Identify the Most Essential Facts of the Case
To become more familiar with the information a case contains, read it several times. Focus on the information in the accompanying figures, tables, or exhibits. Many case scenarios, in real life, present a great deal of detailed information. You can make reasonable assumptions if the key facts and figures are not available.
Identify the Main Issue or Issues.
Using the facts given by a case, identify the primary issue or issues affecting the organization you’re studying. Most cases usually present many issues or problems. Point out the most important ones and separate them from the trivial ones. You should also explain the reasons behind the occurrence and the origin of the problem.
Figure out whether the managers exerted appropriate leadership over the organization to determine if a problem comes from management factors. Examine any issues arising from the organization’s IT infrastructure to determine if a problem stems from technology factors. You also need to decide which of these factors or combinations help identify why the problem occurred.
Specify the Alternative Courses of Action
List the relevant courses of action the organization may take to meet the challenge it faces or solve its problem. When handling information system-related problems, you should figure out if these alternatives need a modified or new information system. You also need to determine whether the company needs new technologies, management behavior, organizational structures or business processes. Look at the changes to organizational operations and management policy that each alternative would require.
Note that there’s always a difference between what an organization can do and what that organization should do. Some solutions may be operationally difficult to implement or too expensive. Try to avoid solutions that take much of the company’s resources. You should also identify the restrictions affecting the available solutions.
