[Solved] 599 A-3

Assignment Prompt & Instructions

– ## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneAssignment3.pdf

– ## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneBoardBriefChecklist.pdf

**## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneAssignment3.pdf**

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 1 of 3

Assignment 3: Overview of the Strategic Plan
Due: Monday, 9:00 am (eastern), Week 9 (20% of Course Grade)

Overview

In this assignment, you create the third component of your Board Brief, an overview of your strategic plan.
The purpose of the overview is to give Board members a preview of the key changes you will make in order
to implement your plan, and to explain how these changes will impact the organization. This information
enables your Board to come to the meeting better prepared and to ask more informed questions. Your
overview must be clear and complete enough that it makes sense, but it should not be overly wordy.

Your instructor will review your strategic plan and will provide comments and questions where needed to
help you strengthen your presentation. You will be given these questions in advance of your presentation
and will be expected to address them in your delivery.

Instructions

1. Building on your previous submissions, include an additional 3 to 4 pages to take the analysis work
you have done in the first two assignments and turn it into an actionable plan.

2. An effective plan overview will include:

a. A clear and compelling opening statement (executive summary) that explains the strategic
initiative

b. A high-level outline of your implementation plan, including costs, impact on operations, ROI
projections, competitive advantage, and risks associated with the plan, along with your
mitigation plans

c. A reminder of the challenges and opportunities facing the organization and how your
proposed plan will address these

d. Enough information to allow Board members to prepare for the upcoming meeting and to
formulate additional questions

e. A summary statement recapping why the proposed strategic initiative is necessary and
specifying the approvals being sought at the upcoming Board meeting

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 2 of 3

Formatting and Submission Requirements

NOTE: Use the Board Brief Checklist in the course shell to ensure that you have included the required
content, from each of the three assignments in this course, in your final Board Brief.

• Submit your work in Word

• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, your professor’s name, and
the course title and date

• Include a references page with your sources

• The cover page and the references page are not included in the required page length

• Use professional font (Times New Roman or Arial), 10-12 font size, and double-space

• Headings are used to identify main topics and subtopics

• Paragraphs are separated by a single space

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 3 of 3

RUBRIC: Assignment 3

CRITERIA

Unsatisfactory

Low Pass

Pass

High Pass

Honors

1. Executive
Summary/
Opening
Statement

Weight: 10%

Executive summary
was missing or off-
topic

Executive summary
covered main points,
but was disorganized
or overly detailed

Executive summary
provided a basic
synopsis of the
strategic plan

Executive summary
provided an excellent
synopsis of the
strategic plan

Met HP criteria plus
displayed an
engaging style that
indicates a powerful
opening that will grab
the audience

2. Plan Outline

Weight: 30%

Missing, incomplete,
or unrealistic
explanation of the
strategic plan

Strategic plan was
outlined, but lacked
substantive rationale
for key choices and
actions

Strategic plan was
outlined; included
basic rationale and
information on key
choices and actions

Strategic plan
included a clear and
well-reasoned
rationale; included
key information on
strategic choices and
actions

Strategic plan is
justified by keen
insight into market
dynamics and
competitors’
strengths, and
provided a viable
solution for both
near-term and long-
term growth

3. Financials

Weight: 20%

Performed no
financial calculations
or made substantive
errors

Financial models
and calculations
included minor errors
or assumptions
which did not
materially impact the
strategic plan

Correctly performed
all basic financial
calculation and
modeling

Met Pass criteria plus
included detailed
calculations that
correctly and
accurately
summarized the
financial health of the
organization

Met HP criteria plus
included
comprehensive
forward-looking
calculations of
payback relative to
IRR and other key
performance metrics

4. Competitive
Advantage

Weight: 15%

Did not identify
impact on
competitive strength
or presented
assertions not
supported by data

Identified potential
impact of the
strategic plan move
on competitive
advantage, but did
not address
sustainability of
advantage

Identified potential
impact on
competitive
advantage and
provided basic
insights into the
ability of competitors
to match move(s)

Clearly explained the
sustainability of the
move(s) and why
competitors will not
easily be able to
match

Met HP criteria plus
offered additional
valuable insights into
evidence supporting
the sustainability and
superiority of the
strategic plan

5. Risk

Weight: 15%

Incomplete or
unclear synopsis of
any of the most
important strategic
risks

Risk analysis was
superficial,
demonstrating only a
basic understanding
of the threats to the
proposed strategic
plan

Risk analysis
demonstrated basic
understanding of
risks and the upside
opportunity relative to
that risk

