INFOSYS 110

DIGITAL SYSTEMS

Semester Two 2022

It is a common saying that “only surfers know the feeling” of riding a wave. This has seen the sport grow in popularity over the years , and with it, fast developments in the surfboard manufacturing industry too. It is a race to keep up with the demand, and Australian based company, KinaRoad (KR), is leading the charge.

To cement their position in the market, KR spotted and acted on a large gap in the surfboard manufacturing industry. Currently, many surfboards are made through the manual labour of hand-shapers , and the majority are produced with shaping machines . Though, both methods carry risks . With shaping machines (and especially for hand-shaped boards ), the process can never guarantee a fully identical surfboard each time. For many, this has compromised the quality of boards and the reliability of customers ’ purchases . Moreover, it is common for boards to get damaged during transit when being exported from factories in Asia – where most boards are mass-produced.

That is when KR stepped in, boasting advanced technological capabilities that allow them to produce an identical surfboard every single time. They are able to do so through the use of their 3D printing machines . This has seen the company grow significantly and establish a large customer base with the world’s largest surfboard brands and those local hand-shapers – who both want KR’s services to produce a higher quality product. Another benefit of KR’s operations is that they manufacture through their two offices in Australia, providing for lower risks of transit damage and a heightened ability to promote their business in Australia and New Zealand.

Overall, KR prides themselves on their “better surfboards , delivered faster” . Undoubtedly, they are only able to do this through their utilisation of technology and business intelligence. To produce boards , their clients simply send through their surfboard designs , alongside requests for certain materials to be used, delivery dates and locations , and some other basic ordering information.

1 The typical ordering process at KR is as follows:

1. A commercial client logs in to KR’s ordering website with its Client ID.

2. Order details , including surfboard design, material, preferred delivery dates , and location, are entered by the client.

3. The Enterprise System at KR checks the order information. Once all the required  information is received, an invoice is sent to the client for a 50% deposit payment.

4. Once the deposit payment is received, the system automatically notifies different departments in the organisation to start filling the order.

5. If the order is fulfilled by the specified delivery date, shipment of the surfboards will be sent and the client will be notified. Otherwise, the client will be notified about the delay.

(a) The ordering process at KR is a form of collaboration between KR and its client. Fully describe such collaboration by choosing the best option out of the three forms covered in class (Communication, Coordination, or Cooperation) and briefly justify your choice based on the Exam Case. (7 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the template into the answer area and fill in your answer accordingly.

Form. of Collaboration:

Justification:

(b) Provide one example from the Exam Case for each of the following functionality of KR’s Enterprise System:

i.  KR’s Enterprise System facilitating Communication between KR and its client.

ii. KR’s Enterprise System facilitating Workflow Management between KR and its client.

For each example, specify the actual digital technology that has/may have been used, and how the use of such technology can be helpful to the business . (7 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the template into the answer area and fill in your answer accordingly.

Example of Communication:

Digital technology used/may have been used:

Helpfulness of such technology:

Example of Workflow Management:

Digital technology used/may have been used:

Helpfulness of such technology:

2 Clients of KR use a digital system (an ordering website) to place their orders , as described in the ordering process .

a. Is such website a TPS, Database, or a DSS in KR’s System? Briefly explain your answer. (4 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the template into the answer area and fill in your answer accordingly.

TPS, Database, or DSS:

Explanation:

a. Suggest and describe an alternative non-digital way for KR’s clients to place their orders . (4 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the template into the answer area and fill in your answer accordingly.

An alternative non-digital way:

a. By specifically referring to the pros and cons of digitisation covered in class , describe ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage of the non-digital ordering method suggested in part b, over the digital way described in the Exam Case. (6 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the template into the answer area and fill in your answer accordingly.

One advantage:

One disadvantage:

3 The following image shows KR’s records about its top 5 clients in an Excel spreadsheet (Cells

A2:C7). Using this spreadsheet, the user can query and generate a general statement about each client’s sales representative and default discount rate (Cells A9:E10).

In this example, the user entered “Sharp Eye” into Cell C9. The corresponding name of sales rep  and the default discount rate should appear in Cells E9 and D10 respectively and automatically. In the image below, 5% has appeared in Cell D10 as a result.

a. Define a formula for Cell E9, using one of the Excel functions covered in this course, so that the correct sales rep’s name will appear when different clients ’ names are entered in Cell C9. (8 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the template into the answer area and fill in your answer accordingly.

Excel Formula:

b. This is an example of using cell references . If the user has to manually look up from the table and type in the corresponding values into Cells E9 and D10 instead, suggest two   potential Principles of Quality of Data violation. Justify your suggestions . (4 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the template into the answer area and fill in your answer accordingly.

