Course Description
Contents
The development of information technology (IT) in organisations often exhibit deficiencies and
many projects do not deliver expected results. To choose, introduce and develop existing IT to be
able to support critical business needs or seize opportunities are important challenges for
organisations. With particular emphasis on the role that IT managers play in the development and
delivery of business solutions, the course focuses on processes, tools and techniques which support
IT development. The course provides a theoretical and practical understanding of the development
of competitive IT solutions. It combines development strategy and methods with organizational
innovation ability, and emphasises how the complexity of this relationship increases in connection
with the fact that modern IT is built upon a convergence of data, content, functionality, services and
infrastructure. During the course key theoretical and practical issues for IT development are
covered, and related to questions regarding how IT development is managed from a project
management perspective.
Expected learning outcomes
After having completed the course the student should be able to
describe processes, tools and techniques for IT development; and
analyse and identify challenges associated with IT development projects; and
understand, explain and use theories and methods for the development of IT and
organisations; and
take a critical approach to different consequences of IT development for organisations and
society.
Course Details
Main field of
study:
Informatics, Information Science
Level:
Advanced level
Semester
Fall 2011
Term:
Autumn Term 2011, weeks 36-03
Language of
instruction:
English
2
Grading scale:
VG Pass with distinction, G Pass, U Fail
Instructors
Johan Sandberg (JS)
Office: MIT house, 4th floor, Department of Informatics
email:
johan.sandberg@informatik.umu.se
;
phone: (090) 786 57 67
Henrik Wimelius (HW)
Office: MIT house, 4th floor, Department of Informatics
email:
henrik.wimelius@informatik.umu.se
;
phone: (090) 786 79 02
Johan Hellström (JH)
Literature
The course is based on a set of readings about IT development. Students are expected to prepare for each
session by attending to the assigned readings in order to participate actively.
Books
Schwalbe, Kathy, 2011,
Information technology project management,
Rev. 6th ed. : Boston, MA :
Course Technology : 1 v. (various pagings) : ISBN: 978-1-111-22175-1 (student ed.)
Tapscott, Don and Williams, Anthony D., 2008,
Wikinomics : how mass collaboration changes
everything.
Expanded ed. : London : Atlantic : 351 s. : ISBN: 978-1-84354-637-5
Articles
Alter, S. (2008). "Defining information systems as work systems: implications for the IS field."
European Journal of Information Systems 17(5): 448-469.
Brown, T. (2008). Design Thinking.
Harvard Business Review,
84-92.
Checkland, P. (1994). "Systems theory and management thinking." American Behavioral Scientist
38(1): 75.
Keil, M. (1995). "Pulling the plug: software project management and the problem of project
escalation." MIS Quarterly: 421-447.
Napier, N. P., Keil, M., et al. (2009). "IT project managers' construction of successful project
management practice: A repertory grid investigation." Information Systems Journal 19(3):
255-282.
Schmidt, R., Lyytinen, K., et al. (2001). "Identifying software project risks: An international Delphi
study." Journal of Management Information Systems 17(4): 5-36.
3
Examination
Examination is done by written exams, active participation in seminars and a project that is done as group
work (including composition and documentation). Examination assumes good ability in written and oral
presentation in English. The grade given is pass with distinction, pass or fail. For students who do not obtain
a pass after the first attempt an additional examination is normally arranged within a short time afterwards.
Students who do not obtain a pass after two examination attempts are allowed to participate in three further
examinations. In order to do so the student must register for the course during the term the examination is
given. For additional attempts to pass the exam special dispensation is needed from the director of studies or
the student counsellor.
The course emphasizes the
practical
use of IT development ideas for managerial purposes. Interaction
between students and between students and instructors is therefore encouraged. At each session we will
discuss the assigned readings and case studies. In addition, all students are required to undertake a course
project in groups. The purpose of the project is to apply ideas and techniques from the course to a IT
development project in a real business setting. The details of the course project are provided in a separate
Group Project Handbook document.
To receive the grade
“Pass” (G) on the course as a whole students are required to pass the following
examinations:
A written exam (6/9) (Please contact Johan Sandberg or Katrin Jonsson if you cannot attend this
session so we can arrange an alternative opportunity)
At least seven out of nine seminars
A group project
A written exam (encompassing all scheduled activities during the course)
In addition to these requirements student need to attain the grade “Pass with distinction” (VG) on the
end-of-term written assignment to receive the overall course grade “Pass with distinction” (VG).