Clearly explained
potential for risk, risk
impact on the
organization, and
plan for risk
mitigation

Met HP criteria plus
explained why
proposed plan is
superior to other risk-
reward options

6. Summary

Weight: 10%

Missing, incomplete,
or unclear summary

Summary was vague
and/or failed to
connect key
elements of the plan

Summary provided a
basic recap of
connection of key
elements of the plan

Summary recapped
key elements and
drew the Board Brief
to a clear and
concise close

Met HP criteria plus
presented an
inspiring and
compelling call to
action that this is the
plan that will take the
organization forward

**## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneBoardBriefChecklist.pdf**

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 1 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

Use this checklist as a guide when you are working on each of the first three assignments for your
Capstone Project. It will serve as a reminder of the key content areas and the qualities of a well-written
Board Brief. Note that the components listed below are not a direct match for each topic in your
assignments. That is not its purpose. While the elements of an effective Board Brief are fairly consistent,
the sequence and specific content will vary somewhat depending on circumstances.

Board Brief Component Key Features

Executive Summary

Include a clear executive summary (AKA
“elevator pitch”) for your brief. A good summary
will help focus your audience’s attention.

Remember, you are telling a business story not
crafting a piece of literature. Your goal is not to
let the story just unfold as it goes. Tell your
audience right from the beginning where the brief
is going and what actions you are proposing.

Note: An Executive Summary is best written after
the brief is fully developed in order to capture the
most significant findings, recommendations and
conclusions.

 Capture the big idea of what you want to say

 Frame the problem/opportunity

 State your vision for the organization and the

context for your plan

 Outline a high-level snapshot of how your
proposed changes will increase the
organization’s competitive strength

 If there is an “ask” (such as a vote at the next
meeting), make note of that in the executive
summary so that Board members know why
they are reading the brief

Data

When presenting complex information to a non-
technical audience, you must Identify key data
relative to the problem or opportunity. Don’t
overwhelm your readers by providing page after
page of numbers. This may be needed for other
types of reports, but not for a Board Brief.

Use good judgment in highlighting the most
critical data in the main body of the brief. If there
are additional data sets that include important
information, but are likely to only be reviewed by
a few people with specialized knowledge, include
these in an appendix (or even in a separate
document).

 Recap of the data you have gathered and
analyzed

 Document the sources of the data

 Summarize and communicate the data in a
clear and meaningful way; show how the
data support your position

 Make good use of visuals to illustrate your
findings

 Identify areas where data may be missing or
incomplete; explain the impact of missing
data on your analysis – remember, you will
never have complete data and that’s okay,

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 2 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

The data that are most important will, of course,
vary depending on the specific focus of the brief,
but should include qualitative and quantitative
data on your organization, competitors and the
marketplace to support the strategy you are
proposing.

It is critical that you make good use of charts,
tables and other visual supports to display your
data. This will help your audience to more easily
understand the patterns, trends and anomalies in
the data.

but you need to convince the Board that the
data you do have are sufficient to make an
informed decision

Implementation Plan

Craft a clear map of what will happen and when.
This should include actionable steps that identify
and align objectives, actions and milestones.

Use good judgement in determining the level of
detail to provide. Your Board will not need to
know specific personnel decisions in every
department or the exact specifications of a new
piece of equipment you will be purchasing. They
need to see a “big picture” overview of how you
will turn your plan into a reality.

Note: It is likely that Board members will come
back to you with additional questions on certain
areas of the plan. That’s okay. As you continue
to work with your Board, you will learn where
different members want to dig deeper, and your
board briefs will evolve to address those needs.

 Identify key goals and the actionable steps to
achieve your desired outcomes

 Include key milestones

 Include a (proposed) timeline for each
milestone

 Identify personnel or organizational changes
necessary to accomplish the plan

 If additional training will be required, include
a high-level overview of how the training will
be delivered

 Identify changes in infrastructure, facilities
and major equipment purchases – Note: do
not include the financials for these in your
implementation overview; address these in
your financials section

Financials

Your initiative is not going to get approved unless
you can demonstrate a positive return on
investment. In preparing for your Board
Presentation, you must address key financial
questions for Board such as projected revenue,
fixed and variable costs and ROI.

 How much will it cost to implement your
plan?

 How will you secure the necessary funds?

 When will this initiative pay for itself and start
making money?

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 3 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

Additionally, you should share data related to
why your plan is the best use of the financial
resources of your organization.

Use the budgeting tools you have learned about
including NPV, IRR, Break-Even and Payback to
help you communicate a clear financial picture to
your Board.

