ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT AND NEEDS ANALYSIS Assignment

Introduction

Data is becoming more and more universal and important in many aspects of our business and personal lives, including our hobbies. Data is used for everything from tracking sales and supply-and-demand forecasting, to tracking our own heart rate and pulse throughout the day, week, and year. Data is even used for hobbies and activities like determining who to draft on a fantasy football team or who might perform best on a high school sports team.

All of the assignments in this course build upon each other in a step-by-step process, similar to the process that would be followed by any data architect or design professional in a workplace setting.

One of the first steps in every data architecture and design project is to survey the environment and conduct a needs analysis to identify who is responsible for what tasks, what questions and problems need to be answered, what data already exists, and what additional data (and stakeholders) may be needed to assist the organization or individual in addressing the identified questions and problems.

To make the project personally relevant, you will be able to select your own environment or scenario to work with for all three assignments.

For this first assignment, you will provide an introduction and overview of the environment or scenario you selected to use for your project, including identifying existing stakeholders and detailing existing data. You will conduct a needs analysis for reporting, analytic, and other data-related needs in the environment or scenario. You will also identify additional data and stakeholders that are needed or involved as a result of this project.

Instructions

Write a 3–4 page paper in which you describe the environment or scenario you have chosen to use. You will summarize the scenario or environment, identify the data stakeholders, assess the reporting, analysis, and data needs for the environment, identify existing data, and identify any additional data that might need to be collected to meet the needs identified. Be sure the paper includes the following:

1. Write an introduction paragraph that describes the purpose of the paper, the environment or scenario selected, and an overview of the paper.
2. Describe your selected environment or scenario.
   • What type of environment or scenario is it (business, personal, hobby, et cetera)?
   • What is the purpose of the environment or scenario? In other words, what is done or created within this environment or scenario?
   • Describe current situations where data is already being used in this environment or scenario.
3. Identify the stakeholders in the environment or scenario.
   • Who is responsible for collecting or storing data currently?
   • Who is responsible for overseeing the data in the environment currently?
   • Who are the users or consumers of data in the environment currently?
   • Identify any new stakeholders that may now be responsible for collecting, storing, managing, overseeing, or consuming the data as a result of this new project.
4. Conduct a needs analysis for reporting, analytics, and data in your selected environment or scenario.
   • What questions or problems does the individual or organization need to address?
   • What type of reporting or analytics would help them address these questions or problems?
   • What additional stakeholders may need to be involved in order to address these questions or problems?
   • What data already exists that can be used to address these questions or problems, and what additional data might need to be collected?
5. Describe the role of data architecture in helping you address the identified questions or problems.
6. Summarize the findings of your needs analysis.

Additional Requirements

• Times New Roman font, no larger than 12 point.
• 3–4 pages of content, double-spaced, in addition to a title page, reference page, and appendix.
• Format of the paper should include the following headings:

• • Introduction.

• • • Overview of the paper and the environment or scenario.
  • Environment/Scenario.
  • Stakeholders.
  • Needs Analysis.
  • Summary and Conclusion.
  • References.
  • Appendix.