Scenario
You have graduated from SNHU and are now employed as a business analyst by Business Consultants
(BC), a business consulting firm. As a business analyst, you are responsible for analyzing businesses to
determine how your firm can help them meet their sales goals.
Your first business to analyze is New Hampshire Business Products (NHBP). NHBP is a small company
operating as a sole proprietorship desiring to expand its geographical reach. The products sold by NHBP
fall into three categories: office supplies, office equipment, and printing services.
NHBP has been in business since 2005 and operates one brick-and-mortar location selling various
products and services. The company operates a retail store from its one physical location and offers
services to customers in its current geographical area via a catalog published semi-annually. Customers
using the catalog call their orders in to the retail location by phone, and the company delivers
completed orders via delivery truck and third-party carriers such as United Parcel Service (UPS).
NHBP has concluded that its one retail outlet and its current catalog business have reached their
maximum potential and is seeking a means to expand sales as well as geographical reach. NHBP has also
concluded that adding internet sales is the best option to expand both sales and geographical reach. BC
has been hired to evaluate current operations and suggest paths that will satisfy the sales goals set by
NHBP.
In your capacity as a business analyst for BC, you have met with the management team at NHBP and
made an initial review of the current business operations. Your notes of the review show the following:
The total current sales (2016) are $500,000, divided into the following categories:
o Office supplies: $150,000
o Office equipment: $300,000
o Printing: $50,000
The company desires to increase sales by 20% per year in each category for the next five years.
NHBP thinks that online sales will result in reaching its intended sales goals over the next five
years.
The company is currently unsure how to implement online sales and is seeking guidance in
developing a website as well as the mechanics of online marketing and fulfilling online orders.
1
IT 100 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a polished business presentation consisting of a formatted and revised business letter, a dynamic spreadsheet,
and a formatted and revised slide presentation.
In the professional environments of today, one of the most important and frequently used tools for communicating information is an office productivity suite
such as Microsoft Office. Office productivity suites consist of bundled applications designed to help users create various deliverables such as word-processing
documents, spreadsheets, and slide presentations. Your ability to select an appropriate application based on key specifications and to use various tools and
functions within the application to create polished professional deliverables will be critical for successful communication and collaboration with clients and
stakeholders in any field you pursue.
In this project, you will take the role of a business analyst and apply essential skills and techniques within office productivity applications to prepare three
related professional deliverables: a business letter, a spreadsheet, and a slide presentation. Review the Final Project Scenario document to learn more about the
simulated business case.
The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at different points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure a quality final
submission. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two and Four. The final submission is due in Module Seven.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Apply appropriate tools within office productivity applications for supporting the creation of professional-quality documents, spreadsheets, and
presentations
Integrate key business specifications into a variety of office productivity suite applications for ensuring effective deliverables
Apply appropriate style and formatting conventions in creating professional documents, spreadsheets, and presentations
Apply fundamental best practices for revision within office productivity applications for the finalization of a professional-quality document and
presentation2
Prompt
As you prepare to communicate the next steps in the consulting partnership between your organization, Business Consultants, and your client, New Hampshire
Business Products (NHBP), you will prepare three deliverables using office productivity applications: a business letter to stakeholders at NHBP to share your
findings and request a follow-up meeting, a spreadsheet that will allow you to organize and manipulate the given sales data with basic calculation functions, and
a slide presentation that will help you communicate your findings to your team at Business Consultants.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Business Letter: Apply audience-appropriate formatting and style conventions to a follow-up business letter for New Hampshire Business Products.
Revise and submit the business letter you completed for Milestone One, which was based on the content in this document.
A. Incorporate the business letter content into a business letter template.
B. Apply formatting conventions appropriate for the intended audience.
1. Select a standard and consistent font and font size.
2. Format the document with standard and consistent line spacing, margins, and indentation.
3. Configure the data provided into a table.
C. Apply revisions to the provided draft to produce a document that is clear of typographical and formatting errors.
II. Spreadsheet: Create a spreadsheet that clearly and functionally displays the numerical data provided in the scenario.
A. For current sales, display sales by category and total.
B. For projected sales, display sales by category and total.
C. Apply formatting conventions appropriate for a business audience.
1. Select a consistent font and font size.
2. Format the spreadsheet with row and column spacing, row and column alignments, and cell formatting.
3. Apply labels that identify the values contained in each row and column.
D. Apply formulas to calculate totals for current sales as well as projected sales.
E. Embed a bar chart that accurately displays the total sales for the current year.
F. Embed a bar chart that accurately displays the projected sales for the next five years.
G. Embed a line graph that accurately displays the desired sales growth over the next five years.
III. Slide Presentation: Apply appropriate formatting and revision conventions and visuals to the content on the provided slides to create a presentation
that addresses the needs of the audience within Business Consultants as well as your needs as the speaker preparing to convey the information to a
business audience. Revise and submit the slide presentation you completed in Module Six, which was based on the unformatted slides in this
presentation.
