From Information Systems at Pitt Business

[edit]

The Scope:

Under the umbrella of Dean Delaney's Continuous Improvement efforts at Katz, there is an academic course that tries to make a difference.

Currently with eight students acting as internal consultants, the course projects are selected and designed to affect a measurable change at the school, all within the standard 14 week semester of the traditional term. 

The Team:

The team consists of MBA and dual degree MBA/MS-MIS students from two separate graduating classes.

The current members are:

• Jeff Best,
• Imran Dalwai,
• Edward Keefe,
• Saahil Goel,
• Maja H.Ahmetovic,
• Bryan Mathews,
• Aaron Santavicca
• Gupreet Ubhi

The teams are all led by faculty advisor,  Dr. Brian Butler.

The Process:

Following a preliminary analysis of a particular issue, the team will present their projects to both the major stakeholders and the financiers of the project, principally consisting of Dean Delany, the faculty advisor(s) or sponsors, and the Directors of various departments affected by the issue or project.

The Impact:

Based on the proposals, the end goal of the projects are to develop fully articulated pilots of each project in full working form that can be tranisitioned to the administration for development.

If the projects are widely accepted by the stakeholders a school-wide installation is the ultimate goal.

Left to Right: Bryan Mathews, Gupreet Ubhi, Maja H.Ahmetovic, Aaron Santavicca, Imran Dalwai and Edward Keefe

Currently there are two projects with different levels of impact in development.

The Collaboration Tool

Issue: Find or develop a software solution to the ubiquitous complications associated with organizing  communication processes when working in teams or collaborative environments.

The solution should provide students with a platform for sharing files and developing a workflow for all team related projects that is both seamless and intuitive.

The group is analyzing different software packages and evaluating the requirements set forth by the students to best facilitate collaboration.

                                                                                                                                                    

Team Room of the Future (FUCORO – Futuristic Collaboration Room)

Issue: Developing an environment where the technology is a solution and the platform is focused on productivity.

Providing students with a team room that allows for instant team collaboration and uses technology solutions to do so.

The room will be equipped with cutting edge technology which the school can adapt to use for many applications, from video and audio conference calls with clients for project courses, to smart-boards which allow for the entire team to be involved in brainstorming events at the same time.