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Monash University

FIT9006 Information technology management - Semester 1, 2011

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.

Mode of Delivery

Caulfield (Evening)

Contact Hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs laboratory/wk

Workload

Weekly workload commitments involve a total of 12 hours, including:

  • a two-hour lecture;
  • a two-hour tutorial or laboratory (requiring preparation in advance); and
  • an average of 8 hours of out-of-class time, involving reading, class preparation, assignment work, revision, and computer-based activities.
  • You will need to allocate up to 5 hours per week in some weeks, for use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

IMS9043

Chief Examiner

Mahbubur Rahim

Campus Lecturer

Caulfield

Dr Mahbubur Rahim

Contact hours: Tuesday: 2pm to 5pm, Room H7.44, Building H, Caulfield

Tutors

Caulfield

Dr Markus Belkin

Contact hours: TBA

Ms Nergiz Ilhan

Contact hours: TBA

Mr Adel Moslehi

Contact hours: TBA

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this unit students will have -
A knowledge and understanding of:

  • 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);
  • 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 organistions operational needs;
  • the technical processes of a generic SDLC model, contract development, outsourcing and package purchase as alternative approaches to providing information systems;
  • the project management processes related to in-house and contract software development, software outsourcing, package acquisition and implementation;
  • 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;
  • IT professional ethics, and ethical issues in the management and use of IT within organisations.
Developed attitudes that enable them to:
  • have a systematic approach to IT provisioning in a business whilst maintaining a pragmatic approach to business needs;
  • critically assess the worth of technological innovations for their contribution towards meeting business objectives in both the short-term and the longer term;
  • recognise the management of IT infrastructure as a corporate resource, and business information as critical to meeting business objectives;
  • develop a project management approach to developing information systems that are appropriate to the organisations needs;
  • maintain ethical principles and practices in IT management.
Developed the skills to:
  • apply selected systems development techniques associated with SDLC-based system developments;
  • model business processes using industry standard modelling conventions and a standard commercial business process modelling software package;
  • determine requirements and specifying development or acquisition projects, using both traditional and innovative techniques and methods;
  • apply project management techniques and using project management software.
Demonstrated the communication and teamwork skills necessary to:
  • acquire understanding of the IT management and project management processes not only in terms of objective criteria like budgets, resources and software tools, but also as social activities and relationships involving individual, group and corporate-wide objectives and imperatives.

Graduate Attributes

Monash prepares its graduates to be:
  1. responsible and effective global citizens who:
    1. engage in an internationalised world
    2. exhibit cross-cultural competence
    3. demonstrate ethical values
  2. critical and creative scholars who:
    1. produce innovative solutions to problems
    2. apply research skills to a range of challenges
    3. communicate perceptively and effectively

    Assessment Summary

    Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

    Assessment Task Value Due Date
    Business Process Modeling and Business Process Improvement: The Case of a Travel Agency 20% Friday 15 April 2011
    Analysing Green IT Strategy in the Australian Tertiary Educational Institutions 20% Friday 20 May 2011
    Examination 1 60% To be advised

    Teaching Approach

    Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
    This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning.

    Feedback

    Our feedback to You

    Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
    • Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
    • Graded assignments with comments
    • Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

    Your feedback to Us

    Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through SETU, Student Evaluation of Teacher and Unit. The University's student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

    For more information on Monash's educational strategy, and on student evaluations, see:
    http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html
    http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html

    Previous Student Evaluations of this unit

    If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
    https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

    Required Resources

    To access weekly lecture and tutorial materials, students will need access to an Adobe Acrobat reader, and Microsoft Office software.

    Microsoft Project will be the project management software used, and Microsoft Visio will be used for preparing charts and diagrams for tutorials and assignments. Students may also use other relevant drawing or other software they have access to, eg SmartDraw.

    Off-campus students will be provided with academic licenses for these products. On-campus students may use the software in the computer labs.

    Alternatively, software may be purchased at academic price at good software retailers on provision of evidence of enrolment (your current student card).

    Unit Schedule

    Week Date* Activities Assessment
    0 21/02/11   No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
    1 28/02/11 Unit overview & Strategic contexts of IT management Monday 19 July - no tutorials week 1
    2 07/03/11 IT strategy and business strategy Tutorials commence
    3 14/03/11 Business process modelling  
    4 21/03/11 IT systems sucess and failure  
    5 28/03/11 Systems concepts and types of IT-enabled information systems  
    6 04/04/11 IT project management overview  
    7 11/04/11 IT provisioning Assignment 1 due on Friday 15 April 2011
    8 18/04/11 IT outsourcing  
    Mid semester break
    9 02/05/11 Ethics for IT/IS professionals  
    10 09/05/11 Legal issues for IT/IS professionals  
    11 16/05/11 Managing IT in organisations Assignment 2 due on Friday 20 May 2011
    12 23/05/11 IT project teams and managing international IT projects  
      30/05/11 SWOT VAC No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC

    *Please note that these dates may only apply to Australian campuses of Monash University. Off-shore students need to check the dates with their unit leader.

    Assessment Policy

    To pass a unit which includes an examination as part of the assessment a student must obtain:

    • 40% or more in the unit's examination, and
    • 40% or more in the unit's total non-examination assessment, and
    • an overall unit mark of 50% or more.

