executive MBA subject 12

IT Management

Year 1, term E. 5.0 ECTS, about 125 hours, 6 parts. Part 1 is free.

task, condition, standard

What you will be able to do

Task, condition and standard

Task

Write a business case for a digital project including sourcing, integration, security and AI rules.

Condition

Given the current systems map, a budget and a list of business needs.

Standard

The case links each need to a solution, compares costs over five years, and covers security and data rules.

Who it is for: Managers who must decide on digital projects, systems and data without being IT specialists.

how this subject works

Free entry, voice and your learning style

Part 1 is free to try. Read it, listen to it and answer it before you decide. Join the programme, or this subject on its own, to open the other parts.

Listen. Every part has a Listen button that reads it aloud.
Speak or type. Answer each part by talking (press Speak) or by typing. Your answers stay on this device only.
Learn your way. Every part has a See, Hear, Do and Read-and-write route. Not sure which suits you? Take the eight-question learning-style check.

6 parts

The parts, with worked examples

Part 1 Digital context and strategy 21 hUnderstand: explain

Digital strategy is business strategy using digital tools. Start with the business goal, then ask what technology helps reach it.

Goal first, tool second
Digital can cut cost, improve service or create new products
Measure the business result, not the go-live

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Online ordering lifts orders from 1,000 to 1,150 a month (+15%) and cuts order handling from 6 to 2 minutes, saving 4,600 minutes a month, about 77 hours.

Activity: Write one business goal and two digital ways to reach it.

Standard: Goal is measurable and both ideas are linked to it.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "digital context and strategy" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Write one business goal and two digital ways to reach it.

Part 2 Business and IT alignment 21 hAnalyse: align

Alignment means IT spends on what the business needs most. A simple portfolio view helps choose projects.

Score projects on value and effort
Do high value, low effort first
Review the portfolio each quarter

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Project A: value 8, effort 3. Project B: value 6, effort 7. A gives 2.7 value per effort point and B 0.9. Do A first.

Activity: Score five IT projects on value and effort and rank them.

Standard: All five scored and ranked with reasons.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "business and it alignment" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Score five IT projects on value and effort and rank them.

Part 3 Digitisation and platforms 21 hAnalyse: compare models

Platforms connect two or more groups, such as buyers and sellers. They grow as each side attracts the other.

Network effects: more users make it more useful
Start with the hardest side
Charge the side that gains most

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. A marketplace takes 10% of each sale. 500 sellers selling 2,000 a month each = 1m in sales and 100,000 in fees a month.

Activity: Sketch a platform for your industry and say who pays.

Standard: Both sides named, the fee model explained and one number worked out.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "digitisation and platforms" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Sketch a platform for your industry and say who pays.

Part 4 Systems integration and data 21 hApply: connect

Systems that do not talk create double typing and errors. Integration and a single source for key data save time and improve decisions.

One owner and one source for each key data item
Connect systems through standard interfaces
Check data quality regularly

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Orders are typed twice, 400 a day at 1 minute each: 400 minutes a day. With a 2% error rate, 8 orders a day go wrong. Linking the systems removes both.

Activity: Map where one key data item is created and used in your firm.

Standard: All systems shown, the source named and duplicate entry identified.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "systems integration and data" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Map where one key data item is created and used in your firm.

Part 5 Sourcing and cloud 21 hEvaluate: compare costs

Build, buy or rent. Cloud services turn large up-front costs into monthly fees, but costs must be compared over several years.

Total cost over five years, not year one
Include staff, support and exit costs
Check where data is kept and who can access it

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Own servers: 200,000 up front plus 30,000 a year: 350,000 over 5 years. Cloud: 70,000 a year: 350,000 over 5 years. Equal cost, so decide on flexibility and skills.

Activity: Compare five-year costs of two sourcing options.

Standard: Totals correct and the non-cost factor stated.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "sourcing and cloud" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Compare five-year costs of two sourcing options.

Part 6 Managing IT, security and AI governance 21 hEvaluate: set rules

Security and AI need rules: who can access what, how data is protected, and how AI outputs are checked before use.

Least access: people see only what they need
Backups and a tested recovery plan
AI: human check on decisions about people and money

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Phishing tests: 18 of 100 staff clicked in January. After training, 6 of 100 clicked in March: a fall from 18% to 6%.

Activity: Write five rules for safe use of AI tools in your team.

Standard: Five clear rules covering data, checking and accountability.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "managing it, security and ai governance" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Write five rules for safe use of AI tools in your team.

ten checks

Check yourself

Say or write your answer first, then read the model answer.

Q1. What comes first, the goal or the tool?
Model answer: The goal. (Covered in part 1: Digital context and strategy.)
Q2. Orders rise from 1,000 to 1,150. Percentage rise?
Model answer: 15%. (Covered in part 1: Digital context and strategy.)
Q3. Value 8, effort 3 versus value 6, effort 7. Which first?
Model answer: The first: value 8, effort 3. (Covered in part 2: Business and IT alignment.)
Q4. What is a network effect?
Model answer: More users make the service more useful to each user. (Covered in part 3: Digitisation and platforms.)
Q5. 500 sellers x 2,000 x 10%. Monthly fees?
Model answer: 100,000. (Covered in part 3: Digitisation and platforms.)
Q6. Why have one source for key data?
Model answer: To avoid double entry and conflicting numbers. (Covered in part 4: Systems integration and data.)
Q7. 400 orders a day with a 2% error rate. Errors a day?
Model answer: 8. (Covered in part 4: Systems integration and data.)
Q8. Why compare costs over five years?
Model answer: Up-front and monthly costs only compare fairly over time. (Covered in part 5: Sourcing and cloud.)
Q9. What is least access?
Model answer: People can see only what they need for their work. (Covered in part 6: Managing IT, security and AI governance.)
Q10. Clicks fall from 18 to 6 per 100. New rate?
Model answer: 6%. (Covered in part 6: Managing IT, security and AI governance.)

slides L1 to L7

The seven-level ladder, slide by slide

Slide 1: L1 Digital basics. Goal first. Speaker note: Say: put "digital basics" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 2: L2 Alignment. Value and effort. Speaker note: Say: put "alignment" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 3: L3 Platforms. Network effects. Speaker note: Say: put "platforms" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 4: L4 Data. One source, integration. Speaker note: Say: put "data" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 5: L5 Sourcing. Five-year cost. Speaker note: Say: put "sourcing" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 6: L6 Security and AI. Rules and checks. Speaker note: Say: put "security and ai" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 7: L7 Digital leadership. Portfolio and business case for the board. Speaker note: Say: put "digital leadership" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.

how it is judged

Marking rubric

Marking rubric (Not yet, Meets, Exceeds)
Criterion	Not yet	Meets	Exceeds
Accuracy	Several figures or facts are wrong.	Main figures are correct and the working is shown.	Figures are correct and checked a second way.
Use of it management tools	Tools are named but not used.	The right tools are used for each step.	Tools are adapted to the case and their limits are stated.
Recommendation	No clear answer.	A clear answer backed by the analysis.	A clear answer that also says what would change it.
Communication	Hard to follow.	Answer first, clear and short.	Clear, short and persuasive under questions.

jobs this leads to

Where this takes you

IT manager. Runs systems and IT projects.
Digital transformation lead. Leads change with technology.
Information security officer. Protects systems and data.

language

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This subject is in English first. Choose any language and the page is translated for you by machine, with the English kept as the official text.

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All subjects Previous: Entrepreneurship Next: Corporate Finance

Draft for review. Not live. Credit values are aligned with the European credit system for orientation only and are not an accreditation.