 How much profit will the company earn when
you successfully execute the plan?

Competitive Advantage

Your Board will expect a clear explanation of
what your plan will accomplish to strengthen the
“economic moat” surrounding your business.

Keep your synopsis at a high level and make
sure you demonstrate how your strategy clearly
aligns with the mission of the organization.

 How will this initiative put your company
ahead of the competition?

 How will it create a long-term sustainable
competitive advantage?

 What will keep your competitors from just
copying your moves?

Risk Mitigation

A Board presentation from the CEO can’t be all
about the good with none of the bad. Yes, you
want to convince the Board that your idea is the
right one and you are the one who can make it
happen, but you also have a responsibility to
educate the Board about the risks relative to the
rewards and the steps you will take to manage
those risks. This includes threats from outside
the organization such as what competitors can
do to keep you from achieving market leadership
or forces that are impacting the larger economy.

 Summarize the risks (from inside and outside

forces) that could undermine the success of
you plan

 Explain to the Board how these risks have
been assessed and how your plan offers the
right balance of risk and reward

Summary or Wrap-Up

Keep it short and sweet, but pull the pieces
together. Bringing everything back to the
Mission is a good way to end a Board Brief.

 Include a “call to action” – this is usually a
reminder of the request for approval being
sought at the upcoming meeting

**## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneBoardBriefChecklist.pdf**

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 1 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

Use this checklist as a guide when you are working on each of the first three assignments for your
Capstone Project. It will serve as a reminder of the key content areas and the qualities of a well-written
Board Brief. Note that the components listed below are not a direct match for each topic in your
assignments. That is not its purpose. While the elements of an effective Board Brief are fairly consistent,
the sequence and specific content will vary somewhat depending on circumstances.

Board Brief Component Key Features

Executive Summary

Include a clear executive summary (AKA
“elevator pitch”) for your brief. A good summary
will help focus your audience’s attention.

Remember, you are telling a business story not
crafting a piece of literature. Your goal is not to
let the story just unfold as it goes. Tell your
audience right from the beginning where the brief
is going and what actions you are proposing.

Note: An Executive Summary is best written after
the brief is fully developed in order to capture the
most significant findings, recommendations and
conclusions.

 Capture the big idea of what you want to say

 Frame the problem/opportunity

 State your vision for the organization and the

context for your plan

 Outline a high-level snapshot of how your
proposed changes will increase the
organization’s competitive strength

 If there is an “ask” (such as a vote at the next
meeting), make note of that in the executive
summary so that Board members know why
they are reading the brief

Data

When presenting complex information to a non-
technical audience, you must Identify key data
relative to the problem or opportunity. Don’t
overwhelm your readers by providing page after
page of numbers. This may be needed for other
types of reports, but not for a Board Brief.

Use good judgment in highlighting the most
critical data in the main body of the brief. If there
are additional data sets that include important
information, but are likely to only be reviewed by
a few people with specialized knowledge, include
these in an appendix (or even in a separate
document).

 Recap of the data you have gathered and
analyzed

 Document the sources of the data

 Summarize and communicate the data in a
clear and meaningful way; show how the
data support your position

 Make good use of visuals to illustrate your
findings

 Identify areas where data may be missing or
incomplete; explain the impact of missing
data on your analysis – remember, you will
never have complete data and that’s okay,

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 2 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

The data that are most important will, of course,
vary depending on the specific focus of the brief,
but should include qualitative and quantitative
data on your organization, competitors and the
marketplace to support the strategy you are
proposing.

It is critical that you make good use of charts,
tables and other visual supports to display your
data. This will help your audience to more easily
understand the patterns, trends and anomalies in
the data.

but you need to convince the Board that the
data you do have are sufficient to make an
informed decision

Implementation Plan

Craft a clear map of what will happen and when.
This should include actionable steps that identify
and align objectives, actions and milestones.

Use good judgement in determining the level of
detail to provide. Your Board will not need to
know specific personnel decisions in every
department or the exact specifications of a new
piece of equipment you will be purchasing. They
need to see a “big picture” overview of how you
will turn your plan into a reality.

Note: It is likely that Board members will come
back to you with additional questions on certain
areas of the plan. That’s okay. As you continue
to work with your Board, you will learn where
different members want to dig deeper, and your
board briefs will evolve to address those needs.

