In the final project for this course, you will imagine that you are an IT business analyst intern at Sharpe Style in the scenario provided and have been asked by the owner to research options for improving the business’s performance through the use of technology. Specifically, the owner wants to expand the business’s retail presence into online sales and ensure a positive customer experience by incorporating intelligent systems into the website. You will create a business report for business owner Mary Sharpe that analyzes the business’s stated and anticipated technology and information system requirements, compares and contrasts different technology solutions available, and provides suggestions on technology opportunities that would support the business venture. You should explain in detail how the different options could help grow the business and/or improve operational efficiency and client satisfaction, using real-world examples and references to support the suggestions. You should also keep in mind that the business owner is not a technology specialist. Consequently, you should use nontechnical language in crafting the business report and remember that the owner may not always know what technology is needed to carry out a particular option or how much it costs.

Refer to the Sharpe Style scenario for details on the current state of the company and the business owner’s goals. Begin by restating the context of your assignment as an IT business analyst intern at Sharpe Style. Describe why your task is relevant given the role of information technology in business management. Next, describe the system development life cycle approach and how it can help document and inform IT business decisions in this case. Use your Final Project Guidelines and Rubric document and the Final Project Template to help you. Discuss the appendices required for your business report and when they are developed in the life cycle. Include considerations on what information you were given in the scenario that applies to the life cycle and what you will need to research further. 

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction: Start your business report with a brief summary of what you have been asked to do. Be sure to address the following:

A. Context: Restate your assignment from the business owner and explain why this task is relevant given the role of IT in business management today. Give specific examples to support your answer. For example, how are similar companies using IT to enhance their business performance?

B. Tools and Methods: Describe the system development life cycle (SDLC) approach, explaining how it can help document and inform IT decisions in this case.