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There are 4 modules in this course
Now more than ever, corporations are investing heavily in IT. The quality of these investments affect the daily work of millions, yet it’s not uncommon to see industry surveys where the failure rates for IT projects is over 50%. It’s possible to do better and it’s possible to do so consistently. In this two-week course, we’ll step through major challenges within corporate IT and how to address them with the disciplined use of design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
By the end of this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty, you’ll be able to:
Use the Business Model Canvas to focus your company strategy and facilitate buy-in from stakeholders
Translate your work on the Canvas to specific charters in IT
Rapidly prototype strategically-aligned processes for implementation within your IT infrastructure
Please Note: This is a short-form course, two weeks in duration.
To do strategic IT, you’ve got to have a strategy! Ideally, you need one that’s easy to understand and use as a clear basis for action. That’s what you’ll learn this week.
What's included
8 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 47 minutes
Course Intro•3 minutes
The Problem with IT Projects•5 minutes
The 20-Minute Strategy Brief•4 minutes
IT Strategy Brief: Value Definition•7 minutes
IT Strategy Brief: The Customer Journey•7 minutes
IT Strategy Brief: Key Activities•7 minutes
Demo: Business Model Canvas Template•9 minutes
Drafting a Process Inventory from Key Activities•5 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Course Overview & Requirements•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 1 Quiz on Customer-Centric Strategy•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Get to know your classmates•10 minutes
Designing, Testing, Redesigning
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
You’ve learned that being more intentional and acquiring and actionable understanding not just of what users say but of what they do is key to delivering successful IT. Now you’re going to learn more detail on how to iteratively prototype and test solutions to make sure not just that they don’t break, but that they deliver superior outcomes.
What's included
8 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 38 minutes
Your IT Pipelines•6 minutes
Prototyping with Process•4 minutes
An Example of Prototyping with Process•5 minutes
Demo: Sketching a Process Design•6 minutes
Test Criteria: 0, 30, 90 Days•7 minutes
Skit: Process Design•3 minutes
Skit: Validation Criteria•2 minutes
Towards Outcome-Driven IT Pipelines•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 2 Quiz on Prototyping IT Solutions•30 minutes
Diagnosing the Economics of Your IT Portfolio
Module 3•1 hour to complete
Module details
It’s comforting as it is to believe there are simply ‘good’ and ‘bad’ product and technology choices. However, the reality is that you get good outcomes by being able to first diagnose your situation and then pair it with situation-appropriate choices on SaaS products, platforms, and stacks. This week, that’s what you’ll learn how to do.
What's included
10 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
10 videos•Total 44 minutes
The Economics of Your IT•2 minutes
Unpacking a Stack•3 minutes
The Model View Controller Framework•2 minutes
Stacks, Any Way You Like•8 minutes
The Economics of SaaS•5 minutes
The Economics of Codeless + BaaS•9 minutes
The Economics of PaaS•4 minutes
The Economics of a Custom App•4 minutes
The Economics of User Devices•5 minutes
Towards an Economical IT Portfolio•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 3 Quiz on Diagnosing the Economics of Your IT Portfolio•30 minutes
Managing Security & Leveraging AI
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
Two hot topics in IT that just keep getting hotter are: 1) cybersecurity and 2) AI. This week, we’ll focus on the technical and economic fundamentals of both so that you can facilitate shared understanding and informed, intentional decisions with your stakeholders.
What's included
14 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
14 videos•Total 73 minutes
The Screen Door•4 minutes
The Superstack•6 minutes
The Attackers•4 minutes
Their Attack Pattern•7 minutes
Your Defense Pattern•7 minutes
Managing Risk•8 minutes
Security and the Stack•3 minutes
AI Today, AI Tomorrow•8 minutes
The Economics of AI & the Enterprise•3 minutes
Finding Your Ground Truth Supremacy•6 minutes
The Economics of Predictive Analytics vs. LLM•6 minutes
Case Study: Finding Ground Truth Supremacy at Jedburgh•4 minutes
Chartering & Governing AI Investments•3 minutes
Course Close•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Week 4 Quiz on Managing Security & Leveraging AI•30 minutes
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A premier institution of higher education, The University of Virginia offers outstanding academics, world-class faculty, and an inspiring, supportive environment. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University is guided by his vision of discovery, innovation, and development of the full potential of students from all walks of life. Through these courses, global learners have an opportunity to study with renowned scholars and thought leaders.
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What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.