 Identify key goals and the actionable steps to
achieve your desired outcomes

 Include key milestones

 Include a (proposed) timeline for each
milestone

 Identify personnel or organizational changes
necessary to accomplish the plan

 If additional training will be required, include
a high-level overview of how the training will
be delivered

 Identify changes in infrastructure, facilities
and major equipment purchases – Note: do
not include the financials for these in your
implementation overview; address these in
your financials section

Financials

Your initiative is not going to get approved unless
you can demonstrate a positive return on
investment. In preparing for your Board
Presentation, you must address key financial
questions for Board such as projected revenue,
fixed and variable costs and ROI.

 How much will it cost to implement your
plan?

 How will you secure the necessary funds?

 When will this initiative pay for itself and start
making money?

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 3 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

Additionally, you should share data related to
why your plan is the best use of the financial
resources of your organization.

Use the budgeting tools you have learned about
including NPV, IRR, Break-Even and Payback to
help you communicate a clear financial picture to
your Board.

 How much profit will the company earn when
you successfully execute the plan?

Competitive Advantage

Your Board will expect a clear explanation of
what your plan will accomplish to strengthen the
“economic moat” surrounding your business.

Keep your synopsis at a high level and make
sure you demonstrate how your strategy clearly
aligns with the mission of the organization.

 How will this initiative put your company
ahead of the competition?

 How will it create a long-term sustainable
competitive advantage?

 What will keep your competitors from just
copying your moves?

Risk Mitigation

A Board presentation from the CEO can’t be all
about the good with none of the bad. Yes, you
want to convince the Board that your idea is the
right one and you are the one who can make it
happen, but you also have a responsibility to
educate the Board about the risks relative to the
rewards and the steps you will take to manage
those risks. This includes threats from outside
the organization such as what competitors can
do to keep you from achieving market leadership
or forces that are impacting the larger economy.

 Summarize the risks (from inside and outside

forces) that could undermine the success of
you plan

 Explain to the Board how these risks have
been assessed and how your plan offers the
right balance of risk and reward

Summary or Wrap-Up

Keep it short and sweet, but pull the pieces
together. Bringing everything back to the
Mission is a good way to end a Board Brief.

 Include a “call to action” – this is usually a
reminder of the request for approval being
sought at the upcoming meeting

**## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneAssignment3.pdf**

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 1 of 3

Assignment 3: Overview of the Strategic Plan
Due: Monday, 9:00 am (eastern), Week 9 (20% of Course Grade)

Overview

In this assignment, you create the third component of your Board Brief, an overview of your strategic plan.
The purpose of the overview is to give Board members a preview of the key changes you will make in order
to implement your plan, and to explain how these changes will impact the organization. This information
enables your Board to come to the meeting better prepared and to ask more informed questions. Your
overview must be clear and complete enough that it makes sense, but it should not be overly wordy.

Your instructor will review your strategic plan and will provide comments and questions where needed to
help you strengthen your presentation. You will be given these questions in advance of your presentation
and will be expected to address them in your delivery.

Instructions

1. Building on your previous submissions, include an additional 3 to 4 pages to take the analysis work
you have done in the first two assignments and turn it into an actionable plan.

2. An effective plan overview will include:

a. A clear and compelling opening statement (executive summary) that explains the strategic
initiative

b. A high-level outline of your implementation plan, including costs, impact on operations, ROI
projections, competitive advantage, and risks associated with the plan, along with your
mitigation plans

c. A reminder of the challenges and opportunities facing the organization and how your
proposed plan will address these

d. Enough information to allow Board members to prepare for the upcoming meeting and to
formulate additional questions

e. A summary statement recapping why the proposed strategic initiative is necessary and
specifying the approvals being sought at the upcoming Board meeting

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 2 of 3

Formatting and Submission Requirements

NOTE: Use the Board Brief Checklist in the course shell to ensure that you have included the required
content, from each of the three assignments in this course, in your final Board Brief.

• Submit your work in Word

• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, your professor’s name, and
the course title and date

• Include a references page with your sources

• The cover page and the references page are not included in the required page length

• Use professional font (Times New Roman or Arial), 10-12 font size, and double-space

• Headings are used to identify main topics and subtopics

• Paragraphs are separated by a single space

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 3 of 3

RUBRIC: Assignment 3

CRITERIA

Unsatisfactory

Low Pass

Pass

High Pass

Honors

1. Executive
Summary/
Opening
Statement

Weight: 10%

Executive summary
was missing or off-
topic

Executive summary
covered main points,
but was disorganized
or overly detailed

Executive summary
provided a basic
synopsis of the
strategic plan

Executive summary
provided an excellent
synopsis of the
strategic plan

Met HP criteria plus
displayed an
engaging style that
indicates a powerful
opening that will grab
the audience

