1 QSO 520 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric Overview The final project for this course is the creation of an executive brief. The final product represents an authentic demonstration of competency in utilizing data and management science techniques to provide recommendations for the managerial decision-making process. Management science techniques allow for data- driven decision making that assist an organization in making sound business decisions based on facts rather than instincts or emotion. This equips management with the tools necessary to guide the business toward growth and success while ensuring stakeholder satisfaction. Additionally, it allows organizations to become more efficient and to quickly respond to changes in the economic landscape and market. In this assessment, you will be tasked with understanding the complexities and intricacies of a global organization that is facing numerous business challenges. Based on the information and data presented, you will craft an executive brief stating your findings and recommended solutions to the stakeholders. You will use the Rougir Cosmetics International: Production Optimization case study to respond to the prompt. The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Five, and Seven. The final product will be submitted in Module Nine. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:  QSO-520-01: Evaluate factors associated with organizational challenges for prioritizing decision-making strategies  QSO-520-02: Utilize effective decision-making processes for addressing specific organizational challenges  QSO-520-03: Analyze appropriate data for supporting effective organizational decision making  QSO-520-04: Recommend approaches to addressing organizational challenges based on data for obtaining support of intended stakeholders Prompt Specifically, you must address the critical elements listed below. Most of the critical elements align with a particular course outcome (shown in brackets). I. Problem Statement: To begin, you will first review a scenario about an organization that is experiencing challenges. After reading the scenario, you will then need to determine what these challenges are, consider how they should be prioritized, and devise a problem statement. A. Compose a summary of the external problems impacting the organization, namely, what challenges are being presented by the problems. [QSO- 520-01] B. Describe the internal organizational challenges identified by the stakeholders. In your response, be sure to take into consideration the vendor and supplier issues. [QSO-520-01] C. Evaluate the goals of management in order to facilitate resolutions to the organizational challenges. [QSO-520-01] Roxie F Highlight .

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QSO 520 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of an executive
brief. The final product represents an authentic demonstration
of competency in utilizing data
and management science techniques to provide
recommendations for the managerial decision-making process.
Management science techniques allow for data-
driven decision making that assist an organization in making
sound business decisions based on facts rather than instincts or
emotion. This equips management
with the tools necessary to guide the business toward growth
and success while ensuring stakeholder satisfaction.
Additionally, it allows organizations to
become more efficient and to quickly respond to changes in the
economic landscape and market.
In this assessment, you will be tasked with understanding the
complexities and intricacies of a global organization that is
facing numerous business challenges.
Based on the information and data presented, you will craft an
executive brief stating your findings and recommended
solutions to the stakeholders.
You will use the Rougir Cosmetics International: Production
Optimization case study to respond to the prompt.
The project is divided into three milestones, which will be

2. submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold
learning and ensure quality final
submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules
Three, Five, and Seven. The final product will be submitted in
Module Nine.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the
following course outcomes:
-520-01: Evaluate factors associated with organizational
challenges for prioritizing decision-making strategies
-520-02: Utilize effective decision-making processes for
addressing specific organizational challenges
-520-03: Analyze appropriate data for supporting
effective organizational decision making
-520-04: Recommend approaches to addressing
organizational challenges based on data for obtaining support of
intended stakeholders
Prompt
Specifically, you must address the critical elements listed
below. Most of the critical elements align with a particular
course outcome (shown in brackets).
I. Problem Statement: To begin, you will first review a scenario
about an organization that is experiencing challenges. After
reading the scenario, you will
then need to determine what these challenges are, consider how
they should be prioritized, and devise a problem statement.

3. A. Compose a summary of the external problems impacting the
organization, namely, what challenges are being presented by
the problems. [QSO-
520-01]
B. Describe the internal organizational challenges identified by
the stakeholders. In your response, be sure to take into
consideration the vendor
and supplier issues. [QSO-520-01]
C. Evaluate the goals of management in order to facilitate
resolutions to the organizational challenges. [QSO-520-01]
Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Roxie F
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D. Create a SWOT analysis in order to connect the
organization’s goals and strategies to approaches management
and employees may take to
resolve the issues impacting it. [QSO-520-02]
E. Based on an evaluation of information provided in the
scenario, write a problem statement that will need to be solved.
[QSO-520-01]

