IAB402 Information Systems Consulting
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | IAB402 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | (IAB204 or Admission to IN20 or IN27) or (192cps in SV03 or IV04 or MV05 or BV06 or EV08) or (Admission to IV53 or IV54 or IV55 or IV56 or IV58) |
| Equivalent(s): | INB322 IAB302 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,118 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,104 |
| International unit fee | $4,788 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | IAB402 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | (IAB204 or Admission to IN20 or IN27) or (192cps in SV03 or IV04 or MV05 or BV06 or EV08) or (enrolment in IV53 or IV54 or IV55 or IV56 or IV58). |
| Equivalent: | INB322 IAB302 |
| Coordinator: | Ignatius Chukwudi | ignatius.chukwudi@qut.edu.au |
Overview
In IAB402 Information Systems Consulting, you will gain an appreciation of the management of consulting practices and an understanding of the consulting sector generally. Having developed business requirements analysis skills in IAB305 to identify systems problems or opportunities and specify solution-approaches, Business Analysts and other IT professionals must be able to convincingly communicate these (problems, opportunities, requirements, solution-approach) to managers, colleagues and clients in the form of a proposal. Many roles benefit from such specialised proposal writing and communication capabilities. Organisations are increasingly moving to flatter, project-oriented, team structures, akin to consulting firms. A better appreciation of the consulting process will be beneficial to students working in these modern organisations as IT professionals. The unit will provide information on establishing a consulting practice and techniques to engage clients successfully.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Discuss Information Systems Consulting frameworks and practices in support of an IT consulting career or related professional activity.
- Analyse a real world client problem or opportunity using appropriate methods and analytic tools.
- Ideate potential solutions for a client using innovative approaches, and systems and design thinking skills.
- Create a comprehensive client proposal with clear recommendations that will assist in decision-making processes within a client firm.
- Apply oral communication skills to communicate effectively in consulting-style presentations and engagement meetings within a competitive team environment.
- Collaborate with others in a team environment to manage a consulting project through the application of the principles and practices of consulting and engagement and personal review techniques.
Content
This unit presents the tactical and strategic issues involved in information systems consulting, and in particular: client engagement. Client engagement is the process of identifying a client, identifying an IS requirement, responding to that issue and obtaining agreement to move the client to action phases in the IS Consulting Lifecycle.
This unit has a particularly emphasis on Information Systems (IS) related work as IS constitutes a substantial portion of consulting activity and cuts across all areas of business expertise. The unit examines the dynamics of IS consulting within the context of large consulting firms and familiarises students with the consulting engagement lifecycles as well as the strategic and operational environment of a consulting firm.
Students are also exposed to consulting management issues such as capability planning, marketing, strategic positioning, and client engagement techniques. There is a concentration on engagement including how to organise a proposal, steps in structuring a client-consultant meeting, consulting presentation techniques, tendering and contacting issues, negotiation and exposure to consultants working in large and small firms.
Learning Approaches
This unit is available for you to study in either on-campus or online mode. The unit revolves around the IS consulting process. Theory, concepts addressed in the lectures and reading materials combined with practical prescription developed in the tutorials come together in a compulsory 7-hour, Saturday workshop at which students, organised into client and consultant teams, interact to arrive at a client choice of consultant proposal. Reflection on this workshop experience will demonstrate application of ideas encountered in the readings and classroom discussion. In tutorials you will practise skills to enhance your chances of securing consultant engagements.
The 2-hour tutorials are skills-based developing presentation, meeting and proposal writing techniques. These tutorial exercises build on the content of the lectures, supported by the readings. The 1-hour lecture is descriptive content covering both practical and theoretical concepts of IS consulting.
Teaching staff are all trained consultants who work in the industry. Other practising consultants also contribute to this subject.
The workshop is a grand simulation of a competitive tender for IS consulting work. Consulting teams will compete in streams of 5 to win the tender, awarded by a Client team. This workshop is based on normal industry practice.