Potential Principle 1:

Justification:

Potential Principle 2:

Justification:

4 (a) When existing customers sign into their KinaRoad account, the site recommends potential

surfboard bundle deals based on the customers ’ previous orders and delivery preferences .

Using the above information, what type of analytics is being performed? Justify your answer. (4 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

Type of analytics:

Justification:

(b) By looking through sales information, KinaRoad’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Amy, notes how their primary customers are either wealthy global surfboard brands who order in large quantities , or less wealthy small local companies with low quantity orders .

What data mining technique has been used in this situation? Explain how this technique is useful by providing 2 specific recommendations for the company – one for each group of customer. (10 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

Relevant Data Mining Technique:

Recommendation for how KR should deal with their Global Surfboard Brand customers and how this highlights the technique as useful:

Recommendation for how KR should deal with their Small Local Company customers and how this highlights the technique as useful:

(c ) By analysing the data in KinaRoad's data warehouse it is clear that surfboard sales generally increase during December, January and February for countries in the southern hemisphere. The remaining months tend to be more quiet.

Given the above sales trends , what specific recommendation would you make to KinaRoad to improve their overall yearly sales? Provide 1 recommendation and justify your answer. (5 marks) NOTE: strong answers will aim to use a different recommendation to what has already been answered in Question 4(b).

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

Recommendation:

Justification:

5 Consider the visualisation below:

(a) Using each of Tufte’s design principles studied in class , critique the visualisation and identify any potential improvements to make the visualisation better. (9 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

State your first chosen principle:

Critique based on principle:

Potential improvement:

State your second chosen principle:

Critique based on principle:

Potential improvement:

State your third chosen principle:

Critique based on principle:

Potential improvement:

(b) What Business Intelligence could a mobile payment vendor derive from this visualisation? After explaining this , what actions could they take to improve their sales? (5 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

Potential Business Intelligence and Explanation:

Potential actions:

6 (a)

Surfboard company, Medewi Surf & Co, is considering the release of a new prototype

surfboard that is made almost entirely from recycled plastics and surfboards . They have engaged KinaRoad to produce these and provided them with the designs and recycled materials to do so. The surfboards will be among the most sustainable ones on the market, as they are a first of its kind.

Medewi Surf & Co plans to sell a limited supply of 100 boards only. The current date is the 5th of August 2022 and as it stands , KR is scheduled to make their last shipment of boards on the 6th of October 2022. Their first shipment will be sent to Indonesia, and following this , it will be distributed to various surfing hot spots on Indonesia’s many different islands . KR has  contracted a delivery service provider for these shipments , though it is a known fact that due to their more affordable price, the provider has slower delivery times . KR normally deals with this provider to cut costs . Similarly, the provider has limited capacity and can only take 50 boards at a time.

NOTE: when answering the following questions, you must only use information in the case – do not make outside assumptions.

i. Using the above information, explain whether the production of these boards would qualify as a project for KR. (3 marks)

ii. What is the time constraint? (2 marks)

iii. The production team is running behind schedule and it becomes clear that KR will not be able to complete and deliver the boards by the given time constraint. By referring to the Project Management Triangle and the information above, suggest 2 specific ways that the company can proceed to complete the project on time without impacting the "quality” of the overall work. (8 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

i. Explanation of whether it qualifies as a project:

ii. Time constraint:

iii. Suggestion 1:

Suggestion 2:

(b) Surfboard designs must be sent to KR for processing before the manufacturing process can begin. With this , KR’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Esther, has thought of a great way to attract new business . Esther proposes that KR publicise various surfboard designs of existing customers , to inspire others to also sign up for KR’s services . She believes it shows prospective customers that ( 1) they have a large customer base, many of whom are large industry leaders who trust KR’s services and (2) they are capable of producing both revolutionary and ethical surfboard designs . Esther proposes that, with Medewi Surf & Co’s consent, the best design to publicise first, would be one of their sustainable surfboards .

i. They are wondering if this is ethical. If they used the “common good approach” ethical framework , how would you advise them? Justify your answer. (4 marks)

ii. Provide a security consideration that KR will need to be aware of in relation to Esther’s plan. Explain one action KR could take to minimise/mitigate any such potential security problems . (4 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

i. Advice to KR:

Justification:

ii. Security consideration:

Action to minimise/mitigate the potential security problem:

(c )  EvilBoards & Co is a very new company that has recently proposed similarly sustainable surfboard designs . Though, evidentially, EvilBoards re-used one of Medewi Surf & Co’s blueprints for their designs , as KR’s system shows this in its access history. Luckily, Medewi Surf has other sustainable designs which were not accessed by EvilBoards , but they are curious as to what can be done at this point in time.

Which of the four risk management responses is the most appropriate one to use to resolve this risk? Justify your answer and outline how your response could be actioned. (6 marks)

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

Risk management response:

Justification for risk management response:

How the response can be actioned: