Welcome to the second week of Moving to the Cloud! In this module we will look at cloud adoption. First, from a macro perspective and then from the perspective of individual cases and experts. Our special guest interviewees are from Accenture, the Cloud Standards Customer Council, the Australian Taxation Office, and more. We will examine cloud computing in practice and common challenges for cloud buyers and sellers alike. We’ll also take a look at cloud first policies and some of the crucial first steps towards conducting your own due diligence when embarking on cloud computing projects.

Welcome to week three! At the end of this week you will be half way through the course. In this module we will become familiar with the commercial aspects of cloud. We will explore cloud contracts and the specific clauses to watch out for. Then we’ll take a look at some common KPIs in a cloud SLA and what they mean for the business. Some of our previous guest lecturers will also return to share their insights and experience. Lastly, we will investigate the complexity of pricing in cloud configurations and the different vendor charging models.

Welcome to the fourth week! This module is all about getting ready to move the cloud! There is more to moving to the cloud than signing the contract. We need to prepare our organization and muster our people. First, we will introduce: a model for managing the process of change and a capability maturity framework for assessing the “as-is” and “to-be” organizational states. Second, we shall explore the different areas of strategy, architecture, processes, structure, governance and relationships - organizational areas that need to be considered when taking advantage of the cloud. We will also have a couple of student presentations on the differences between cloud and traditional on premise, and generic principals for the adoption of cloud computing technology.

Welcome to the fifth week! This module explores the importance of planning, involving stakeholders and identifying then managing relationships within organizations. We learn to develop a change agenda, identify critical success factors, and discuss the management practices required to navigate challenges that may surface. We also introduce a proven methodology for undertaking change projects and close with three student presentations that provide a uniquely different context to what is covered in the lectures.

Welcome to the final week! We have had such an exciting journey learning about all things cloud! We have explored the adoption and commercial issues and redesigned the way we think about the challenges from different points of view. In this module we learn the journey is far from over and we consider how we can consolidate new ways of working into a cloud culture. We explore the importance of ongoing communication, building awareness, as well as barriers, enablers, tips and traps for making sure the cloud journey becomes fully institutionalized. Additionally, we have two student presentations and finish with an interview with Anthony Wong, President of the Australian Computer Society.