This document introduces students to a semester-long Excel skills portfolio project consisting of 7 team-based assignments of varying difficulty. It explains that the purpose is to both test Excel skills and develop work skills like delegation, communication, and accountability. While initially overwhelming, past students found the project worthwhile and felt it helped them learn Excel in a business context. Students are directed to begin by reading the first client memo.

1. Introduction of the BUS
255 Team Projects
A L PE NA CO MMU NI TY CO L L E G E
S P R ING 20 1 4

2. Welcome to the Excel Unit Skills portfolio!
And so it begins students! This is one of my FAVORITE units of the
semester!
This is the large-scale project that will truly test the skills you are
learning in this course, and stretch what you are learning to a whole
new level!

3. How many Excel projects are there?
There are a total of SEVEN total projects
(By the way, this is down from the NINE original projects that this class
has historically done. But because this is the first time BUS 255 has
operated online, and because you are in smaller teams, the project
number was reduced).

4. But I CAN’T do SEVEN projects by myself!
A VERY true statement. This section of the Skills Portfolio is not only
about testing your mastery of Excel.
It is also designed to build work-team skills. Some projects are quite
simple, and others are more in-depth. It is not possible for ONE person
to complete ALL SEVEN projects.
You will need to learn to delegate, trust, communicate, and hold each
other accountable for their fair share of the work.

5. Has anyone ever failed this part of the class?
Yes – one student failed by not doing ANY of the work. And that’s the
only exception.
On the whole, past classes have done very well on this portion of the
course. The average grade within the Excel Skills Portfolio projects
typically lands between the B- to A range, with very few projects
earning below a C+.
There are only two ways to fail this portion of the portfolio:
A – Don’t do any of the work.
B – Wait until the night before to start (HINT – This is not an assignment you can do
the night before!)

6. So how does this work?
For each of your seven projects, you will receive a memo from your
“client”, and supporting data (lists, etc). Each memo will contain a
project, varying in difficulty levels from simple to more intricate.

7. You Job is…
• Respond to each memo with a memo of your own. Address the
client’s questions and concerns.
• Also, within your memo, if your client asks for recommendations,
make sure you clearly communicate your recommendation.
• Use the skills you learned in Word (and are about to learn in Excel) to
help you complete each project request from your client.
• Explore each project as deeply as your team feels is necessary.
• Make sure your memo’s and final projects are of professional quality
(something you’d feel comfortable handing to a company CEO).

8. Tips:
• Think of yourselves as consultant – you are the experts on each of
these projects. Your client is looking to you for a recommendation –
make sure your response memos offer the recommendations they
need.
• Your final product needs to be of professional quality. You are
submitting your memos and Excel projects to a client for review.
Make sure they look the part!

9. This is a bit… overwhelming?
Yes, this project is big. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever run into.
Remember, this is classified as an upper-level business course, and we
are tying both technology and business in one.
You may be feeling a bit of panic or overwhelmed. Or better yet, you’ve
been presented with a challenge, and you’re getting fired up to take it
on.
You’re about to experience the great joy of this experience.

10. Joy?
The Skills Portfolio isn’t like your end-of-chapter exercises. You are
restricted to a rubric. Nor are you given every step to follow. This
project encourages you to think critically and creatively. These are skills
employers want.
The textbook and SAM are not accurate experiences in business. You’ll
be handed projects, and expected to use the skills you have to find
solutions.

11. Think of it this way…
While the projects are shared among all teams, no two projects
submitted have ever been the same. This project allows you to use your
professional perspective.
By putting you in teams, you get to see a project from a different
perspective. For example, a business management and an accounting
student will see this project from different perspectives. Both are
correct perspectives, and what they bring to the final project is more
wholesome because they collaborated.

12. What did past students think of this project?
After this portion of the portfolio is completed, I asked ever student
these two questions:
• Was it worth it?
• Should we keep the portfolio projects?

13. What were there answers?
• Over the past four years, students have said that the skills portfolio
project was worth the work. They felt they learned more about Excel,
and how it tied directly to business.
• Initially, when students learned more about the project, they
expressed that at the beginning, it’s overwhelming and scary. But
when it’s done and handed it, students have said the experience has
been a valuable one.
Hopefully, the experience will prove to be valuable to you too!

14. Let’s get started!
Go back to blackboard and read Memo 01 – New Client: Aurora
Technologies