TECH2200 IT Project Management - Project Business Case and SWOT Analysis: Study Guide + Solved Answer
This guide walks you through TECH2200 IT Project Management Assessment - the Project Business Case and SWOT Analysis for GoNative Pty. Ltd. You'll find a full solved example covering all four required tasks: Problem Statement, Project Summary (including a 2-level WBS), SWOT Analysis with recommendations, and Stakeholder identification. Each section includes marker-focused tips drawn directly from the rubric so you know what earns the marks.
Honestly, this assessment trips a lot of students. The wording sounds simple - 'write a business case' - but the rubric is looking for scholarly evidence, structured justification, and real-world IT knowledge applied to the GoNative case. Don't just list things; you need to explain and connect them to the scenario. Use this guide to see how it's done.
Your Task:
Your first assessment in this subject requires you to study a case in the assessment instruction and create a project business case which includes key elements (such as problem statement, project benefits, and stakeholders) and SWOT Analysis for recommendations to support your project getting approved.
Assessment Description:
A business case is a project management document that explains and justifies the reasoning for initiating a project. It is often presented in a well-structured written document to the key business stakeholders such as project sponsor(s) to get approval and funding. A thorough understanding of how to write a business case must be demonstrated in this assessment. A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool used to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your project. Developing a SWOT analysis can help you look at your project from different directions. It can also help you to come up with recommendations to support the project.
The learning outcomes you will demonstrate in performing this assessment includes:
- LO1: Interpret the IT objectives and project expectations of a business stakeholder.
- LO2: Predict risks and problems associated with the effectiveness and timeliness of IT projects.
- LO3: Recommend pre-emptive solutions and mitigation strategies for the risks and problems that emerge in IT projects.
Assessment Instructions:
The Case
GoNative Pty. Ltd. is based in Melbourne, Victoria. The business was established in 2015 to cater for the demand for Australian native food products. The company manufactures and retails a range of certified, organic, Australian native foods.
Currently, the business is selling its products through several small supermarkets and health food stores throughout Australia. The company also has a basic website that includes only four pages: home, about us, products and contact details. The company launched this simple website just after opening, but there has been very little traffic to the site except during Christmas and Mother's Day. This is because of poor design, a limited shopping cart and no call to action or active social media networks.
The company's overall business objectives for the next three years are to increase sales, create brand awareness and develop a broader product range. The company's target market is customers aged between 35 and 60 years old, who are looking for Australian organic gourmet foods.
As a contracted IT Project Manager (Subject Matter Expert in IT solutions for business problems), you have been asked by the Operations Manager to propose an IT solution, which will be a critical part of the company's strategy. You will be managing the project and reporting to the project sponsors (CEO and Operations Manager) and informing project team members of the project's progress after the business case is approved.
Based on the above case, you are required to create a business case to cover the following:
1. Problem Statement
a) Describe the problem that your project will overcome, and
b) The opportunity that your project will take advantage of
2. Project Summary
a) Discuss what this project hopes to achieve.
- Project benefits (at least 3)
- Proposed IT solution
- Brief cost, resources, and schedule
- A 2-levels WBS.
3. SWOT Analysis
a) Create a SWOT Analysis Matrix for your proposed project to cover:
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Opportunities
- Threats
b) Provide at least 3 recommendations based on the SWOT Analysis
4. Stakeholders
a) Identify key at least 5 project stakeholders and their roles
As this assessment falls under the Amber category (Level 2) in GenAI traffic light system, use of generative AI is at your discretion. Unauthorised use of GenAI is strictly prohibited, such as copy and pasting assessment instructions in to GenAI tools. You may wish to use GenAI to build your own knowledge, however copy and pasting the responses from GenAI in to this assessment is considered unauthorised without cross referencing with scholarly articles and appropriate citation.
Want the Full Solved Solution for TECH2200 IT Project Management?
Get the complete, marked-up solution including all four tasks, SWOT matrix with full justifications, stakeholder analysis, and APA 7 reference list. Understand exactly what a Distinction-level submission looks like.
How to Score High in TECH2200 Assessment
- Ground every claim in the GoNative case: Generic statements about e-commerce don't earn marks. Each point in your problem statement, SWOT, and recommendations must explicitly reference the GoNative scenario - the poor website, the target demographic, the three-year growth objectives.
- Use multiple scholarly sources per section: A Pass uses 'some evidence'. A HD uses 'multiple scholarly evidence.' Aim for at least 2-3 peer-reviewed sources per task, cited in APA 7 format both in-text and in your reference list.
- Complete all four tasks fully: The marking guide allocates marks to Problem Statement, Project Summary, SWOT Analysis, and Stakeholders independently. A gap in any one task caps your total score regardless of quality elsewhere.
- Deliver exactly 3+ project benefits with justification: The rubric specifies 'at least 3 benefits.' Listing them is Pass level; justifying each one with evidence and connecting it to the GoNative context is Distinction level.
- Make your WBS genuinely two levels: A common error is submitting a flat list of tasks. Level 1 must be the project phases; Level 2 must break each phase into deliverable sub-tasks. Five phases with sub-tasks is the target.
