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University of Texas at Dallas

MAS 6V00: BUSINESS PRACTICUM


Spring 2005 Course Syllabus

Instructor: Michael J. Savoie


Office: SM 2.703
Hours: By Appointment
Phone: 972-883-4755
Fax: 972-883-4754
Email: msavoie@utdallas.edu

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery."


Mark van Doren

Required Textbooks: None

Prerequisites: None. The course is open to any graduate student at UTD, regardless of major.

Course Description: Business Practicum is an opportunity for students to gain real-world


experience in a controlled environment. Students will work on projects that are in their specific
area of study and/or desired field of work. Interaction with the client will be an ongoing part of
this class. Students will document their effort via a series of templates developed for the course,
as well as specific deliverables to the client. Students may work individually or in teams, based on
the nature and type of project selected.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the course, you will have:


1. Gained experience in your chosen field of work or area of expertise
2. Proposed and implemented a solution that meets or exceeds the stated needs of the client.
3. Learned how to properly document your work.
4. Communicate effectively, in both written and oral forms, the work performed and the lessons
learned in the implementation, and to be persuasive in these presentations.

Most importantly, you will have learned the basic project management skills necessary to
complete a project in a set amount of time.

Methodology:
Student will work individually or in teams to meet the needs of a real world client. A Statement
of Work will be produced and signed by the client and student (or team) indicating the work to be
done and the deliverables. Students will make presentations throughout the semester both to the
client and the class detailing the work done and the lessons learned from the project.

Grade Determination: Grading Scale:

Statement of Work 10 points 90-100 A


Status Reports (every 2 weeks) 20 points 80-89.9 B
Action Item log (ongoing) 20 points 70-79.9 C
Documentation 30 points 60-69.9 D
Final Presentation 20 points
----------
Total 100 points

Explanation of Grading Policy:


Grades are based on total points, averages are not used. In order to receive a grade in the class,
the project must be approved as completed by the client. NO GRADE WILL BE AWARDED
WITHOUT THIS SIGNOFF LETTER FROM THE CLIENT.

Projects are due at the beginning of class in week 14. Late projects - those lacking a sign-off
letter from the client, will receive an "I" until the signoff letter is received. Once the signoff letter
is received, the project will be graded and a total score calculated. The final grade for a late
project will be one letter grade lower than this total.

Academic Honesty:

The university has policies and procedures regarding scholastic dishonesty. Detailed information is
available at: http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/dishonesty.html. All students are expected to
maintain a high level of responsibility with respect to academic honesty. Students who violate
university rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the
possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the university. Since such dishonesty
harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the university, policies on scholastic
dishonesty will be strictly enforced.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
MAS 6V00: BUSINESS PRACTICUM

Week Topic Assignment Due

1 Introduction
Documentation and Templates Project Selection
2 Business Analysis & User Client Info
Requirements

3 Project Management Tools SOW with signatures


Status Report & AI Log Due
4 Client Management
5 Status Report & AI Log Due
Discussion of Specific
6
Project Issues
Discussion of Specific
7 Status Report & AI Log Due
Project Issues
Discussion of Specific
8 Project Issues
Discussion of Specific
9 Status Report & AI Log Due
Project Issues
Administrators and Users
10 Manuals
Specific Project Issues Status Report & AI Log Due
11
Documentation Review
Specific Project Issues Status Report & AI Log Due
12
Presentation Review
13 Class Presentations Presentations Due

Project Documentation Due


14 Class Presentations

* Unless otherwise agreed to by the instructor and client, all documents are to be generated in
Microsoft Office format and sent to the instructor/client as an attachment to an email.
Project Documentation:

The Statement of Work Template must be used to develop the SOW. If your client has a specific
format for the SOW, please let me know so I can discuss it with them.

The Status Report template must be used to submit bi-weekly status reports.

Project Reports are submitted as Documents attached to emails. These may be in Word,
PowerPoint, Excel, etc.

The Project Workbook (documentation) must have the following:


• A cover page with Project Title, Semester, and student name(s)
• Table of Contents with page numbers
• Signed SOW immediately following the Table of Contents
• Sign off letter in the front pocket of the binder
• CDROM with all documentation for the project

The only items required to be hardcopy are the table of contents, signed SOW, and signed
signoff letter. Everything that can be submitted electronically should be.
COVER PAGE FORMAT

CASE NAME

submitted to:

Michael J. Savoie, Ph.D.


MAS 8VXX
Spring 2005

submitted by:

Student name(s) in alphabetical order


One name per line

Date
Statement of Work Template

The Statement of Work spells out the scope of work to be done, the deliverables, the responsibilities of
each party, and any remuneration. Additional information such as assumptions and work location may
also be spelled out. The SOW should include a place for signatures of each team member and the client
and the date signed.

The SOW is the road map for your project. It is developed in conjunction with your client. It must be
reviewed and approved by me before signature by the client.

Basic outline

I. Introduction/Scope of Project

Lays out the overall scope of the project. Includes description of the company and the business problem
that will be addressed by this project.

II. Deliverables

Describes the specific deliverables that are required as part of this project.

III. Student Responsibilities

Details out the specific responsibilities of the student(s) working on the project

IV. Client Responsibilities

Details out the specific responsibilities of the client.

V. Assumptions

List of any assumptions that are being made regarding the implementation of this project.

VI. Disclaimer

"The Student(s) undertake(s) this project as part of a class requirement at the University of Texas at
Dallas. Neither the University nor the Center for Information Technology and Management (CITM)
warranties the work in any way.”

VII. Date and Signatures (Client plus all students on this project)
PROJECT STATUS REPORT
PROJECT NUMBER ____
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS • SPRING 2005

Status Report
Dates: 08/26/04 through 09/09/04

Team Members:

08/26/02 • Project Team Number Five formed.


• CAIT project chosen.
• Team Meeting #1.
• Major upcoming deliverables and milestones were discussed.
• Began brainstorming for project.

08/30/02 • Team Meeting #2.


• Client has been contacted. Meeting with client scheduled for 09/04/02.
• First draft of peer evaluation produced.
• A preliminary project timeline with major milestones has been completed.
• Domain names and domain name registration for CAIT have been researched.
• Web hosting services have been researched.
• Shopping carts have been researched.

09/04/02 • CAIT Client Meeting #1.


• A preliminary Statement of Work for the CAIT Project given to Client.

09/06/02 • Team Meeting #3.


• The Statement of Work was carefully reviewed and revised.
• Peer evaluation finalized.
09/08/02 • Peer evaluation sent to Dr. Savoie.
• Dr. Savoie approved peer evaluation.

09/09/02 • Team Meeting #4.


• CAIT client meeting scheduled for 09/10/02.
• Tasks going forward:
ü Revise web architecture document.
ü Revise shopping cart software
ü Research reservation software.
ü Research solutions from webtrends.com and mindspring.com.
ü Complete a client feedback template.

09/09/02 Statement of Work revised slightly per Dr. Savoie’s request. Revised Statement of Work
sent back to Dr. Savoie for approval.

Key issues to be resolved: None at present

Key issues for Dr. Savoie: Waiting for final approval of SOW

General Comments: None

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