IS Consulting

Unit Code:HIT8466

Credit Points	Duration	Contact Hours	Campus	Prerequisite	Corequisite
12.5 Credit Points	1 semester or equivalent	36 Hours	Hawthorn	HIT8036 Business Information Systems for a Rapidly Changing World and HIT8060 Systems Project Management OR HIT7407 Information Systems Project Management	Nil

Credit Points

Duration

Contact Hours

Campus

Prerequisite

Corequisite

12.5 Credit Points

1 semester or equivalent

36 Hours

Hawthorn

HIT8036 Business Information Systems for a Rapidly Changing World and HIT8060 Systems Project Management OR HIT7407 Information Systems Project Management

Nil

Related Course/s:

Master of Information Systems Management, Master of Information Systems Management/ Master of Business Administration, Graduate Diploma of Information Systems Management, Graduate Certificate of Information Systems Management

Aims & Objectives:

Senior leaders in IT need to understand their role as ‘consultants’ to the entire organisation in matters relating to IS/IT. This unit aims to build an understanding of this consulting process, and to develop the knowledge and skills to ensure that senior IS managers are able to effectively engage and influence others with respect to their decisions about IT investments. They need to understand the business dimensions of their practice, and be able to communicate effectively to business colleagues in business terms, not technical ones. In addition, senior IS managers need to take on an advisory role of promulgating 'stories' about technological advance and innovation using business language, and suggesting and facilitating the uptake of such innovations as appropriate throughout an organisation.

Learning Outcomes

Understand the role of IT leaders as consultants and advisors to the entire business [
Plan a consultancy, and demonstrate understanding of how to implement it
Demonstrate ability to research technology advances and trends, and to be able to advise other business units as to how these innovations might/could/should impact their business areas
Communicate effectively both horizontally and vertically on technical matters using plain English
Apply critical thinking and systems thinking skills to problems, take into account multiple perspectives, and derive appropriate solutions
Demonstrate understanding of the role of IT as service delivery to both internal and external clients
Understand importance of developing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders and providing an ‘always available’ resource
Understand different approaches to charging for service delivered
Manage the IT asset life cycle
Act ethically and with integrity in all service delivery contexts
Apply reflective practice to their internal consultancy practice

Teaching Methods:

Lectures, including seminars and workshops (36 hours)

Assessment:

Research assignment, Group assignment, presentations

Generic Skills Outcomes:

In addition to intended learning objectives, students will receive feedback on the following key generic skills:

presentation skills
report writing skills
research skills
critical thinking and problem solving skills

Content:

The relationship between business and IT, the need for alignment
The IT consulting skill set: business, technical, communication
Planning and implementation the consultancy project
IT service provision
Developing and maintaining relationships with customers and/or key stakeholders, effective engagement and communication
Researching technology innovations and trends, and selling these to business units across the organisation
Problem solving from the customer/client’s perspective
Benefits realization processes, measuring performance improvements
Managing the IT asset life cycle
Facilitating innovation throughout the business
applying reflective practice to consultancy

Reading Materials:

Freedman, R. (2000) The IT Consultant: A Commonsense Framework for Managing the Client Relationship. Jossey Bass.

Reich, B. and Neilson, K. (2003) In Their Own Words: CIO Visions about the Future of In-House IT Organizations. Data Base for Advances in Information Systems, 34:4, 28-44.

Block, P. (2011) Flawless Consulting: a Guide to Geting Your Expertise Used. Pfeiffer.