4. II. Data Analysis: You will now calculate and analyze data
based on information provided in the scenario to inform and
support the decisions necessary to
resolve the organizational challenges. Your analysis will
explore the production schedule and vendor optimization by
running a linear programming
model and sensitivity analysis. You will submit this section
using the provided Excel template spreadsheet to show your
programming.
A. Calculate the labor stages and material requirements for each
product. [QSO-520-03]
B. Based on the results of your calculation, develop a summary
table for linear programming analysis. [QSO-520-03]
C. Next, calculate the production schedule, determining what
will be produced, the quantity, and when the output will be
produced. [QSO-520-03]
D. Conduct a sensitivity analysis on the cost of the products
using a decision tree. [QSO-520-02]
E. Generate labeled bar graphs to demonstrate changes, if any,
in product cost. [QSO-520-03]
III. Recommendations and Future Outcomes: Next, you will be
required to make formal recommendations in order to address
the organizational
challenges, supporting your strategies with applicable and
relevant data. You will also need to communicate your
recommendations and findings to the
appropriate stakeholders. Finally, you will need to consider the
organization’s future outcomes based on a forecasting analysis.
A. Produce a forecasting analysis in order to determine the
demand of the product line. [QSO-520-02]

5. B. Based on your problem statement and analysis of the data,
recommend effective strategies that will resolve each of the
organization’s
challenges cited earlier. [QSO-520-04]
IV. Executive Summary: In order to present your findings and
recommendations in a consumable fashion to the appropriate
stakeholders, you will need to
compose an executive summary.
A. Write a summary of your findings for the organization’s
management, providing your recommendations, using
appropriate language for your
target audience. [QSO-520-04]
B. Finally, defend your recommended strategies in order to
influence agreement among the stakeholders. [QSO-520-04]
Milestones
Milestone One: Draft of Problem Statement
In Module Three, you will submit a draft of the problem
statement. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One
Rubric.
Milestone Two: Draft of Data Analysis
In Module Five, you will submit a draft of the data analysis
section. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two
Rubric.
https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/lor/viewer/viewFile.d2lfile/93438/222
87,1/

6. Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Milestone Three: Draft of Recommendations and Future
Outcomes
In Module Seven, you will submit a draft of your
recommendations and future outcomes section. This milestone
will be graded with the Milestone Three
Rubric.
Final Submission: Executive Brief
In Module Nine, you will submit your final project. It should be
a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical
elements of the final product. It should
reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the
course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project
Rubric.
Deliverables
Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading
One Draft of Problem Statement Three Graded separately;
Milestone One Rubric

7. Two Draft of Data Analysis Five Graded separately; Milestone
Two Rubric
Three Draft of Recommendations and Future
Outcomes
Seven Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric
Final Submission: Executive Brief Nine Graded separately;
Final Project Rubric
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your executive brief must be 10–12
pages in length and must be written in APA format. (You will
also submit a separate Excel
template with your calculations for the data analysis section.)
Use double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-
inch margins. Include at least three
scholarly references cited in APA format.
Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement
Not Evident Value
Problem Statement:
External
[QSO-520-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response is exceptionally clear
and contextualized (100%)
Composes a summary of the
external problems impacting

8. the organization (90%)
Composes a summary of the
external problems impacting
the organization, but summary
contains inaccuracies or lacks
sufficient detail (70%)
Does not compose a summary
of the external problems
impacting the organization
(0%)
6
Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Roxie F
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4
Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement
Not Evident Value
Problem Statement:

9. Internal
[QSO-520-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
description is exceptionally
clear and contextualized
(100%)
Describes the internal
organizational challenges
identified by the stakeholders
(90%)
Describes the internal
organizational challenges
identified by the stakeholders,
but description is cursory,
contains inaccuracies, or fails
to take into consideration the
vendor and supplier issues
(70%)
Does not describe the internal
organizational challenges
identified by the stakeholders
(0%)
6
Problem Statement:
Goals
[QSO-520-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and

10. evaluation of goals
demonstrates a complex grasp
of the goals needed to resolve
the organizational challenges
(100%)
Evaluates the goals of
management in order to
facilitate resolutions to the
organizational challenges
(90%)
Evaluates the goals of
management, but response
lacks clarity or goals do not
address the organizational
challenges (70%)
Does not evaluate the goals of
management (0%)
6
Problem Statement:
SWOT Analysis
[QSO-520-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates a sophisticated
application of the analysis
(100%)
Creates a SWOT analysis in
order to connect the
organization’s goals and
strategies (90%)