2. Plan Outline

Weight: 30%

Missing, incomplete,
or unrealistic
explanation of the
strategic plan

Strategic plan was
outlined, but lacked
substantive rationale
for key choices and
actions

Strategic plan was
outlined; included
basic rationale and
information on key
choices and actions

Strategic plan
included a clear and
well-reasoned
rationale; included
key information on
strategic choices and
actions

Strategic plan is
justified by keen
insight into market
dynamics and
competitors’
strengths, and
provided a viable
solution for both
near-term and long-
term growth

3. Financials

Weight: 20%

Performed no
financial calculations
or made substantive
errors

Financial models
and calculations
included minor errors
or assumptions
which did not
materially impact the
strategic plan

Correctly performed
all basic financial
calculation and
modeling

Met Pass criteria plus
included detailed
calculations that
correctly and
accurately
summarized the
financial health of the
organization

Met HP criteria plus
included
comprehensive
forward-looking
calculations of
payback relative to
IRR and other key
performance metrics

4. Competitive
Advantage

Weight: 15%

Did not identify
impact on
competitive strength
or presented
assertions not
supported by data

Identified potential
impact of the
strategic plan move
on competitive
advantage, but did
not address
sustainability of
advantage

Identified potential
impact on
competitive
advantage and
provided basic
insights into the
ability of competitors
to match move(s)

Clearly explained the
sustainability of the
move(s) and why
competitors will not
easily be able to
match

Met HP criteria plus
offered additional
valuable insights into
evidence supporting
the sustainability and
superiority of the
strategic plan

5. Risk

Weight: 15%

Incomplete or
unclear synopsis of
any of the most
important strategic
risks

Risk analysis was
superficial,
demonstrating only a
basic understanding
of the threats to the
proposed strategic
plan

Risk analysis
demonstrated basic
understanding of
risks and the upside
opportunity relative to
that risk

Clearly explained
potential for risk, risk
impact on the
organization, and
plan for risk
mitigation

Met HP criteria plus
explained why
proposed plan is
superior to other risk-
reward options

6. Summary

Weight: 10%

Missing, incomplete,
or unclear summary

Summary was vague
and/or failed to
connect key
elements of the plan

Summary provided a
basic recap of
connection of key
elements of the plan

Summary recapped
key elements and
drew the Board Brief
to a clear and
concise close

Met HP criteria plus
presented an
inspiring and
compelling call to
action that this is the
plan that will take the
organization forward

**## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneBoardBriefChecklist.pdf**

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 1 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

Use this checklist as a guide when you are working on each of the first three assignments for your
Capstone Project. It will serve as a reminder of the key content areas and the qualities of a well-written
Board Brief. Note that the components listed below are not a direct match for each topic in your
assignments. That is not its purpose. While the elements of an effective Board Brief are fairly consistent,
the sequence and specific content will vary somewhat depending on circumstances.

Board Brief Component Key Features

Executive Summary

Include a clear executive summary (AKA
“elevator pitch”) for your brief. A good summary
will help focus your audience’s attention.

Remember, you are telling a business story not
crafting a piece of literature. Your goal is not to
let the story just unfold as it goes. Tell your
audience right from the beginning where the brief
is going and what actions you are proposing.

Note: An Executive Summary is best written after
the brief is fully developed in order to capture the
most significant findings, recommendations and
conclusions.

 Capture the big idea of what you want to say

 Frame the problem/opportunity

 State your vision for the organization and the

context for your plan

 Outline a high-level snapshot of how your
proposed changes will increase the
organization’s competitive strength

 If there is an “ask” (such as a vote at the next
meeting), make note of that in the executive
summary so that Board members know why
they are reading the brief

Data

When presenting complex information to a non-
technical audience, you must Identify key data
relative to the problem or opportunity. Don’t
overwhelm your readers by providing page after
page of numbers. This may be needed for other
types of reports, but not for a Board Brief.

Use good judgment in highlighting the most
critical data in the main body of the brief. If there
are additional data sets that include important
information, but are likely to only be reviewed by
a few people with specialized knowledge, include
these in an appendix (or even in a separate
document).

 Recap of the data you have gathered and
analyzed

 Document the sources of the data

 Summarize and communicate the data in a
clear and meaningful way; show how the
data support your position

 Make good use of visuals to illustrate your
findings

 Identify areas where data may be missing or
incomplete; explain the impact of missing
data on your analysis – remember, you will
never have complete data and that’s okay,

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 2 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

The data that are most important will, of course,
vary depending on the specific focus of the brief,
but should include qualitative and quantitative
data on your organization, competitors and the
marketplace to support the strategy you are
proposing.

