INFT6500 Accounting Info System: Maria's Aquarium Case Study

This case study analyzes the implementation of an Accounting Information System (AIS) for Maria's Aquarium, a business initially focused on breeding and selling fish from a hatchery. The case details Maria Piscatore's initial business model and her son Raymond's plans for expansion using Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The project scope includes improving stock control, managing inventory across multiple retail outlets, processing payroll, and enabling online sales. The proposed project plan follows five phases: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closure, emphasizing the importance of communication, risk management, and security. The successful implementation of the ICT-based AIS aims to enhance business efficiency, scalability, and competitive advantages for Maria's Aquarium.

Running head: ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEM
Accounting Information System: Marias Aquarium case scenario
Name of the student:
Name f the university:

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Overview
This project depicts the importance of using the concept of Information and
communication Technology for managing any business. It is expected that business related
issues and the operation and functional issues that may simultaneously interrupt the success of
the business can be completely mitigated with the help of ICT project management concept. In
order to operate the business successfully, Maria Piscatore decided to developed a fish aquarium
and due people started buying fish from her fishing hatchery. From the hatchery they started
selling fish to the Central coast of New South Wales only however after her retirement her son
Raymond is willing to expand their business throughout.
It can be said, that with the help of the Information and communication Technology
(ICT) the business processing will become much efficient. However, in order to successfully
expand the business it becomes mandatory for the project manager to enable the business plan
and process successfully. Basically for expanding the business the project manager should make
sure that all the information are stored in a secure manner without any kind of interruptions. It is
expected that Information Technology can support the business successfully. Raymond wills to
treat the hatchery just as a normal wholesaling distributor. The business use manual stock
management approach that include many issues and those issues can be completely resolved with
the help of ICT project management approach.
Project scope
The scope of the project is to make sure that the service is repeatedly using by the buyers
or the consumers. The stock ordering and the replenishment approach used by the hatchery is

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very weak and required to be improved sooner. Thus, the stock control system needs immediate
improvement. Combined stock ordering approach from both the head office and individual store
needs further improvement therefore it requires further improvement from the business
perspectives. It may happen that all stocks are not available in all the stores but the consumers
need it immediately therefore, they have to inform regarding the stocks to the consumers
immediate after the request will be processed. The required item should be transferred to another
store where the request has been processed by the consumer.
This information must be transmitted with the help of the application of the Information
System (IS). The price of the selling products can also be updated quickly. While transferring
data the company associates should make sure that none of the information are being leaked or
accessed by any of the unwanted users. With the successful accomplishment of the process an
invoice or feedback should also be generated by the system. The company also wishes to process
payroll processing. The consumers will be able to buy their wish listed fish from the online
services also. The existing payroll management system operated by the company is weaker and
needs further improvement. In order to avoid process level issues the company is willing to
design a system is such a way so that the daily time given by the workers to the company can be
effectively recorded by the company owners. Based on the services served by the workers they
will be paid directly from the bank through their accounting departments.
The price offered by the hatchery should make sure that the prices of the fishes are all
fixed according to the fixed price book. Besides these, the main thing on which the company
should focus on is the technology. The technology should support all the operational and
functional activities actively. The other abilities operated by the company include scalability,
reliability, flexibility, functionality etc. It is expected that if all these factors are properly

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incorporated to the Information System operated by Raymonds then it will be able to deliver the
expectation of the company. This will help the company to maintain the business consistency
and other abilities at the same time.
Project plan
For this particular case scenario the supportive mechanism that is needed to be
implemented is the design and deployment of an Information System suing the concept of ICT.
This project will be implemented following five basic phases such as initiation, planning,
execution, monitoring and control and closure. The details functions that will be operated in
these five phase are as follows:
Initiation: This is the very first phase of this project that to be implemented. The outline
structure of the Information System will be designed in this phase considering the main
objectives of the Hatchery Company. The budget required for the successful accomplishment of
the project is calculated in this phase (Banihashemi et al., 2017). In addition to this a complete
feasibility study is also done to make ensure that whether the project will be successful from the
business perspectives or not. If it is found that the business outcome will not be feasible then the
project structure should be changed accordingly.
In this phase, the requirements of the project will be identified and the information will
be gathered from the respective resources in this phase. Apart from this, the record keeping
system that should be adopted and followed by the company is also structured in this phase. The
team needed implementing this project is also assigned in this phase (Chih & Zwikael, 2015).
Moreover, the ICT supportive system should be designed in such a way so that it can increase the
overall business efficiency by reducing the operational faults. The three different operations

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serve by the company are stock management, office and the hatchery. The issues f manual stock
management can be completely resolved with the design and implementation of the Information
System (IS).
Planning phase: This is the second phase of ICT project management which is should be
for the successful implementation of the project. In this phase a communication management
plan, risk management plan, stock management plan, contingency and procurement management
plan are designed (Muszynska et al., 2015). An accurate communication management plan is
very much crucial for the project manager to use so that the project team members can freely
convey their creatively and ides with the rest of the project team members. The procurement plan
will also be designed in this phase to make sure that all the project criteria are being followed.
The expected ability of the accounts department of the hatchery is also planned accordingly in
this phase. The prototype of the Information System is outlined in this phase.
Execution: This is the third phase of the implementation of the Information System (IS).
In this phase, the system will be tested through unit testing, integrated testing and acceptance
testing. If the system meets all the criteria and accepted by the internal consumers through
validation and verification then he system will be implemented.
Monitoring and control: As the system will be implemented it must be monitored and
controlled by the project manager (Putra, Ahlan & Kartiwi, 2016). It is the responsibility of the
project manager to monitor and control the progress of the project. It is expected that the
business productivity and quality of the company will automatically improve through this
approach. Proper security measures are also should be incorporated in terms of encryption,

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firewall technology to secure the financial records and the personnel details of the consumers of
the company.
Closure: This is the last phase of ICT project management. Though, the project will be
officially finished in this phase, but still the post project maintenance programs are also
implemented in this phase (Silvius & Schipper, 2014). It is expected that with the successful
design and implementation of the ICT based Information System project Raymonds will be able
to meet the business objectives and can expand the Maria’s Aquarium business throughout along
with competitive advantages.

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References
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