Leader: Mahbubur Rahim

Offered

Caulfield First semester 2008 (Evening)
Clayton Second semester 2008 (Day)
Gippsland Second semester 2008 (Off-campus)
Hong Kong Second semester 2008 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

This unit presents IT management as a project-based activity, oriented to fulfilling corporate goals, meeting business operational requirements and delivering value for an organisation. Core concepts are established: strategic contexts of IT management, systems, information systems, systems development, business processes and modelling, and IT as support for core business processes. An overview of project management processes, tools and techniques used for software development projects follows. IT-related issues and trends posing complex challenges to management and organisation of the IT resource in contemporary organisations are explored. Ethics in IT management is a central theme.

Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, students will have had the opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of:

1. The strategic contexts of IT management, including: the strategic value and impacts of IT; the strategy process; the need to effectively align business strategy and IT strategy; the value of a portfolio approach to managing IT investments and mitigating risk; the critical importance of a customer-centric approach to IT strategy; and key management roles and relationships (eg CEO-CIO).
2. The more common business processes, and the role that IT can play in managing these processes and in providing information systems that are appropriate for an organistion?s operational needs.
3. The technical processes of a generic SDLC model, contract development, outsourcing and package purchase as alternative approaches to providing information systems.
4. The project management processes related to in-house and contract software development, software outsourcing, package acquisition and implementation.
5. The requirements for ongoing management of the IT infrastructure of an organisation that takes appropriate advantage of technological innovation to address the short-term and long-term objectives of the business.
6. IT professional ethics, and ethical issues in the management and use of IT within organisations.

Assessment

Practical Assignments: 40%; Examination: 60%. A pass in both components is required in order to pass the unit.

Contact hours

Lectures and tutorials: 3 hrs/week