We don't want you to write a lot. But we want you to think a lot. Please read the questions below, and then think hard about them in very specific terms with regard to a your company/situation. We encourage you to do research while choosing your company/hypothetical situation. Your choices here will be a major determinant of how well you satisfy some of the below criteria, and hence your grade. A great paper will have spent a relatively small amount of time writing, relative to the amount of time spent thinking and researching.
The paper will be graded based on the following criteria:
•Crisp writing: to the point, corporate executive summary style writing is encouraged; don't caveat too much, and don't try to be polite or complete in covering all bases
•Quality, Creativity, Originality and Clarity of Thought: choice of company/product in light of questions asked, thinking out of the box, coming up with interesting, original solutions and ideas and non-textbook points of view, clear thinking and exposition
•Judgment: The choice of company, and especially the richness of the issues it exposes per the questions below. So please think hard about that up front.
•Realism: The realism of the company's situation and the issues you examine. All companies have challenges and opportunities, and they are usually very specific to the company itself.
•Domain knowledge in technology and business: demonstrating deep understanding of technical and non-technical issues; researching on the Web to acquire knowledge is strongly encouraged
•Choice and exposition of Tradeoffs: the section on design and technical