11. Creates a SWOT analysis in
order to connect the
organization’s goals and
strategies, but response is
missing key information or
contains inaccuracies, or
connections between goals
and strategies are insufficient
(70%)
Does not create a SWOT
analysis (0%)
8
Problem Statement:
Problem Statement
[QSO-520-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates an
advanced ability to distill key
details from a scenario to
develop a problem statement
(100%)
Writes a problem statement
that encompasses the key
issues that need to be solved
by the organization, based on
the evaluation of information
provided (90%)
Writes a problem statement,

12. but the statement is missing
key elements or is not
adequately based on
evaluation of information
provided (70%)
Does not write a problem
statement (0%)
6
Data Analysis: Labor
Stages and Material
Requirements
[QSO-520-03]
Calculates the labor stages and
material requirements for each
product (100%)
Calculates the labor stages and
material requirements for each
product, but calculation
contains inaccuracies (70%)
Does not calculate the labor
stages and material
requirements for each product
(0%)
6
Data Analysis:
Summary Table

13. [QSO-520-03]
Develops a summary table for
linear programming analysis
(100%)
Develops a summary table for
linear programming analysis,
but table contains inaccuracies
(70%)
Does not develop a summary
table for linear programming
analysis (0%)
6
Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Roxie F
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5
Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement
Not Evident Value

14. Data Analysis:
Production Schedule
[QSO-520-03]
Calculates the production
schedule that determines what
will be produced, the quantity,
and when the output will be
produced (100%)
Calculates the production
schedule, but calculation
contains inaccuracies (70%)
Does not calculate the
production schedule (0%)
6
Data Analysis:
Decision Tree
[QSO-520-02]
Conducts a sensitivity analysis
on the cost of the products
using a decision tree (100%)
Conducts a sensitivity analysis
on the cost of the products
using a decision tree but
response contains inaccuracies
(70%)
Does not conduct a sensitivity

15. analysis on the cost of the
products using a decision tree
(0%)
8
Data Analysis:
Labeled Bar Graphs
[QSO-520-03]
Generates labeled bar graphs
to demonstrate changes in
product cost (100%)
Generates labeled bar graphs
to demonstrate changes in
product cost, but graphs
contains inaccuracies (70%)
Does not generate labeled bar
graphs (0%)
6
Recommendations
and Future
Outcomes:
Forecasting Analysis
[QSO-520-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates a sophisticated
awareness of forecasting
variables that will determine

16. future demand of the product
line (100%)
Produces a forecasting analysis
in order to determine the
demand of the product line
(90%)
Produces a forecasting
analysis, but analysis is missing
key information or contains
inaccuracies (70%)
Does not produce a forecasting
analysis (0%)
8
Recommendations
and Future
Outcomes:
Strategies
[QSO-520-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
recommendation
demonstrates a complex grasp
of the appropriate strategies
that will resolve the
organization’s challenges
(100%)
Recommends effective
strategies that will resolve
each of the organization’s

17. challenges (90%)
Recommends effective
strategies that will resolve the
organization’s challenges, but
recommendation is missing key
details or contains inaccuracies
(70%)
Does not recommend effective
strategies that will resolve the
organization’s challenges (0%)
8
Executive Summary:
Summary
[QSO-520-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
summary demonstrates a
sophisticated understanding of
the findings from the analysis
(100%)
Summarizes findings for the
organization’s management,
providing recommendations,
and utilizes appropriate
language for target audience
(90%)
Summarizes findings for the
organization’s management,
but summary is cursory,

18. illogical, lacks detail, or does
not effectively use appropriate
language throughout (70%)
Does not summarize findings
for the organization’s
management (0%)
8
Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement
Not Evident Value
Executive Summary:
Defense
[QSO-520-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
defense makes cogent
connections between the
findings and recommendations

19. (100%)
Defends recommended
strategies in order to influence
agreement among the
stakeholders (90%)
Defends recommended
strategies, but defense is weak
or is missing key information
(70%)
Does not defend
recommended strategies (0%)
8
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented
in a professional and easy to
read format (100%)
Submission has no major
errors related to citations,
grammar, spelling, syntax, or
organization (90%)
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or
organization that negatively

20. impact readability and
articulation of main ideas
(70%)
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or
organization that prevent
understanding of ideas (0%)
4
Total 100%
Roxie F
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Roxie F
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Roxie F
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