Computer Information Systems Project and Case Competition

2019 CIS Case Competition, April 12–14

Demonstrate your command of information systems, gain valuable feedback from industry experts, and network with peers and professionals during our annual Computer Information Systems Case Competition. Students studying information systems and technology, management information systems, software engineering, and computer science are invited to present projects and participate in a live case analysis during the three-day event.

Participation in the April 12–14 competition is free for students and supervisors. Ball State provides most meals and snacks, but participants are responsible for travel and hotel accommodations.

Since 2012, Ball State has hosted the competition, which averages about a dozen teams each consisting of a maximum of six undergraduate students and a team coach or faculty advisor. Before the competition, students submit a five-page document (approximately 1,500 words) about their project.

During the competition, students demonstrate their projects and then present a case analysis solution to a panel of judges. Awards are presented to the top three overall projects across several categories.

Competition Team Guidelines

Eligibility

Participation is open to any student in information systems or a related major, from any college or university, who meets the following criteria:

Entrants must be enrolled as undergraduate students at the time the project was completed.
Individuals or teams of no more than six students can submit a project. Limit four teams per school.
Individual/teams may submit only one entry, which must be original work completed by the student(s).
The project must be a real-world endeavor the individual/teams completed for a client (individual, business, not-for-profit, club, association, or other organization).
Each submission must be 85 percent complete by the time of the presentation so that the individual/teams can answer judges’ questions.

Project Report Guidelines

Project papers may address any area of information systems and should adhere to the following guidelines:

Do not exceed five pages or 1,500 words, which includes the paper, works cited, and appendix (if applicable).
Include the following headings: Abstract, Problem Definition, Methodology, and Solution.
Submit original work only.
Write in English, using standard APA or MLA formatting guidelines.
The style and technical details should be presented so that both a non-technical business executive and a technician can understand and appreciate the content. (For example, a business executive would be interested in understanding what problem was addressed and how it could be solved, and a technician would likely want to know the means to implement a solution.)
Identify the community partner and demonstrate the impact on the client, which may be defined widely by geographic, interest, research, generational, religious, national, social, socio-economic, academic, etc.

Participants will receive valuable feedback about their paper from the experienced practitioners serving as judges.

Registration (closed)

Registration for the Eighth Annual Case Competition is now closed. Join us for our next case conference April 17–19, 2020. Registration is expected to be open September 1.

Plan Your Visit

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Lodging

Book your group at our participating hotel locations for the 2019 CIS Case Competition. See options.

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Dining

Ball State ranks as one of the best universities for food in the nation. See options.

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Campus Map

Find buildings or parking on campus, as well as info about shuttles, accessibility, and more. View map.

2018 Results

Twelve teams from numerous Midwestern universities competed against each other during the Seventh Annual Computer Information Systems Case Competition in 2018. The weekend included an elegant dinner at Ball State’s student-run restaurant, Allègre, a keynote speaker, student presentations demonstrating business skillsets, and an award ceremony with gift presentations.