The Business of Software
CSC 454/2527F
September-December 1997
Assignments - Version 1 - 5 September 1997
Business plan assignments and due dates
15 September (Noon) - Ideas (2%): Each individual hands posts to the class newsgroup a single submission containing one or two new venture ideas, each described in a single short paragraph. Each submission must also include:
- name, address, phone number, and email address to facilitate team formation
- a list of useful skills or background, e.g., work in a particular industry, commerce courses taken, expertise in a field other than computer science or commerce
- skills needed for your team
22 September - Plan v.0 (2%): Each team hands in the names of its members, and a one-page description of the idea for a business on which it has begun to work. This is to be handed in on paper, and also posted to the class Web site.
6 Oct. - Plan v.1 (6%): Each team hands in a draft executive summary (with ellipses) for its ultimate business plan, as well as a skeletal draft business plan. This is to be handed in on paper, and also posted to the class Web site.
Emphasis should be placed on presenting the basic idea, objectives, and mission statement for a proposed new venture, and on describing in detail the product or service and the market to be served. The submission must also indicate who on each team is responsible for what part of the work, and who will make oral presentations on October 27th and on December 1st.
27 Oct. - Plan interim oral presentation (4%): Individuals will make brief oral presentations (2 and 1/2 minutes each) discussing key ideas and challenges in the evolving business plan. Each team will designate 2 members who will make the final presentation on December 1; all others will make interim oral presentations.
3 November - Plan v.2 (12%): Each team hands in a complete draft business plan. This is to be handed in on paper, and also posted to the class Web site.
Emphasis should be placed on expanding and clarifying what was included in plan v.1, especially in terms of competitive analysis and competitive edge, and on adding marketing, financial, financing, and human resource plans for the new venture.
1 December - Plan final (35%): Each team hands in its final complete business plan in two copies, along with the marked-up copy of Plan v.2. The plan should also be posted to the class Web site.
1 December - Plan final oral presentation (4%): The two individuals from each team who have not made interim presentations will collaborate on a final oral presentation (5 minutes total per team) presenting the most salient aspects of your business plan. Presentations will be heard by a panel of industry experts. This will hopefully include a venture capitalist who will agree to review what we believe is "the best plan."
Computer conferencing
5% of your grade will be based on your posted written contributions to a set of computer conferences relating to each business plan. This work will occur between 22 September and 17 November. Each student is expected to post at least 3 brief (less than one page) thoughtful comments on some aspect of another team's business plan during this time period. Quality is the key, not quantity!
NOTE: DO NOT LEAVE THIS ASSIGNMENT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! You cannot do a good job if you do so.
Instructional methods, criteria for evaluation
- Reading from Reading List, organized with respect to lectures; course package on sale in bookstore, also on reserve in Computer Science and SigSam Libraries.
- Lectures + question and answer, typically 30-35 minutes each week.
- Presentations by guest entrepreneurs most weeks; Class discussion with guests, formulation and analysis of key issues the following week (4% individual grade based on questions and other class participation).
- Development of a business plan, including a financial forecasting model, for a new software venture, presented in stages throughout the semester
2% (individual grade) for ideas
2% (team grade) for submission 0
6% (team grade) for submission 1
12% (team grade) for submission 2
35% for final submission
20% (team grade) for the plan
5% (team grade) for improvement
10% for individual participation (see detailed description below).
Note: This is to be done in teams of 4, except by special permission from your TA.
Note: 5 points out of 100 is subtracted for every day the assignment is late; a weekend counts as 2 days.
- Oral presentation of key ideas from either an interim or final business plan (4%, individual grade), the latter in the style of the American Electronics Association venture capital conference (see detailed description below).
- Participation in class computer conferences discussing other business plans (5%, individual grade, see detailed description below).
- Final exam, testing your ability to recall, understand, and apply concepts discussed in class and in the readings (30%, individual grade).
Note: Independent of your term marks, you must achieve a grade of at least 35% on the final exam in to order to pass the course.