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ASSIGNMENT 1 FRONT SHEET
Qualification BTEC Level 5 HND Diploma in Computing Unit number and title Unit 14: Business Intelligence Submission date 4/4/ 2024 Date Received 1st submission Re-submission Date Date Received 2nd submission Student Name Danh The Nghi Student ID GCC Class 1641 SP24^ Assessor name Nguyen Minh Khiem Student declaration I certify that the assignment submission is entirely my own work and I fully understand the consequences of plagiarism. I understand that making a false declaration is a form of malpractice. Student’s signature Nghi Grading grid P1 P2 M1 M2 D1 D
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Your company is currently working in [Assumed Domain] for 2 years. For a new, young company, the competition in the market is very high. Therefore, the Board of Director has decided to apply Business Intelligence to improve the company business process by making better decisions. The Board of Directors assigns a small group including you in Research & Development Department to study business intelligence to apply for the company in the coming years. You need to research about business processes and decision support processes in the company and identify the types of data (unstructured, semi-structured or structured) generated by these processes with examples. You also need to research about current software used in the business process or decision support process and evaluate these usages (benefits and drawbacks). Next you need to understand the types of support for decision-making at different levels (operational, tactical and strategic) within the company and study which business intelligence features can help on that types of support. Study the information systems or technologies (of BI) can be used in this case, compare and contrast them to conclude which should be used. Your group needs to present the research results to the board in a presentation of 30 minutes. Unit Learning Outcomes LO1 Discuss business processes and the mechanisms used to support business decision-making. LO2 Compare the tools and technologies associated with business intelligence functionality Assignment Brief
Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria Pass Merit Distinction LO1 Discuss business processes and the mechanisms used to support business decision-making D1 Evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of using application software as a mechanism for business processing. P1 Examine, using examples, the terms ‘Business Process’ and ‘Supporting Processes’. M1 Differentiate between unstructured and semi-structured data within an organisation. LO2 Compare the tools and technologies associated with business intelligence functionality D2 Compare and contrast a range of information systems and technologies that can be used to support organisations at operational, tactical and strategic levels. P2 Compare the types of support available for business decision-making at varying levels within an organisation. M2 Justify, with specific examples, the key features of business intelligence functionality.
Table of figure Figure 1 Hiring process ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 2 Purchasing product from Supplier ................................................................................................................ 17 Figure 3 Ordering process ........................................................................................................................................... 19 Figure 4 Payment process............................................................................................................................................ 20 Table of table Table 1 Compare strategic, tactical and operational.................................................................................................. 16
I. EXAMINE, USING EXAMPLES, THE TERMS “BUSINESS PROCESS” AND
“SUPPORTING PROCESSES”
1. Business Process - Definition A business process is a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that people or equipment perform to achieve consistent outcomes. Well-defined business processes are structured, and measurable and offer the flexibility to be optimized for repeatability. A business process is a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that people or equipment perform to achieve consistent outcomes. Well-defined business processes are structured, and measurable and offer the flexibility to be optimized for repeatability. (Anon., n.d.) Three critical criteria: Repeatability : All procedures must be designed to be repeated. A process that you don’t intend to repeat is an action plan instead of an actual process. It is the distinction between routine purchases and the purchase of a new facility. Transparency : Processes also need to be trackable, allowing you to monitor them for success. A good process includes data-tracking procedures that enable you to compare performance and efficacy over time. Agility : Static processes do not hold up in the actual world. A process should be flexible to a variety of scenarios, so that minor changes in the work environment do not create delays. Furthermore, a good process should be easy to adapt in case of more important or permanent.
- Type of Business Process:
- Operational Processes From inventory management to order processing & customer support, they ensure the core functions are executed efficiently.
- Management Processes It involves planning, organizing, and controlling resources to achieve strategic goals.
- Supporting Processes Supporting processes provide the infrastructure and resources required for the organization to function
o Supporting consistency: Documented business processes can help ensure that people complete tasks the same way no matter who is performing them. This helps prevent errors and minimize risks. o Answering questions: Business processes can be a quick reference tool for team members and company leaders who need to know how they or others might handle a particular task or decision. o Ensuring compliance: Business processes can make it easier and more methodical to create audit trails and comply with industry regulations and standards. o Fostering accountability: Documented business processes can help support accountability because each team member understands their expectations. o Encouraging innovation: Many business processes include stages for reflection, brainstorming and creative collaboration to help teams innovate to solve shared problems. There are various reasons why business processes hold significance: o Establishing a shared perspective: Business processes aid team members in concentrating on common goals while carrying out their routine duties. For instance, if the team's objective is to enhance customer satisfaction, they can outline the tools, tasks, and personnel involved in a process designed for this purpose. o Ensuring uniformity: Documented business processes contribute to ensuring that tasks are executed consistently, irrespective of the individual performing them. This standardization helps prevent errors and reduces risks. o Providing quick answers: Business processes serve as a handy reference tool for team members and organizational leaders seeking information on how a specific task or decision should be approached. o Ensuring compliance: Business processes facilitate the systematic creation of audit trails and aid in adhering to industry regulations and standards, making compliance more straightforward. o Promoting accountability: Well-documented business processes play a role in reinforcing accountability by clarifying each team member's responsibilities and expectations. o Cultivating innovation: Many business processes incorporate stages dedicated to reflection, brainstorming, and collaborative creativity, fostering an environment where teams can innovate collectively to address shared challenges. Example: Procedures vary depending on factors such as business type, industry, location, etc. Nevertheless, there are certain processes that are universally implemented across various segments of enterprises worldwide. To simplify understanding, let's examine examples of these procedures.