A. Apply consistent slide templates and color schemes that help organize and convey your message.3
B. Insert charts and graphs from your spreadsheet into the slide presentation where indicated.
C. For each slide, select a font style and size of text that are appropriate for the specified audience and support your message.
D. Revise the existing slide content to reflect an appropriate amount of text on each slide for conveying your message to the specified audience.
E. Revise excess slide text into speaker notes, shaping them into a tool to support yourself, the speaker, in delivering your message.
F. Incorporate slide transitions and graphics that support the message.
Milestones
Milestone One: Business Letter (Draft of Section I)
In Module Two, you will submit a draft of your formatted and revised business letter. Using Microsoft Word, you will summarize the findings of your initial
meeting with the client and request a follow-up meeting. Formatting and style conventions must be appropriate for the identified audience. This milestone will
be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Spreadsheet (Draft of Section II)
In Module Four, you will submit a draft of your Excel spreadsheet. You will create a spreadsheet that clearly and functionally displays key numerical data about
the client organization, using formatting conventions, labeling, formulas, and style conventions appropriate for the business audience. This milestone will be
graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Final Submission: Business Presentation
In Module Seven, you will submit your revised business letter, Excel spreadsheet, and slide presentation. Your submission should be a complete, polished
artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final project. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission
will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Deliverables
Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading
One Business Letter (Draft of Section I) Two Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric
Two Spreadsheet (Draft of Section II) Four Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric
Final Submission: Business Presentation Seven Graded separately; Final Project Rubric4
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: For Section I, use the file you revised for Milestone One (version 2) and submit it as version 3 with the file-naming convention shown
below. For Section II, submit an Excel spreadsheet that you generate. For Section III, revise and submit the slide presentation you completed as part of the peer
review discussion in Module Six. Use the following naming conventions:
businessletter_v.3_firstinitiallastname.docx
spreadsheet_firstinitiallastname.xlsx
slidepresentation_v.2_firstinitiallastname.pptx
Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Not Evident Value
Business Letter:
Template
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
the chosen business letter
template is especially well
suited for conveying the
information to the business
audience (100%)
Incorporates the business letter
content into a business letter
template (85%)
Incorporates the business letter
content into a template, but
the template selection is not
appropriate for a business
audience (55%)
Does not incorporate the
business letter content into a
business letter template (0%)
4
Business Letter: Font
and Size
Selects a standard and
consistent font and font size
(100%)
Selects a font and size, but font
and/or size selections are not
appropriate for a business
audience, or font and/or font
size are not consistent
throughout (55%)
Does not select an appropriate
and consistent font and font
size (0%)
3
Business Letter:
Format
Formats the document with
standard and consistent line
spacing, margins, and
indentation (100%)
Formats the document but
does not address all
components, or formatting
changes are not standard and
consistent (55%)
Does not format the document
with standard and consistent
line spacing, margins, and
indentation (0%)
3
Business Letter: Table Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
table is especially well suited
for conveying the information
displayed (100%)
Configures the data provided
into a table (85%)
Configures the data provided
into a table, but table
formatting distracts from the
message or is not appropriate
for a business audience, or
information is missing from the
table (55%)
Does not configure data
provided into a table (0%)
45
Business Letter:
Revisions
Applies revision techniques to
the provided draft to produce a
document clear of
typographical and formatting
errors (100%)
Applies revision techniques to
the provided draft, but the
document produced contains
some typographical and
formatting errors, or revisions
are not appropriate for the
audience (55%)
Does not apply revision
techniques to the provided
draft (0%)
8
Spreadsheet: Current
Sales
Displays current sales by
category and total (100%)
Displays current sales but does
not display by category and/or
total, or information is
otherwise incomplete (55%)
Does not display current sales
by category and total (0%)
8
Spreadsheet:
Projected Sales
Displays projected sales by
category and total (100%)
Displays projected sales but
does not display by category
and/or total, or information is
otherwise incomplete (55%)
Does not display projected
sales by category and total (0%)
8
Spreadsheet: Font
and Size
Selects a consistent and
standard font and font size
(100%)
Selects a consistent font and
font size, but font and/or font
size distract from the message
or are not appropriate for a
business audience (55%)
Does not select a consistent
font and font size (0%)
3
Spreadsheet: Format Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
formatting choices are
especially well suited for
conveying the message to the
business audience (100%)
Formats the spreadsheet with
row and column spacing, row
and column alignments, and
