as quickly as possible. Delivery times were measured and part of their
performance plan. They knew the company had established three new strategies because they
were explained in an email they just got. Lance asked how they might provide warehousing
Winter, 2021
IFSM301
services. Most felt they had extra space and could take on some storage but keeping track of
the shipments might be a problem. They had to do this manually and the bookkeepers were the
ones to keep the records. They felt more bookkeepers would be needed but they didn’t know
how many.
Lance also met with the maintenance and safety staff at the San Bernardino terminal. The
maintenance folks had a large workload and complained that they had a hard time getting
equipment in the shop for preventative work. They did not know when equipment would be
available until the last minute, so scheduling was always a scramble because they needed to
make sure mechanics were available to do the work. They had a lot of complaints about shifting
work hours and the effect it had on their personal lives.
The Safety Manager expressed concerns over driver hours of service. There are federal
regulations that limit drivers to 11 hours of driving at a time. Then they need to take an eighthour break. The problem was tracking the driver’s hours to make sure they stayed within the
law. Dispatchers tried to help with this when they scheduled pickups and deliveries but there
was no easy way to do it and the results were often based on best guess. The safety manager
who was ultimately responsible for compliance had drivers turn in their hours each day, but this
was always after the fact.
Lance’s customer visits were eye-opening. Most of the customers had automated inventory
systems and could easily track products from raw material to finished goods. They knew exactly
what they would ship and when, usually several days ahead of time. Some customers however
needed near instantaneous shipping. They wanted same-day pickup in a lot of cases and fast
delivery. In most cases, they were all able to produce electronic documents such as the bill of
lading and email or FAX it to GGFRT.
During his interview for the CIO position, Lance was told that the previous IT Director had left a
good foundation and that the staff seemed sufficient in number and appeared to be very
capable. However, since GGFRT is developing its strategies for the future, the staff must be able
to support the business strategies as well as the IT strategies that Lance would develop. One of
the first things Lance did was to interview each member of his staff. He discovered that the
roles and responsibilities tended to overlap and that morale among his staff was very low.
Lance also interviewed the senior leadership of GGFRT and learned that his staff was not
meeting their expectations for service. The help desk was perceived as being only somewhat
competent and took much too long to respond to problems. Application developers were very
slow in delivering systems, and when the systems were finally delivered, they did not reflect
what the customers needed or wanted. Network outages occurred too often from the users’
perspective. Finally, the Chief Financial Officer told Lance that the IT costs need to be reduced.
Lance knew he had many challenges. He was determined to identify essential projects and then
prioritize them for management review. The outcomes would affect almost every aspect of the
business. His IT portfolio was about to grow, and her organization will need to change to meet
the challenges.
Winter, 2021
IFSM301
Your Task
From the perspective of the CIO for GGFRT, you will be completing many tasks over this
semester.
•
•
•
•
In the ITSP #1 assignment, your main goals will be to develop a new business strategic
objective that you feel is one that GGFRT needs to accomplish. You will write IT Mission
and Vision statements and develop an IT Governance Board, select an IT Governance
Methodology, choose your team and discuss their roles on the board. You will also
choose a prioritization tool to rank projects and discuss criteria that is important while
prioritizing those projects along with a few other tasks.
In the ITSP #2 assignment, your main goals will be to choose IT strategies, aligning them
with business strategic objectives from the ITSP #1 assignment. You will complete an IT
roadmap of the current project schedule and add a new project that you will deem
important to GGFRT’s operations. You will discuss risk of implementing projects from
the CIO perspective and create steps of a Business Continuity Plan along with a few
other tasks.
For the CIO Memo assignment, you will discuss your leadership philosophy and
management style, address IT strategies and discuss how each will benefit the business,
create an organizational chart based on the information presented above for the 24
employees in the IT Department, explain how a CIO Organization differs from an IT
Department, note Key Services (functions, positions) that will be included/eliminate in
your new CIO Organization, create a new CIO organizational chart, and discuss key
milestones (related to the Key Services’ section) for accomplishing your new CIO
organizational structure along with a few other tasks.
In the IT Decision Paper assignment, your project will be presented (from the ITSP #2
assignment), the strategic alignment of your project to one of the business objectives
(from the ITSP #1 assignment) and IT strategies (from the ITSP #2 assignment) will be
discussed, discussion of where your proposed project would fit into the IT roadmap
(from the ITSP #2 assignment) will be discussed, how your project will share data,
integrate, or replace an existing or proposed system will be discussed, benefits the
project will provide to GGFRT, requirements of the project, anticipated cost/size of the
project, performance measures of your project and the system development life cycle
steps of your project along with a few other tasks.
GGFRT is a fictitious company created for the IFSM 301 Case Study.
01/14/2021 for University of Maryland Global Campus
Winter, 2021
IFSM301