You can expect to spend between 10 - 15 hours per week on average involved in preparing for and attending all scheduled workshops, completing assessment tasks, and undertaking your own independent study to consolidate your learning.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Individual feedback is provided to students on their performance in the tutorial exercises. Structured feedback on presentation, meeting and negotiation technique, based on the weekly recordings, textbook content and Q&As, is provided during each tutorial. Some feedback is also provided by your peers during these processes. This feedback from participating in weekly practical activities will help you to build an essential consulting practice toolkit to prepare for the culminating compulsory Saturday Workshop and to better equip you when entering the IT industry. Feedback on a mini-proposal will be provided by staff to assist you when writing your final workshop proposal. As well as the teaching staff, you will gain insight into the workshop experience through feedback from the 'client-team' who select the winning proposal, and at a reflective discussion session following the workshop where all are debriefed on the experience.
You can obtain feedback on your progress throughout the unit through the following mechanisms: · ask the teaching staff for advice and assistance during lectures and practical sessions · formative advice on your workshop consulting proposal · private consultation with teaching staff.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment is based on formative participation in the development of consulting skills, summative assessment of those skills within the workshop and individual assessment of your knowledge of consulting concepts and practices within an examination.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Open book quiz
Tutorial Exercises
Students will apply critical thinking techniques to consulting scenarios and then demonstrate their application of meeting, negotiation, proposal writing and presentation techniques when providing solutions.
Assessment: Mini Proposal
Mini Proposal - as a consulting team, produce a brief proposal in respone to a client request.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Major Proposal
Consulting Workshop
Students will prepare a consulting proposal in response to a tender and present this report during the Saturday consulting workshop.
The Main Proposal is an assignment for the purposes of an extension, but the presentation is not an assignment.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Risk Assessment Statement
All commencing SEF students are required to complete the Mandatory Safety Induction
There are no extraordinary risks associated with the classroom/lecture activities in this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.IN01 Bachelor of Information Technology
- Demonstrate well-developed IT discipline knowledge
Relates to: ULO1 - Employ appropriate IT Methods
Relates to: ULO3 - Critically apply design and problem solving skills
Relates to: ULO2 - Work independently and within effective teams
Relates to: ULO6 - Communicate effectively in professional contexts
Relates to: ULO5 - Create considered and relevant IT solutions
Relates to: ULO4
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Online
| Unit code: | IAB402 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | (IAB204 or Admission to IN20 or IN27) or (192cps in SV03 or IV04 or MV05 or BV06 or EV08) or (enrolment in IV53 or IV54 or IV55 or IV56 or IV58). |
| Equivalent: | INB322 IAB302 |
Overview
In IAB402 Information Systems Consulting, you will gain an appreciation of the management of consulting practices and an understanding of the consulting sector generally. Having developed business requirements analysis skills in IAB305 to identify systems problems or opportunities and specify solution-approaches, Business Analysts and other IT professionals must be able to convincingly communicate these (problems, opportunities, requirements, solution-approach) to managers, colleagues and clients in the form of a proposal. Many roles benefit from such specialised proposal writing and communication capabilities. Organisations are increasingly moving to flatter, project-oriented, team structures, akin to consulting firms. A better appreciation of the consulting process will be beneficial to students working in these modern organisations as IT professionals. The unit will provide information on establishing a consulting practice and techniques to engage clients successfully.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Discuss Information Systems Consulting frameworks and practices in support of an IT consulting career or related professional activity.
- Analyse a real world client problem or opportunity using appropriate methods and analytic tools.
- Ideate potential solutions for a client using innovative approaches, and systems and design thinking skills.
- Create a comprehensive client proposal with clear recommendations that will assist in decision-making processes within a client firm.
- Apply oral communication skills to communicate effectively in consulting-style presentations and engagement meetings within a competitive team environment.
- Collaborate with others in a team environment to manage a consulting project through the application of the principles and practices of consulting and engagement and personal review techniques.
Content
This unit presents the tactical and strategic issues involved in information systems consulting, and in particular: client engagement. Client engagement is the process of identifying a client, identifying an IS requirement, responding to that issue and obtaining agreement to move the client to action phases in the IS Consulting Lifecycle.