It is critical that you make good use of charts,
tables and other visual supports to display your
data. This will help your audience to more easily
understand the patterns, trends and anomalies in
the data.

but you need to convince the Board that the
data you do have are sufficient to make an
informed decision

Implementation Plan

Craft a clear map of what will happen and when.
This should include actionable steps that identify
and align objectives, actions and milestones.

Use good judgement in determining the level of
detail to provide. Your Board will not need to
know specific personnel decisions in every
department or the exact specifications of a new
piece of equipment you will be purchasing. They
need to see a “big picture” overview of how you
will turn your plan into a reality.

Note: It is likely that Board members will come
back to you with additional questions on certain
areas of the plan. That’s okay. As you continue
to work with your Board, you will learn where
different members want to dig deeper, and your
board briefs will evolve to address those needs.

 Identify key goals and the actionable steps to
achieve your desired outcomes

 Include key milestones

 Include a (proposed) timeline for each
milestone

 Identify personnel or organizational changes
necessary to accomplish the plan

 If additional training will be required, include
a high-level overview of how the training will
be delivered

 Identify changes in infrastructure, facilities
and major equipment purchases – Note: do
not include the financials for these in your
implementation overview; address these in
your financials section

Financials

Your initiative is not going to get approved unless
you can demonstrate a positive return on
investment. In preparing for your Board
Presentation, you must address key financial
questions for Board such as projected revenue,
fixed and variable costs and ROI.

 How much will it cost to implement your
plan?

 How will you secure the necessary funds?

 When will this initiative pay for itself and start
making money?

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 3 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

Additionally, you should share data related to
why your plan is the best use of the financial
resources of your organization.

Use the budgeting tools you have learned about
including NPV, IRR, Break-Even and Payback to
help you communicate a clear financial picture to
your Board.

 How much profit will the company earn when
you successfully execute the plan?

Competitive Advantage

Your Board will expect a clear explanation of
what your plan will accomplish to strengthen the
“economic moat” surrounding your business.

Keep your synopsis at a high level and make
sure you demonstrate how your strategy clearly
aligns with the mission of the organization.

 How will this initiative put your company
ahead of the competition?

 How will it create a long-term sustainable
competitive advantage?

 What will keep your competitors from just
copying your moves?

Risk Mitigation

A Board presentation from the CEO can’t be all
about the good with none of the bad. Yes, you
want to convince the Board that your idea is the
right one and you are the one who can make it
happen, but you also have a responsibility to
educate the Board about the risks relative to the
rewards and the steps you will take to manage
those risks. This includes threats from outside
the organization such as what competitors can
do to keep you from achieving market leadership
or forces that are impacting the larger economy.

 Summarize the risks (from inside and outside

forces) that could undermine the success of
you plan

 Explain to the Board how these risks have
been assessed and how your plan offers the
right balance of risk and reward

Summary or Wrap-Up

Keep it short and sweet, but pull the pieces
together. Bringing everything back to the
Mission is a good way to end a Board Brief.

 Include a “call to action” – this is usually a
reminder of the request for approval being
sought at the upcoming meeting

**## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneAssignment3.pdf**

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 1 of 3

Assignment 3: Overview of the Strategic Plan
Due: Monday, 9:00 am (eastern), Week 9 (20% of Course Grade)

Overview

In this assignment, you create the third component of your Board Brief, an overview of your strategic plan.
The purpose of the overview is to give Board members a preview of the key changes you will make in order
to implement your plan, and to explain how these changes will impact the organization. This information
enables your Board to come to the meeting better prepared and to ask more informed questions. Your
overview must be clear and complete enough that it makes sense, but it should not be overly wordy.

Your instructor will review your strategic plan and will provide comments and questions where needed to
help you strengthen your presentation. You will be given these questions in advance of your presentation
and will be expected to address them in your delivery.

Instructions

1. Building on your previous submissions, include an additional 3 to 4 pages to take the analysis work
you have done in the first two assignments and turn it into an actionable plan.

2. An effective plan overview will include:

a. A clear and compelling opening statement (executive summary) that explains the strategic
initiative

b. A high-level outline of your implementation plan, including costs, impact on operations, ROI
projections, competitive advantage, and risks associated with the plan, along with your
mitigation plans

c. A reminder of the challenges and opportunities facing the organization and how your
proposed plan will address these

d. Enough information to allow Board members to prepare for the upcoming meeting and to
formulate additional questions

e. A summary statement recapping why the proposed strategic initiative is necessary and
specifying the approvals being sought at the upcoming Board meeting

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 2 of 3

Formatting and Submission Requirements

NOTE: Use the Board Brief Checklist in the course shell to ensure that you have included the required
content, from each of the three assignments in this course, in your final Board Brief.

