Excellence in IT Management

Introduction:

The effectiveness of management in an IT function differs significantly from the development and support of technical IT solutions. While general managerial skills are beneficial, this Excellence in IT Management course emphasizes the need for a program specifically designed for IT professionals.

This course introduces fundamental concepts and best practices in IT management, focusing on equipping practitioners with effective IT operation and strategy management skills. It is structured around five key areas: IT strategy, project excellence, communication technology, operational and crisis management, and commercial acumen. Mastery of these five management skills is essential for IT managers to achieve business results and career success.

Objectives:

By the end of this Excellence in IT Management course, participants will be able to:

• Formulate an effective IT strategy.
• Improve project delivery rates and manage a portfolio of projects.
• Enhance operational efficiency through various models.
• Manage technical crises effectively.
• Develop sourcing plans to ensure supplier delivery.
• Set clear objectives for IT contracts.
• Negotiate technical agreements successfully.

Training Methodology:

• Classroom interaction
• Case study analysis
• Laboratory sessions
• Teamwork
• Simulation games
• Practice projects
• Testing

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Business Strategy

• Understanding strategy and its significance
• Building high-level strategies
• Defining the organization’s mission

Unit 2: IT Strategy

• Methodology for IT strategy
• Aligning IT strategy with business strategy
• Strategic objectives and the IT balanced scorecard
• IT strategy and enterprise architecture
• Creating a one-page strategic plan
• Strategy formulation

Unit 3: Project Excellence

• Project, program, and portfolio management
• Evaluating project business cases, including investment and risk analysis
• Learning from past IT project successes and failures
• Governance and reporting of projects
• Managing a project portfolio
• The impact of the first ninety days
• Leading business transformation
• Steps to increase success in change projects
• Change Management with IT support

Unit 4: Communicating Technology

• Communication techniques for IT
• Explaining IT concepts to non-technical audiences
• Crafting effective technology messages
• Role-playing for challenging IT scenarios

Unit 5: Business Relationship Management

• Managing business relationships
• The POSTMAN method for defining business needs
• Advanced questioning techniques
• Persuasion techniques

Unit 6: Operational and Crisis Management

• Continual Service Improvement (CSI) systems
• Consolidating ITIL, Six Sigma, and Lean IT methods
• Root cause analysis
• Leadership in crisis situations
• Preparing for and responding to serious incidents
• Crisis communication

Unit 7: Commercial Acumen

• Evaluating suppliers
• Making informed choices
• Understanding suppliers' strengths and weaknesses
• Selecting technology vendors
• Developing a partnering mindset
• Leveraging vendor solutions

Unit 8: Essentials of IT Contracts

• Structuring successful IT contracts
• Achieving objectives with in-house lawyers
• Managing contractual variability
• Overseeing IT contract portfolios

Unit 9: IT Management Conflict Resolution

• Understanding negotiations
• Preparing for the negotiating process
• Finalizing agreements
• Group negotiations
• Outpacing initial agreements