▪ Procedure for Hiring: Hiring new employees involves a series of steps to ensure the right candidates are selected for various positions. The process typically includes:
- Posting job openings
- Reviewing resumes
- Conducting interviews
- Checking references
- Making a job offer
- Onboarding the new hire ▪ Billing Procedure: Managing finances is crucial for any business. The billing process includes steps such as:
- Generating invoices
- Verifying billing details
- Sending invoices to clients
- Recording payment receipts
- Updating financial records ▪ Order Fulfillment: This process involves fulfilling customer orders in a timely and efficient manner. Key steps include:
- Receiving and processing orders
- Managing inventory
- Picking and packing products
- Shipping orders
- Providing order tracking information
a. Describe Company / Datasets in the project
This dataset is a broad compilation of product for sale trends, gathered by scraping information from around the world. It includes every item related to upcoming buying trends on the platform. Data is updated periodically every few months. This includes important information such as price, condition, manufacturer and other columns. Link dataset: https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/iamsouravbanerjee/customer-shopping-trends-dataset
When a customer places an order from the store, the store will receive the order and check and process it. The store will examine customer feedback on the product; if the product does not meet the customer's requirements, the order will be reviewed and processed again. If the order meets the customer's requirements, it will be packaged and delivered to the customer. Upon delivery, the customer will proceed with payment. The customer can pay in cash if there is enough cash on hand. If the customer does not have enough cash, payment can be made with a credit card. The customer will enter the account number, followed by the account password and the amount to be paid. The banking application will then check the account balance. If the account balance is insufficient, the system will notify the customer, who can re- enter the account number for verification after depositing more money into the account. After entering the required payment amount, the banking application will transfer the money. The system will deduct the amount from the account if the balance is sufficient, transferring the customer's funds to the store's account. After receiving payment from the customer, the store will generate and send an invoice. Once the customer receives the invoice, the process is complete.
2. Supporting Processes These are processes that coordinate the development and life cycle of the activities contained in the main processes, i.e. organizational and business processes. These processes can be undoubtedly cross processes,so that they contribute to the achievement of objectives between different areas of the project and / or company. The activities are in support processes, aimed at achieving objectives that support other processes that perform a specialized function. These objectives can point to:
- Define necessary to record all the information produced by the process life cycle activities.
- Incorporate activities to identify, control, and statistical evaluation of configurations as well as of version management.
- Define activities to objectively ensure that software products meet the specified requirements and adhere to established plans.
- Specify activities (for the acquirer, the supplier or independent organization) to check software products and services.
- Determine activities (customer, supplier or organization independent) to validate the software products of the software project.
- Perform peer review of both technical and administrative aspects, where they will inspect the condition of the goods produced and the activities undertaken.
- Specify the activities to determine compliance with the requirements, plans and contracts. This process can be used by any of the two parties, where one party (audit) audits the products or activities of the other party (audited).
- Specify a process to analyze and eliminate (solve) the problems (including disagreements), regardless of their nature or origin, which are discovered during the execution of the development, operation, maintenance and other processes. (Anon., n.d.) Example: For example, the Configuration Management Process in a software project. In this process, a position may be the Configuration Manager, which will be responsible for performing activities related to
version and configuration management of the software product. Ensure version management: Configuration Management will track and manage software product versions, ensuring that versions are fully and accurately numbered and recorded. This includes ensuring continuity and tracking changes and new versions. Configuration Control: Configuration Management establishes and maintains rules and procedures to control the configuration of the software product. This includes establishing rules for adding, modifying, and removing software components, and ensuring that only approved changes are made and recorded.
objectives are termed operational decisions. For instance, cost reduction is a strategic choice achieved through an operational decision to reduce personnel, and the manner in which these reductions are executed constitutes an administrative decision. Example:
- Hiring process: Figure 1 Hiring process This workflow diagram is relevant to the recruitment process, as it includes steps such as "request employee confirmations and checks," "conduct assessments," and "post job advertisements." b. Tactical Decision Tactical judgments within organizations are made by officers and executives, comprising individuals such as the CEO, COO, CFO, and other top-level management. These decisions, which have a medium-term impact on the firm, involve the more detailed
implementation of the overarching strategy set by the board of directors. Tactical decision points encompass various aspects, including but not limited to: o Determining workforce size and structure. o Formulating sales and marketing strategies. o Ensuring the signing of non-disclosure agreements. o Assigning work tasks to specific groups and individuals. o Making significant purchases within a predetermined budget. In comparison to strategic decisions, most tactical decisions and plans are more specific and precise. Additionally, officials and executives are required to justify these choices to a board of directors, which holds accountability within the company's structure.
- Process of Purchasing product from Supplier: Figure 2 Purchasing product from Supplier
c. Operational Decision
Operational decisions are undertaken by operational managers and other personnel within a firm, with examples including mid-level, supervisory, and lower-level management. These
Figure 3 Ordering process This is a process flow diagram that explains the process of ordering and receiving goods from a shop. It shows the steps a customer takes to place an order, select a payment method, and receive their order. The customer can choose to pay by bank transfer or on delivery. The shop processes the order, packs it, and delivers it to the customer.
Figure 4 Payment process
d. Compare Strategic, Tactical and Operational