• Submit your work in Word

• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, your professor’s name, and
the course title and date

• Include a references page with your sources

• The cover page and the references page are not included in the required page length

• Use professional font (Times New Roman or Arial), 10-12 font size, and double-space

• Headings are used to identify main topics and subtopics

• Paragraphs are separated by a single space

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Assignment 3

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 599 – Assignment 3 (1244) Page 3 of 3

RUBRIC: Assignment 3

CRITERIA

Unsatisfactory

Low Pass

Pass

High Pass

Honors

1. Executive
Summary/
Opening
Statement

Weight: 10%

Executive summary
was missing or off-
topic

Executive summary
covered main points,
but was disorganized
or overly detailed

Executive summary
provided a basic
synopsis of the
strategic plan

Executive summary
provided an excellent
synopsis of the
strategic plan

Met HP criteria plus
displayed an
engaging style that
indicates a powerful
opening that will grab
the audience

2. Plan Outline

Weight: 30%

Missing, incomplete,
or unrealistic
explanation of the
strategic plan

Strategic plan was
outlined, but lacked
substantive rationale
for key choices and
actions

Strategic plan was
outlined; included
basic rationale and
information on key
choices and actions

Strategic plan
included a clear and
well-reasoned
rationale; included
key information on
strategic choices and
actions

Strategic plan is
justified by keen
insight into market
dynamics and
competitors’
strengths, and
provided a viable
solution for both
near-term and long-
term growth

3. Financials

Weight: 20%

Performed no
financial calculations
or made substantive
errors

Financial models
and calculations
included minor errors
or assumptions
which did not
materially impact the
strategic plan

Correctly performed
all basic financial
calculation and
modeling

Met Pass criteria plus
included detailed
calculations that
correctly and
accurately
summarized the
financial health of the
organization

Met HP criteria plus
included
comprehensive
forward-looking
calculations of
payback relative to
IRR and other key
performance metrics

4. Competitive
Advantage

Weight: 15%

Did not identify
impact on
competitive strength
or presented
assertions not
supported by data

Identified potential
impact of the
strategic plan move
on competitive
advantage, but did
not address
sustainability of
advantage

Identified potential
impact on
competitive
advantage and
provided basic
insights into the
ability of competitors
to match move(s)

Clearly explained the
sustainability of the
move(s) and why
competitors will not
easily be able to
match

Met HP criteria plus
offered additional
valuable insights into
evidence supporting
the sustainability and
superiority of the
strategic plan

5. Risk

Weight: 15%

Incomplete or
unclear synopsis of
any of the most
important strategic
risks

Risk analysis was
superficial,
demonstrating only a
basic understanding
of the threats to the
proposed strategic
plan

Risk analysis
demonstrated basic
understanding of
risks and the upside
opportunity relative to
that risk

Clearly explained
potential for risk, risk
impact on the
organization, and
plan for risk
mitigation

Met HP criteria plus
explained why
proposed plan is
superior to other risk-
reward options

6. Summary

Weight: 10%

Missing, incomplete,
or unclear summary

Summary was vague
and/or failed to
connect key
elements of the plan

Summary provided a
basic recap of
connection of key
elements of the plan

Summary recapped
key elements and
drew the Board Brief
to a clear and
concise close

Met HP criteria plus
presented an
inspiring and
compelling call to
action that this is the
plan that will take the
organization forward

**## JWI599BusinessAnalyticsandCapstoneBoardBriefChecklist.pdf**

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 1 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

Use this checklist as a guide when you are working on each of the first three assignments for your
Capstone Project. It will serve as a reminder of the key content areas and the qualities of a well-written
Board Brief. Note that the components listed below are not a direct match for each topic in your
assignments. That is not its purpose. While the elements of an effective Board Brief are fairly consistent,
the sequence and specific content will vary somewhat depending on circumstances.

Board Brief Component Key Features

Executive Summary

Include a clear executive summary (AKA
“elevator pitch”) for your brief. A good summary
will help focus your audience’s attention.

Remember, you are telling a business story not
crafting a piece of literature. Your goal is not to
let the story just unfold as it goes. Tell your
audience right from the beginning where the brief
is going and what actions you are proposing.

Note: An Executive Summary is best written after
the brief is fully developed in order to capture the
most significant findings, recommendations and
conclusions.

