IT Professional Skills
Scenario Analysis, and contribute to ULO1 and ULO2, as well as GLO1, GLO2, GLO3, GLO4,
GLO5, GLO7 and GL08.
1 Pre-seminar Activities
This week’s seminar is a scenario analysis, the first stage of assignment 3. The scenario given
here is for you to practice and familiarise yourself with the process before your seminar this
week. Your preparation should include a review of the seminar’s scenario (in section 1.1)
and preparation of draft responses to each of the questions in section 2.1. Be prepared to
justify why each of your responses are more correct/acceptable/relevant than anybody
else’s as you will be working on a solution to a scenario collaboratively in your seminar.
1.1 Scenario
Your employer has won a contract to develop a major business system for an important
client, Supernova Industries. The contract includes specified training for Supernova’s IT staff
as the implementation requires a major change of their hardware platform. The new skills
that Supernova’s IT staff will acquire will allow them to take over support after your team
has finished the project.
Part way through the project you realise that Supernova’s staff will not have sufficient
knowledge to support the new system independently when the project is complete.
You prepare a plan to rectify this and you ask your project manager if you can propose it as
a variation on the original contract to Supernova. Although it involves an increase in the
present budget you know that if Supernova doesn’t take these steps to correct the situation
they will have to continue to buy assistance from your employer after the project is
completed.
Your project manager tells you not to present your recommendation to the client because it
will be financially advantageous if the client remains dependent on them.
2 Seminar Activities and Tasks
You will be allocated a scenario at the start of your seminar this week. You will work on the
scenario analysis collaboratively in groups of 4 - 6 people. Your tutor will allocate you to a
group at the start of the seminar.
work through each of the questions in section 2.1 and respond based on the scenario given
to you by your tutor. You need to consider all possibilities. The “obvious” response is often
not the most appropriate. You should negotiate with your group to develop a consensus
response but remember it has to be justifiable. A majority view around the table is notsufficient justification. You have to agree on why and provide the evidence to support your
decisions. Make sure you understand the process so that you can explain it in the second
half of the assignment. Your tutor will guide you through the process and ensure you cover
all bases.
2.1 Activity questions
1. Who are the stakeholders in the scenario?
2. What are the facts in the scenario? Do not copy and paste the scenario. Rather, the
facts should be a numbered list of summarized, relevant points.
3. Which facts raise ethical concerns? Why?
4. What is the single major ethical dilemma that must be resolved immediately?
5. What are the rights and duties of each of the stakeholders?
6. Does the ACS Codes of Ethics and Professional Practice provide any advice on these
issues? If so what?
7. How would you resolve the dilemma identified in point (4) above? Justify your
decision.
8. How are each of the stakeholders listed in point (1) above affected by your decision?
9. What should have been done to avoid the dilemma in the first place?
10. What federal and/or state legislation currently exists in Australia that could apply in
this or other similar situations? Consider any contractual obligations that may be
relevant.
11. What policies and procedures, if any, should be in place at the organizational level to
address this and other similar issues?
2.2 Assignment Task
Within your assigned group, prepare a teaching case that shows others how to undertake
the ethical analysis using the scenario you have just completed. You will finalise the
teaching case before your seminar next week.