Digital Strategy Environmental Scan
COMM 190: INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Due Date: January 31 s t , 11:59 pm EST
Learning Objectives
This assignment will assess your individual ability to do the following:
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Describe an organization's "Digital Products or Services" in terms of how it leverages Digital
Technology
Interpret an organization's "Digital Strategy" from an external point of view based on their
"Digital Products or Services"
Description
For this assignment, you will identify a Small to Medium-sized Business to interpret their Digital
Strategy. Most organizations of this size won't have a formally documented Digital Strategy, but one can
be interpreted based on their background, values, and Digital Products and Services.
This is a typical process used by employees, consultants, and entrepreneurs who recommend how an
organization can create Differential Value.
This is not an easy task; even professionals struggle with this process. Therefore, the intent of the
assignment is NOT to correctly identify an organization's Digital Strategy but to work through the steps
required to interpret one.
Steps to Interpret a Digital Strategy
1. Find a Small or Medium-sized company with a Digital Product or Service that interests you.
Some potential sources are listed below.
o Canadian – Top 100
o American – Glass Door
o Global – Europe, Asia
Try and find one that you have experience with either as a customer, you studied, or from the news.
Note: The assignment requires that you only use publicly available documents. You should not be
referencing any internal documentation. Should you find a published Digital Strategy, you will need to
identify another company.
2. Scan their website, public documentation, social media, news articles along with their Digital
Products and Services.
o You are looking to get a sense of how they are using Digital Technologies in conjunction
with their Products or Services.
o For example, are they using Digital Technology?
§ in their Products or Services?
§ to sell their Products or Services?
§ to integrate with other Products or Services?
§ to create their Products or Services?
3. Based on your research, you are looking to decide what their value driver is (Increase
Willingness to Pay or Reduce Costs).
Deliverable
After you have completed your research, you should have a good idea of the organization's Digital
Strategy. Use the provided template to document your research and the company's Digital Strategy. The
completed template is what you will submit to the course website.
Requirements
Your submission should adhere to the following requirements
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No more than Two Pages single spaced
No less than a 10-point font
No less than half-inch margins
Source all of the publicly available documents used
Deliverable Template
<COMPANY NAME> Digital Strategy
Company Description
In this section, you want to describe the organization, their business model, organizational purpose, and
anything relevant about how they view Digital Technology. Make sure to include a rationale as to why
you chose the company, along with what qualifies it as a small or medium-sized business.
Digital Product or Service Description
Here you will choose a Digital Product or Service and describe how it leverages Digital Technology.
For example, what Digital Technology are they using?
1.
2.
3.
4.
in their Products or Services?
to sell their Products or Services?
to integrate with other Products or Services?
to create their Products or Services?
Digital Strategy Interpretation
In this section, you will write what you have interpreted their Digital Strategy to be, and any
recommendations to improve.
Sources of Publicly Available Documents
In this section you will identify all the publicly available documents used in your research.
<Title or Description of Documents> - <URL for Document>
<Title or Description of Documents> - <URL for Document>
<Title or Description of Documents> - <URL for Document>
RUBRIC
Company
Description
Exceeds Expectations (100% – 80%)
Meets Expectations (80% - 60%)
Does Not Meet Expectations (60% - 0)
Weight
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The company is well described, including
their Business Model and organizational
purpose (what are they trying to
achieve?)
The selection justification and criteria are
clear and reasonable.
It was clearly documented that the
company qualifies as a Small or Medium
Business
The Digital Product or Service is well
documented, described, and integrated
as part of an Information System
(technology, process, data, people).
The Digital Product or Service identified
qualifies as a Digital Product or Service.
It is clearly described how digital
technology is used in their Digital Product
or Service
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The company was not well
described, missing components or
the Business Model was unclear
The selection was poorly justified
or not included
It was not clearly documented that
the company qualifies as a Small
or Medium Business
15%
The Digital Product or Service was
not well documented and
described, or missing
The Digital Product or Service does
not qualify as a Digital Product or
Service
It is not clearly described how
digital technology is used in their
Digital Product or Service
40%
The Digital Strategy for the company is
defined and differentiated from a
business strategy or technology strategy.
The Digital Strategy is clearly described,
actionable and reasonable for the
company and Product/Service identified.
An interpretation of the company's
Digital Strategy is provided that
highlights strengths and/or weaknesses.
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The Digital Strategy is not clearly
described, actionable or
reasonable for the company and
product presented.
40%
The selection justification
includes relevant course
concepts
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Digital Product
or Service
Description
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Digital Strategy
Interpretation
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The discussion of how digital
technology is part of the
company's Digital Product or
Service incorporates relevant
course concepts
A justification of how the digital
technology contributes to the
Business Model and/or
organizational purpose is
provided
The Digital Strategy
incorporates relevant course
concepts.
Recommendations for
improving the company's Digital
Strategy are provided and fit
with the Digital Product/Service,
and with the Business Model or
organizational purpose
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Professionalism
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The written assignment flows
well and is professionally
structured, with virtually no
spelling or grammatical errors.
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The written assignment is organized, has
a logical structure, and has very few
spelling or grammatical errors.
All publicly available documentation has
been sourced
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The written assignment is not well
organized, does not have a logical
structure, or has many spelling
and grammatical errors.
There are no sources for the
publicly available documents
5%