Entry requirements

90 credits in information systems or the equivalent

Learning outcomes

In terms of knowledge and understanding, the student should be able to: 

• account for the various definitions of digital transformation (DT), 
• account for the role of planning and management in DT initiatives, 
• account for the benefits and trade-offs involved in DT initiatives, including around management and governance of data and information technologies, 
• explain how to evaluate different approaches to DT and governance. 

In terms of skills and abilities, the student should be able to: 

• plan and present a DT programme, 
• conduct and document independent analyses of aspects of programme management, 
• consider business/organisational needs, sustainability concerns, technical constraints, and legal/ethical concerns during DT. 

In terms of judgement and approach, after completing the course the student should be able to: 

• critically evaluate different alternatives for the management and governance of DT programmes, 
• discuss challenges and opportunities relating DT programmes,
• critically analyse the relationship between approaches and sustainability.

Content

The focus of this course is to enable students to analyse and evaluate management methods and governance frameworks relevant to DT. It will cover diverse conceptualisations of DT and explore project management as a tool for its implementation. Recognising that DT initiatives are frequently managed as portfolios or programmes of projects, the course will address the specific issues of data/IT governance and programme management, including IT, organisational, and sustainability pressures, while also examining the role of recent digital technologies (e.g., AI, IoT, VR, blockchain) in driving organisational innovation.

Instruction

Lectures, laboratory sessions, and supervision.

Assessment

Seminars, presentations, a written exam, and assignments.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator or a decision by the department's working group for study matters.