 Capture the big idea of what you want to say

 Frame the problem/opportunity

 State your vision for the organization and the

context for your plan

 Outline a high-level snapshot of how your
proposed changes will increase the
organization’s competitive strength

 If there is an “ask” (such as a vote at the next
meeting), make note of that in the executive
summary so that Board members know why
they are reading the brief

Data

When presenting complex information to a non-
technical audience, you must Identify key data
relative to the problem or opportunity. Don’t
overwhelm your readers by providing page after
page of numbers. This may be needed for other
types of reports, but not for a Board Brief.

Use good judgment in highlighting the most
critical data in the main body of the brief. If there
are additional data sets that include important
information, but are likely to only be reviewed by
a few people with specialized knowledge, include
these in an appendix (or even in a separate
document).

 Recap of the data you have gathered and
analyzed

 Document the sources of the data

 Summarize and communicate the data in a
clear and meaningful way; show how the
data support your position

 Make good use of visuals to illustrate your
findings

 Identify areas where data may be missing or
incomplete; explain the impact of missing
data on your analysis – remember, you will
never have complete data and that’s okay,

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 2 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

The data that are most important will, of course,
vary depending on the specific focus of the brief,
but should include qualitative and quantitative
data on your organization, competitors and the
marketplace to support the strategy you are
proposing.

It is critical that you make good use of charts,
tables and other visual supports to display your
data. This will help your audience to more easily
understand the patterns, trends and anomalies in
the data.

but you need to convince the Board that the
data you do have are sufficient to make an
informed decision

Implementation Plan

Craft a clear map of what will happen and when.
This should include actionable steps that identify
and align objectives, actions and milestones.

Use good judgement in determining the level of
detail to provide. Your Board will not need to
know specific personnel decisions in every
department or the exact specifications of a new
piece of equipment you will be purchasing. They
need to see a “big picture” overview of how you
will turn your plan into a reality.

Note: It is likely that Board members will come
back to you with additional questions on certain
areas of the plan. That’s okay. As you continue
to work with your Board, you will learn where
different members want to dig deeper, and your
board briefs will evolve to address those needs.

 Identify key goals and the actionable steps to
achieve your desired outcomes

 Include key milestones

 Include a (proposed) timeline for each
milestone

 Identify personnel or organizational changes
necessary to accomplish the plan

 If additional training will be required, include
a high-level overview of how the training will
be delivered

 Identify changes in infrastructure, facilities
and major equipment purchases – Note: do
not include the financials for these in your
implementation overview; address these in
your financials section

Financials

Your initiative is not going to get approved unless
you can demonstrate a positive return on
investment. In preparing for your Board
Presentation, you must address key financial
questions for Board such as projected revenue,
fixed and variable costs and ROI.

 How much will it cost to implement your
plan?

 How will you secure the necessary funds?

 When will this initiative pay for itself and start
making money?

599 – Board Brief Checklist Page 3 of 3

JWI 599: Business Analytics and Capstone

Board Brief Checklist

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and
may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.

Additionally, you should share data related to
why your plan is the best use of the financial
resources of your organization.

Use the budgeting tools you have learned about
including NPV, IRR, Break-Even and Payback to
help you communicate a clear financial picture to
your Board.

 How much profit will the company earn when
you successfully execute the plan?

Competitive Advantage

Your Board will expect a clear explanation of
what your plan will accomplish to strengthen the
“economic moat” surrounding your business.

Keep your synopsis at a high level and make
sure you demonstrate how your strategy clearly
aligns with the mission of the organization.

 How will this initiative put your company
ahead of the competition?

 How will it create a long-term sustainable
competitive advantage?

 What will keep your competitors from just
copying your moves?

Risk Mitigation

A Board presentation from the CEO can’t be all
about the good with none of the bad. Yes, you
want to convince the Board that your idea is the
right one and you are the one who can make it
happen, but you also have a responsibility to
educate the Board about the risks relative to the
rewards and the steps you will take to manage
those risks. This includes threats from outside
the organization such as what competitors can
do to keep you from achieving market leadership
or forces that are impacting the larger economy.

 Summarize the risks (from inside and outside

forces) that could undermine the success of
you plan

 Explain to the Board how these risks have
been assessed and how your plan offers the
right balance of risk and reward

Summary or Wrap-Up

Keep it short and sweet, but pull the pieces
together. Bringing everything back to the
Mission is a good way to end a Board Brief.

 Include a “call to action” – this is usually a
reminder of the request for approval being
sought at the upcoming meeting

– 1
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