4
Session
Date and Location Required Readings
Teacher
Program Introduction (For those taking the IT Management programme
2011-09-05 10:15 AM-12:00 PM MC313 NA Katrin Jonsson Course Introduction 2011-09-05 2:15 AM-3:00 PM MC323 NA JS
Introduction to Master Level Studies 2011-09-06 1:15 PM-3:00 PM MA456
NA KJ/JS
Buddy Program Intro 2011-09-06 6:30 PM Aula Nordica NA Team Building 2011-09-07 1:15 PM -4:00 PM 4:00 PM->Lighter Dinner MA 466 NA JH
User account registration, intro to
system architecture at the department 2011-09-1210:15-12:00 MA476 NA Åke Holmlund Introduction to IT Project Management 2011-09-13 1:15 PM-3:00 PM MC 323 1. Kathy Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, chapter 1. JS Seminar 1: IT Development in Context 2011-09-20 1:15 PM-4:00 PM MC 323 1. Kathy Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, chapter 2. 2. Alter, 2008. 3. Checkland, 1994. JS
A Practice Perspective on IT &
Businesses 2011-09-22 1:15 PM-4:00 PM MA466
NA JH
Seminar 2: Management of Project
Processes and Integration 2011-09-27 9:15 AM-12:00 PM 1:15 PM-3:45 PM MA456 1. Kathy Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, chapter 3 and 4. 2. Napier et al., 2009. JS
Writing in Academic English (Registration required at:
http://www.internakurser.db.umu.se/K OMPETENSUTVECKLING/BokaKurs .aspx?kursid=338&kategoriId=7) 2011-09-27 4:00 PM-6:00PM B202 NA
Seminar 3: Project Scope and Time
Management 2011-10-04 9:15 AM-12:00 PM 1:15 PM-4:00 PM S305 1. Kathy Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, chapter 5 and 6. JS
5
2. Keil, 1995. A Practice Perspective on IT &
Businesses 2011-10-06 1:15 PM-4:00 PM MA456
JH
Seminar 4: Project Cost and Quality
Management 2011-10-12 1:15 PM-4:00 PM N220 1. Kathy Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, chapter 7 and 8.
2. Delone and McLean, 2003. JS
Seminar 5: Project Human Resource and Communications Management
2011-10-18 1:15 PM-4:00 PM MA176 1. Kathy Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, chapter 9 and 10. JS Guest Lectures:
Digital Innovation: Challenges & Opportunities (Prof. Kalle Lyytinen) A Journey in a Fast Changing Digital Media Landscape (Sara Öhrvall, R& D manager Bonnier) 2011-10-19 1:00PM-2:15PM Lecture Hall C, Social Science building Kalle Lyytinen and Sara Öhrvall
A Practice Perspective on IT & Businesses
2011-10-21
Cancelled Cancelled
Seminar 6: Project Risk and
Procurement Management 2011-10-25 9:15 PM-12:00 PM N210 1. Kathy Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, chapter 11 and 12. 2. Öbrand et al. 2011 JS
Introduction to Redmine, Q&A Group Project
2011-11-07
10:15 AM-12:00 PM MA156
JS/HW A Practice Perspective on IT &
Businesses
2011-11-07 1:15 PM-4:00 PM
JH Group Project: Customer Visit 2011-11-09
1 hour/group between 8AM and 5PM T3 Headquarter: Västra Esplanaden 2, second floor
Seminar 7: Research vs. Practice – What is the Practical Impact of Theories? 2011-11-10 9:15 PM -12:00 PM N200 NA HW Seminar 8 2011-11-15 Group 1, 8:30 – 9:30 Group 2, 9:45-10:45 Group 3, 11-12 MC323 Wikinomics HW/JS Tutoring 2011-11-16 8:30 - 12 HW/JS
A Practice Perspective on IT & Businesses 2011-11-17 1:15 PM-4:00 PM JH Tutoring 2011-11-22 8:30 AM-12:00PM HW/JS Seminar 9 2011-11-29 1:15 PM- 3:00PM Wikinomics HW
6
MA176A Practice Perspective on IT &
Businesses 2011-12-12 1:15 PM- 4:00PM MA466 JH Tutoring 2011-12-13 1 PM-4PM Informatic´s conference room HW/JS
Presentation of Group Projects 2011-12-16 9:00 AM-12:00PM MC413
JS/HW/JH Introduction to the Written Exam 2011-12-16
13:15PM – 14:00 PM MC413
JS/HW Q/A Session Regarding Written Exam 2012-01-16
1:15PM-3:00 PM MC413
JS/HW Deadline Written Exam 2012-01-20