This unit has a particularly emphasis on Information Systems (IS) related work as IS constitutes a substantial portion of consulting activity and cuts across all areas of business expertise. The unit examines the dynamics of IS consulting within the context of large consulting firms and familiarises students with the consulting engagement lifecycles as well as the strategic and operational environment of a consulting firm.
Students are also exposed to consulting management issues such as capability planning, marketing, strategic positioning, and client engagement techniques. There is a concentration on engagement including how to organise a proposal, steps in structuring a client-consultant meeting, consulting presentation techniques, tendering and contacting issues, negotiation and exposure to consultants working in large and small firms.
Learning Approaches
This unit is available for you to study in either on-campus or online mode. The unit revolves around the IS consulting process. Theory, concepts addressed in the lectures and reading materials combined with practical prescription developed in the tutorials come together in a compulsory 7-hour, Saturday workshop at which students, organised into client and consultant teams, interact to arrive at a client choice of consultant proposal. Reflection on this workshop experience will demonstrate application of ideas encountered in the readings and classroom discussion. In tutorials you will practise skills to enhance your chances of securing consultant engagements.
The 2-hour tutorials are skills-based developing presentation, meeting and proposal writing techniques. These tutorial exercises build on the content of the lectures, supported by the readings. The 1-hour lecture is descriptive content covering both practical and theoretical concepts of IS consulting.
Teaching staff are all trained consultants who work in the industry. Other practising consultants also contribute to this subject.
The workshop is a grand simulation of a competitive tender for IS consulting work. Consulting teams will compete in streams of 5 to win the tender, awarded by a Client team. This workshop is based on normal industry practice.
You can expect to spend between 10 - 15 hours per week on average involved in preparing for and attending all scheduled workshops, completing assessment tasks, and undertaking your own independent study to consolidate your learning.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Individual feedback is provided to students on their performance in the tutorial exercises. Structured feedback on presentation, meeting and negotiation technique, based on the weekly recordings, textbook content and Q&As, is provided during each tutorial. Some feedback is also provided by your peers during these processes. This feedback from participating in weekly practical activities will help you to build an essential consulting practice toolkit to prepare for the culminating compulsory Saturday Workshop and to better equip you when entering the IT industry. Feedback on a mini-proposal will be provided by staff to assist you when writing your final workshop proposal. As well as the teaching staff, you will gain insight into the workshop experience through feedback from the 'client-team' who select the winning proposal, and at a reflective discussion session following the workshop where all are debriefed on the experience.
You can obtain feedback on your progress throughout the unit through the following mechanisms: · ask the teaching staff for advice and assistance during lectures and practical sessions · formative advice on your workshop consulting proposal · private consultation with teaching staff.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment is based on formative participation in the development of consulting skills, summative assessment of those skills within the workshop and individual assessment of your knowledge of consulting concepts and practices within an examination.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Open book quiz
Tutorial Exercises
Students will apply critical thinking techniques to consulting scenarios and then demonstrate their application of meeting, negotiation, proposal writing and presentation techniques when providing solutions.
Assessment: Mini Proposal
Mini Proposal - as a consulting team, produce a brief proposal in respone to a client request.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Major Proposal
Consulting Workshop
Students will prepare a consulting proposal in response to a tender and present this report during the Saturday consulting workshop.
The Main Proposal is an assignment for the purposes of an extension, but the presentation is not an assignment.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Risk Assessment Statement
All commencing SEF students are required to complete the Mandatory Safety Induction
There are no extraordinary risks associated with the classroom/lecture activities in this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.IN01 Bachelor of Information Technology
- Demonstrate well-developed IT discipline knowledge
Relates to: ULO1 - Employ appropriate IT Methods
Relates to: ULO3 - Critically apply design and problem solving skills
Relates to: ULO2 - Work independently and within effective teams
Relates to: ULO6 - Communicate effectively in professional contexts
Relates to: ULO5 - Create considered and relevant IT solutions
Relates to: ULO4