You are a systems analyst who has been working for several years in the IT shop of a cabinet manufacturing company. The company is known for the quality of its products and for being an industry leader. The former chief information officer (CIO), who was from the “old school,”

recently retired and has just been replaced by a new, more dynamic and progressive CIO. The new CIO, in an effort to raise the maturity level of the organization, is conducting a series of brainstorming sessions to develop its first IT architecture plan. You and the other systems analysts and designers have each been asked to provide input on which systems design approach or approaches the organization should adopt as its approved standard. Use the information in the textbook, your own experience, and any supplemental research you conduct to write a memo to your CIO that:

a. Provides relevant background regarding your organization—for example, its vision, mission, strategic goals objectives, level of maturity, organizational structure, and culture.

b. Describes the different systems design approaches.

c. Compares and contrasts their methods, strengths, and weaknesses.

d. Recommends a specific approach or combination of approaches for adoption as the standard for your organization.

The recommendation should also include a justification for the basis of your recommendation.