    If a student does not achieve 40% or more in the unit examination or the unit non-examination total assessment, and the total mark for the unit is greater than 50% then a mark of no greater than 49-N will be recorded for the unit

    Assessment Tasks

    Participation

    • Assessment task 1
      Title:
      Business Process Modeling and Business Process Improvement: The Case of a Travel Agency
      Description:
      This assignment is designed to test your understanding about the significance of modeling business processes in organizations. The assignment also focuses on the business analysis and business change aspects of IT/IS. You are required to carefully read the case description on a travel agency given in the Assignment document and perform a number of tasks
      Weighting:
      20%
      Criteria for assessment:

      Your assignment submission will be evaluated using these criteria:

      • Research skills--Identifying relevant sources, the breadth of sources drawn on and accurate referencing.
      • Content-related factors--Systematically addressing the key areas identified.
      • Cognitive skills--Analysis, evaluation and synthesis.
      • Writing skills--Structure, coherence, expression, presentation.
      Due date:
      Friday 15 April 2011
      Remarks:
      Your assignment submission will be evaluated using these criteria:
      •  Research skills--Identification and use of relevant sources; accurate referencing.
      • Content-related factors--Systematically addressing the key areas identified.
      • Cognitive skills--Analysis, evaluation and synthesis.
      • Writing skills--Structure, coherence, expression, presentation.
    • Assessment task 2
      Title:
      Analysing Green IT Strategy in the Australian Tertiary Educational Institutions
      Description:
      This assignment is designed to test your understanding about the significance of IT strategy in organisations in general and educational institutions in particular. The assignment requires you to consult relevant IT related journals, text books, electronic sources and FIT9006 lecture notes on IT/IS strategy. Your answer should be approximately the “suggested length” specified for each question. Please note that the terms IT and IS are used in their broad sense and hence they are considered to refer to the same concept.
      Weighting:
      20%
      Criteria for assessment:
      • Content-related factors--Demonstrated understanding of the basics of project management as applied to IS development.
      • Application of project management techniques and software--Demonstrated skills in applying project management techniques and using project management software.
      • Business process modelling skills.
      • Demonstrated understanding, awareness and sensitivity to the process and social dimensions of project team work.
      • Writing and presentation skills, accurate referencing.
      Due date:
      Friday 20 May 2011
      Remarks:
      Criteria for assessment :
      •  Content-related factors--Demonstrated understanding of the basics of project management as applied to IS development.
      • Application of project management techniques and software--Demonstrated skills in applying project management techniques and using project management software.
      • Business process modelling skills.
      • Demonstrated understanding, awareness and sensitivity to the process and social dimensions of project team work.
      • Writing and presentation skills, accurate referencing.

    Examinations

    • Examination 1
      Weighting:
      60%
      Length:
      3 hours
      Type (open/closed book):
      Closed book
      Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
      None

    Assignment submission

    Assignment coversheets are available via "Student Forms" on the Faculty website: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/
    You MUST submit a completed coversheet with all assignments, ensuring that the plagiarism declaration section is signed.

    Extensions and penalties

    Returning assignments

    Policies

    Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University's academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash's Education Policies at:
    http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html

    Key educational policies include:

    Student services

    The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at www.monash.edu.au/students The Monash University Library provides a range of services and resources that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a regular basis

    Further reading

    • Applegate, Lynda M., Austin, Robert D. & McFarlan, F. Warren. (2009). Corporate information strategy and management: Text and cases. (8th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin. ISBN 9780073402932; 0073402931.
    • Avison, David & Torkzadeh, Reza. (2009). Information systems project management. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ISBN: 9781412957021.
    • Frenzel, Caroll W. & Frenzel, John C. (2004). Management of information technology. (4th ed.).Boston, MA : Thomson, Course Technology. ISBN 0-619-03417-3.
    • Fuller, Mark A., Valacich, Joseph S. & George, Joey F. (2008). Information systems project management: A process and team approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN: 013145417X; 9780131454170.
    • Gelinas, Ulric J. & Dull, Richard B. (2010). Accounting information systems. (8th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.   ISBN 9780324663808; 0324663803.
    • Hoffer, Jeffrey A., George, Joey F.  & Valacich, Joseph S. (2008). Modern systems analysis and design. (5th  ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall.  ISBN 9780132240765.
    • Brown, Carol V. et al. (2009). Managing information technology. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J. : Pearson-Prentice Hall. ISBN 9780131789548; 0131789546.
    • McManus, John & Wood-Harper, Trevor. (2003). Information systems project management: Methods, tools and techniques. Harlow, Eng.: Prentice Hall/ Financial Times.
    • Pearlson, Keri & Saunders, Carol S. (2010). Managing and using information systems: A strategic approach. (4th ed.).  Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. ISBN 9780470343814; 0470343818.
    • Reynolds, George W.  (2007). Ethics in information technology. (2nd ed.). Australia; UK; Thomson, Course Technology.  ISBN 1418836311.
    • Schwalbe, Kathy. (2010). Information technology project management. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Course Technology Cengage Learning. ISBN 9780324786927; 0324786921.
    • Turban, Efraim & Volonino, Linda. (2010). Information technology for management: Improving performance in the digital economy. (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
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