- Justify every SWOT item, don't just list: Each strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat must include context explaining *why* it applies to the GoNative project. Reference scholarly literature to back your claims.
- Write all three SWOT recommendations with referenced strategies: Recommendations without scholarly backing score at Pass level. Each recommendation needs a theoretical or empirical reference explaining why the strategy works.
- Identify at least 6 stakeholders with developed roles: The rubric sets a minimum of 5. Going to 6 with detailed role descriptions (including the Operations Manager as a distinct stakeholder from the CEO) demonstrates comprehensive analysis.
- Keep formatting clean and professional: Use headings, structured paragraphs, and a proper APA 7 reference list. The referencing and formatting criterion is worth 3 marks - don't leave them on the table with sloppy presentation.
Why Students Struggle With This Assessment
- Treating the WBS as a simple to-do list: The WBS must be hierarchical - a genuine two-level breakdown of project scope. Students who write a flat list of activities fail to demonstrate understanding of scope decomposition, which is a core PM skill being tested.
- SWOT without justification: Students list bullet points in each quadrant without explaining the 'so what.' The rubric uses the word 'context' repeatedly - every SWOT item needs a sentence of explanation and ideally a reference. A matrix of bare phrases earns a P at best.
- Weak or missing references: This is an IT Project Management subject, not a creative writing class. The HD descriptor explicitly requires 'multiple scholarly evidence.' Citing only one or two sources total - or citing websites instead of journal articles - is one of the most common HD-to-Credit drops.
- Generic stakeholder descriptions: Students name stakeholders correctly but describe roles too vaguely ('manages the project'). The rubric rewards 'developed roles in the project context' - meaning each stakeholder description should connect to the GoNative scenario specifically.
- Ignoring the GenAI rules: This is Level 2 - you can use AI tools, but all AI-generated content must be cited and cross-referenced with scholarly articles. Many students either don't cite AI use at all or copy-paste without cross-referencing, which risks academic misconduct findings.
Need Help with TECH2200 Assessment?
Students often find this assessment challenging due to its requirement for both technical understanding and business analysis skills. If you need assistance, consider seeking support through academic resources, peer discussions, or professional guidance. Online academic help platforms can assist in understanding concepts like business case development, SWOT analysis, and project planning, ensuring your work meets Kaplan Business School standards while maintaining academic integrity.
Quick Revision Checklist
- Problem Statement clearly identifies the business problem GoNative faces (poor website, no CTA, no social media)
- Problem Statement identifies the business opportunity the project will exploit
- At least 2 scholarly in-text citations included in the Problem Statement
- Project Summary includes at least 3 clearly explained project benefits tied to the GoNative case
- Proposed IT solution (e-commerce platform) is described with specific features, not just named generically
- Cost estimate, required resources, and 4-month schedule are all included and logically structured
- WBS has exactly two levels - project phases at Level 1, specific deliverable sub-tasks at Level 2
- SWOT matrix includes all four quadrants with context-based justification (not just bullet phrases)
- SWOT is supported by scholarly references in at least 2 quadrants
- At least 3 SWOT recommendations provided, each connected to a specific SWOT finding
- Each recommendation references at least one scholarly source
- At least 5 (ideally 6) stakeholders identified with specific roles in the GoNative project context
- APA 7 in-text citations used throughout for all factual and theoretical claims
- Word count is within 900-1100 words (1000 ± 10%)
- If GenAI was used: all AI content is cited, cross-referenced with scholarly sources, and an appendix documenting prompts/responses is included
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is TECH2200 Assessment 1 actually asking me to do?
You're playing the role of a contracted IT Project Manager hired by GoNative Pty. Ltd. - a Melbourne-based organic food company. Your job is to build a project business case that justifies investing in a new e-commerce website. That means writing a problem statement, proposing an IT solution with benefits and a WBS, running a SWOT analysis with recommendations, and identifying the key stakeholders involved in the project.
Q: How many references do I actually need?
The assessment brief says 'scholarly evidence.' For a Pass you need a few; for a Credit you need several; for a Distinction or HD you need thorough, well-integrated scholarly citations. In practice, aim for a minimum of 5-6 peer-reviewed journal articles across the whole document, with at least one or two per task. Use Google Scholar or the KBS library to find e-commerce, project management, and IT solutions literature.
Q: Can I use AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to help write this?
This is a Level 2 (Amber) GenAI assessment. You can use AI tools for research, idea generation, and expanding your understanding - but you cannot paste AI responses directly into your submission without cross-referencing them with scholarly articles and properly citing the AI as a source. You must also include an appendix that documents all your prompts and the AI's responses. Undisclosed AI use is treated as academic misconduct.
Q: Does the SWOT matrix need to be a formatted table?
The brief says to 'create a SWOT Analysis Matrix' - so yes, presenting it as a 2x2 table is expected and professional. But the table alone won't score well; you need a written explanation of the recommendations section (at least 3 paragraphs, each tied to a specific SWOT finding and supported by a scholarly reference). The matrix is the visual; the recommendations are where the marks live.