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ACTG378 Group Project

First, a plug for the project in the form of a comment from a former student: I write from the working world to inform you that I am using the skills I learned in 378 and all that hard work you made us complete (the project) is exactly what I needed to prepare for my current employment. The hours spent leaning about and how to critically analyze processes, flow charts and narratives, while examining and questioning those processes internal controls and key controls is exactly what I am working on at the beginning of every audit engagement I take on. All that work that you made us do (that was horrible at the time) is really helping me get ahead out in the "real" world working life.
- Peter Klof, graduated and employed, 2007

Deliverables
Points Assignment Format
Required List Group Members Email
Required Plan Group Work Hard Copy
50  PRJ1 - Create Narrative Description Hard Copy
*  Diagram Activities (Individual) Hard Copy (One submission per group member)
50  PRJ2 - Diagram Activities Hard Copy
50  PRJ3 - Identify Controls Hard Copy
50  PRJ4 - Design Data Structures Hard Copy
50  PRJ5 - Design Reports Hard Copy
50  PRJ6 - Design Forms Hard Copy
Required  Evaluate Group Members Hard Copy (One confidential submission per group member)
175  Complete Project Hard Copy and Electronic Version (Word Doc or PDF)
Packaging is very important for your project grade. Please review these pointers in addition to the requirements listed in the project description.
Total: 450 (30% of course grade)           ** Late Deliverables
* Individual UML diagram is graded pass/fail for effort. Failing to turn it in will reduce your final course grade by 2%.

Deliverables PRJ1-PRJ6 will be reviewed and assigned an original score. You can improve them for the final submission. The final score for these items will be calculated as 1/3 (original score) + 2/3 (improved score).

During the term, I may ask teams to show off one of their deliverables in class to practice presentation skills and promote collaborative learning.

This assignment is intended to practically explore course material, provide a meaningful and challenging IS-related group experience, and reinforce professional communication skills. Because students have generally been enthusiastic in project participation in previous terms, most groups have worked hard and done well on the assignment. Grading is intended to follow the following general guidelines:

Group members list

Students should form into groups of 4-5 students. Please begin team building right away. I encourage you to choose classmates with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and experiences. However, regular (weekly and sometimes more) meetings will be important so you might ask about schedule preferences.
Send in an email listing:
  - Your team members (last name, first name)
  - Team member email addresses
Email this to the instructor and cc group members.

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Initial Work Plan


The group work required in this class is extensive. It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that group work is well done and turned in on time.
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Business Documents

A few things to keep in mind: Format requirements: Return to Contents

PRJ1

Describe an acquisition or revenue process for a fictitious organization. Make one up! The idea is to think up a process that is supported by a moderately complex information system. Don't worry. You will be able to adjust it to be more or less complex as needed as the project develops.

PRJ1 asks you to create a business scenario and describe a business process. Of course no description will be completly complete. You will have to use some judgement to decide how much detail is needed. That's part of the fun of documenting systems.
Grading Criteria (out of 50 pts):
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Individual UML Activity Diagram

Each student is to prepare an individual overview UML Activity diagram on their own before you meet as a group to hammer out an answer.
You do not need to use Visio you can use excel, powerpoint, or other drawing tools. However, I have adjusted our standards to loosely cooperate with the VISIO template as described in the the Walkthroughs we did in class. I reccomend that you try it out - you will likely find it useful to use such a tool in your business career. The PRJ1 narratives are bound to be inadequate so each student will need to make some assumptions. Hopefully, you will have different ideas which are resolved in a collaborative process. Individual student diagrams are graded only as pass/fail, with any reasonable attempt receiving a pass. Failing will result in a 2% reduction in the student’s final course grade.

PRJ2

Create UML Activity Diagrams for the business processes. Please create an overview diagram and at least two detailed diagrams. Please include a copies (revised as needed) of the event table and document list from PRJ1.
At this point you should begin preparing your draft revisions. As you do each new part of the project, you will need to go back and expand or change the previous documents. In your "draft revisions" document, write a brief paragraph describing the needed changes and include the relevant portions of the updated documents.
Grading Criteria (out of 50 pts):

PRJ3

Describe risks and controls associated with your process. I am looking for an extensive (at least 3 page) write up. Tell what could go wrong and how your company addresses the risks. These exercises will systematically apply the material on risks and controls. Appropriate sections in this deliverable include: Your answer should include material covering several important control ideas: Revise PRJ1 and PRJ2 as appropriate. If you have created a scenario or selected a process which does not significantly involve controls, you will likely get a poor overall grade unless you adapt your scenario now.

Grading Criteria (out of 50 pts):

PRJ4

Design a set of relational tables to store the data needed to support your process. Grading Criteria (50 pts):

PRJ5

Create and document 4 exemplary reports.
Grading Criteria (out of 50 pts):

PRJ6

PRJ6 requires that you create a part of the documentation needed to develop the user interface portion of your system. Review the requirements closely, I do NOT reuire you to document everything, but this is still an extensive deliverable.
Grading Criteria (out of 50 pts): I will evaluate the completeness, accuracy, and appropriateness of the following for your form presentations.

Final Draft Packaging

The group project has four main parts: the narrative; the UML activity diagrams; the data, form, and report designs; and the final packaging. The final packaging requirements are extensive.
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Group Member Evaluations:

Being a good group member is important!
After completing PRJ3, each group member is to complete a team member survey labeled with their name and group name. Emailed submissions will not be accepted. Describe, in one sentence, the contribution of each group member (including yourself). Also, rank each member's contribution as: Failing to complete a required group member evaluation will result in a deduction of 2% against your final course grade. These confidential surveys will only be considered in the unlikely event that a team has a serious problem. I reserve the right to assign lower individual grades to under-performing students.
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Late Deliverables

Occasionally projects run late. A small amount of lateness can be overlooked (one class session at most) if 1) You tell me in advance you are running behind (keep me in the loop), 2) you have a good explanation, and 3) if you only turn in one or two parts late. Otherwise, you will be penalized 10% per week. Individual diagram assignments will not be accepted late.


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This page is maintained by Byron Marshall. Send E-mail to (byron.marshall@bus.oregonstate.edu)