Managing Information Systems and Transformation Level 7  Assessment Brief 2024-25 | UoS

Assessment Task Details and Instructions

The assessment is a digital portfolio, which includes three tasks:

Task 1: Writing and publishing 5 blogs on required contents (Individual Work, 50%)

Based on the Edumundo Simulation Game and Case Study:

Task 2: Attending simulation, teamwork, and group presentation (Group Work, 30%) 

Task 3: Producing individual consultancy artefacts (Individual Work, 20%)

Detailed instructions on both tasks are as below: 

Task 1: Writing and publishing 5 blogs on required contents (individual work, 50%)

Over the 12 weeks of teaching, you will be conducting 5 blogs, ideally published consistently and regularly during the period. The blogs should be uploaded to online platforms (e.g. WordPress, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) for sharing before your submission.

Your blogs should cohere around the themes/topics and requirements as explained below: 

1. Expected entries into the Portfolio will include five 500-word blogs on required topics of information systems and digital transformation, as below: 

• 2 blogs on information systems usage in business. You can pick up any aspect of IS in the business world, such as (but not limited to) Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data Analysis, Search and Social Media Marketing (SSMM) and Robotics Process Automation (RPA), etc. 
• 2 blogs on “What the Paper Says” critique. To write the blog, you need to pick up 1 academic paper on any theme discussed in lecture sessions (e.g. Social Media Analysis, Cloud Computing, Business Ethics, AI, etc.). You can use the University library search: University of Salford Manchester to find the full paper. In your blog, you need to indicate the title and resource of the paper and write a critical review on ‘what the paper says’ (similar to a ‘mini literature review’). 
• 1 blog reflection on your experience using the Edumundo simulation as part of your studies. From Week 5 to Week 11, you’ll work in groups during module seminars on a digital transformation project within the Edumundo simulation game, taking on various roles within a simulated company. In this blog, consider how this approach contributes to your learning on digital transformation, noting both the benefits and potential challenges of using this simulation in this specific subject. Reflect on the dynamics of teamwork during the 6 weeks of game playing, your specific role in the digital transformation process, and how this experience might inform your future professional practices. Using the Gibbs Reflective Model is recommended to structure your reflections.

2. Your blogs should present your research, understanding and reflections on themes learned during teaching weeks, in a blogging style. So, engaging your audiences (e.g. ‘chatty’ tone, ‘call for action’, etc.), mixed use of multimedia elements (e.g. hyperlinks, pictures, etc.), are all good techniques. 

3. If there are any references for your blog, you can either adopt APA 7th edition using proper in-text citations and putting a reference list at the end. OR, in blogs, you can insert hyperlinks to your referenced journal paper/websites, etc. Each blog should be max 500 words long, excluding references at the end. 

4. All 5 blogs should be included in this submission. 15 marks would be deducted for each missing blog. Each blog would have 5 marks on ‘Presentation’ and 10 marks on ‘Content’, and.  5 Marks will be reserved for publishing your blogs onto online platforms (such as social media and blogging platforms) with a regular interval instead of all in one week. If you have uploaded your blogs online, please remember to insert the URL of your blog(s) in your submission, so that you can get the marks.  Please refer to the ‘Assessment Criteria’ session for the marking allocation table. 

The following two tasks need to be completed based on the Edumundo Simulation Game and Case Study:

Task 2: Attending simulation, teamwork, and group presentation (group work, 30%)

Starting in Week 5, you’ll be placed in a group of 5-7 classmates to work on a six-week digital transformation project using the Edumundo simulation in your seminar sessions. The Edumundo platform will provide all necessary information about the simulated company, and each team member will take on a specific role within the company, chosen through group discussion.

 In each seminar, your group will apply digital transformation concepts to make strategic decisions for the company’s development. As part of your assignment, you’re required to document weekly updates on both team progress and individual reflections specific to your role in the company. These updates, which may include screenshots from the simulation and written reflections, should be recorded in your OneNote file on Teams (instructions for accessing OneNote on Teams will be provided in Week 1).  Weekly updates will be assessed at the end of the module, with 10 marks allocated for general team updates for individual contributions. Please keep each weekly update to a maximum of 150 words (excluding any diagrams or screenshots).
 
Toward the end of the module, each group will have a 15-minute in-person presentation slot to showcase their digital transformation project, including a 5-minute Q&A. Missing the presentation or making no contribution in the presentation will result in a loss of marks.
 
Please note that the simulation is a competitive game, with teams ranked based on their performance. The top-scoring team will receive awards and certificates. Detailed instructions on the simulation and scoring system will be provided in Week 5 before the competition begins.

Task 3: Producing individual consultancy artefacts (individual work, 20%) 

Using the knowledge gained in class, create 4 consultancy artefacts related to your digital transformation project in the Edumundo simulation. 

• Business Model Canvas: Develop one Business Model Canvas that represents the company’s structure and strategy before starting the digital transformation project.
• Business Process Models: Create two Business Process Models - one reflecting the company’s processes before the transformation and one illustrating the process improvements after the digital transformation.
• Digital Transformation Roadmap: Design one roadmap that outlines the recommended steps for achieving the company’s digital transformation objectives.

Submit only the four artefacts listed above; no additional text is required for this task.

Please also refer to the Assignment Checklists at the end of the brief to support your assignment completion.