cell formatting (85%)
Formats the spreadsheet but
does not address all
components, or formatting
changes distract from the
message or are not appropriate
for a business audience (55%)
Does not format the
spreadsheet (0%)
3
Spreadsheet: Labels Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
label choice and formatting are
especially well suited for
conveying the message to the
business audience (100%)
Applies labels that identify the
values contained in each row
and column (85%)
Applies labels, but they do not
accurately identify the values,
or label formatting distracts
from the message (55%)
Does not apply labels (0%) 3
Spreadsheet:
Formulas
Applies formulas to calculate all
totals (100%)
Applies formulas to calculate
totals, but not all calculations
are addressed with formulas, or
formulas contain inaccuracies
(55%)
Does not apply formulas (0%) 36
Spreadsheet: Current
Year
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
formatting and style choices
are especially well suited for
conveying the message to the
business audience (100%)
Embeds a bar chart that
accurately displays the total
sales for the current year (85%)
Embeds a bar chart that
displays the total sales for the
current year, but chart contains
inaccuracies, or formatting and
style choices distract from the
message (55%)
Does not embed a bar chart
that displays the total sales for
the current year (0%)
4
Spreadsheet: Next
Five Years
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
formatting and style choices
are especially well suited for
conveying the message to the
business audience (100%)
Embeds a bar chart that
accurately displays the
projected sales for the next five
years (85%)
Embeds a bar chart that
displays the projected sales for
the next five years, but chart
contains inaccuracies, or
formatting and style choices
distract from the message
(55%)
Does not embed a bar chart
that displays the projected
sales for the next five years
(0%)
4
Spreadsheet: Sales
Growth
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
formatting and style choices
are especially well suited for
conveying the message to the
business audience (100%)
Embeds a line graph that
accurately displays the desired
sales growth over the next five
years (85%)
Embeds a line graph that
displays the desired sales
growth over the next five years,
but graph contains
inaccuracies, or formatting and
style choices distract from the
message (55%)
Does not embed a line graph
that accurately displays the
desired sales growth over the
next five years (0%)
4
Slide Presentation:
Templates
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
slide templates and color
schemes are especially well
suited for conveying the
message to the business
audience (100%)
Applies consistent slide
templates and color schemes
that help organize and convey
the message (85%)
Applies slide templates and
color schemes, but choices are
inconsistent, or template and
color choices distract from the
message (55%)
Does not apply slide templates
and color schemes (0%)
3
Slide Presentation:
Charts and Graphs
Inserts charts and graphs from
the spreadsheet into the slide
presentation where indicated
(100%)
Inserts charts and graphs from
the spreadsheet into the slide
presentation but does not
follow instructions for indicated
chart and graph placement
(55%)
Does not insert charts and
graphs from the spreadsheet
into the slide presentation (0%)
4
Slide Presentation:
Text
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
font style and size of text are
especially well suited for
conveying the message to the
business audience (100%)
For each slide, selects a font
style and size of text that are
appropriate for the specified
audience and support the
message (85%)
For each slide, selects a font
style and size of text, but
choices are inconsistent or
distract from the message
(55%)
Does not select a font style and
size of text for each slide (0%)
37
Slide Presentation:
Amount of Text
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
amount of text is especially
well suited for conveying the
message to the business
audience (100%)
Revises the existing slide
content to reflect an
appropriate amount of text on
each slide for conveying the
message to the specified
audience (85%)
Revises the existing slide
content text amount, but the
amount of text on the slides
distracts from the message
(55%)
Does not revise the existing
slide content text amount (0%)
8
Slide Presentation:
Speaker Notes
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
speaker notes are especially
well suited for supporting the
speaker in delivering the
message (100%)
Revises excess slide text into
speaker notes, shaping them
into a tool that will support the
speaker in delivering the
message (85%)
Revises excess slide text into
speaker notes, but speaker
notes are not supportive to the
speaker in delivering the
message (55%)
Does not repurpose excess
slide text into speaker notes
(0%)
8
Slide Presentation:
Transitions and
Graphics
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
slide transitions and graphics
are especially well suited for
conveying the message to the
business audience (100%)
Incorporates slide transitions
and graphics that support the
message (85%)
Incorporates slide transitions
and graphics, but slide
transitions and/or graphics
distract from the message
(55%)
Does not incorporate slide
transitions and graphics (0%)
8
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to grammar, spelling,
syntax, and organization and is
presented in a professional and
easy to read format (100%)
Submission has no major errors
related to grammar, spelling,
syntax, or organization (85%)
Submission has major errors
related to grammar, spelling,
syntax, or organization that
negatively impact readability
and articulation of main ideas
(55%)
Submission has critical errors
related to grammar, spelling,
syntax, or organization that
prevent understanding of ideas
(0%)
4
Total 100%