IFN631 IT Governance

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

This is a foundational executive Information Technology (IT) unit addressing the core concepts, frameworks and methods for IT leaders (e.g. CIOs, IT Managers) to support their organizations in creating and delivering business value with information and technology through business-IT alignment. Three main outcomes that can be expected after successful adoption of IT governance are: benefits realization, risk optimization, and resource optimization. The unit takes an enterprise-wide, managerial perspective on how IT executives can facilitate the transition towards digital business and set the executive agenda for IT in larger organizations. This unit builds on IFN528 Management of Information Systems, which introduces you to a foundational understanding of information systems and their role in transforming organizations. 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Explain and apply key concepts, frameworks and methods for governing IT in organisations.
2. Assess value, alignment and governance in an organizational context for a digital innovation to support executive decision making.
3. Develop business case in the context of IT governance including benefits and risk to support executive decision making.
4. Communicate effectively to a multidisciplinary, executive audience.
5. Work effectively as a member of a team

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit will use lectures to provide you the big picture and apply concepts, frameworks, and methods through real world case studies and examples. This will be support by modules with online resources that will provide a more detailed description and explanation of concepts, frameworks, and methods. You are expected to study these modules as preparation for the lectures and workshops.

This unit will use workshops to practise the use of concepts, frameworks, and methods and support you with your assessment task. Peer-to-peer learning will play a major role and you are encouraged to work together building on each other’s strengths and assisting each other to learn, valuing the knowledge and experience you bring. As these workshops will be ‘hands-on,’ you are required to actively participate in these workshops. You are expected to study the lectures and modules as preparation for the workshops.

The assessment tasks will use real-world examples and authentic assessment to learn how organizations can grow their digital business and make IT investment decisions. You are expected to study the lectures, modules and workshops as preparation for the assessment tasks. 

The unit will reflect the interdisciplinary nature of IT leaders as being across business and IT.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will get feedback on learning and assessment through participating in the workshops. These will include quizzes on the unit content and exercises to practise the concepts, frameworks, and methods. The workshops will also support you with your assessment tasks and provide formative feedback. In addition, there will be summative feedback on your assessment tasks through the marking criteria and comments.

Assessment

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: New digital business opportunity

You will develop an executive level presentation that show how you envision and justify a new opportunity for innovating the business with IT in a contemporary setting.

Assessment: New digital business proposal

You will develop an executive level report presenting a business case that can be used to support decision making regarding a new digital business initiative.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Exam

A written examination that may include multiple-choice questions and short answer questions.

Note that this assessment item may change depending on the COVID-19 situation. This will be evaluate and communicate mid-semester.

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

There are no unusual health or safety risks associated with this unit.