Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Industry Analysis

Almost every industry can expect to experience a major business model disruption as blockchain technologies take hold. In this module, you will explore current applications of blockchain in the financial services industry, and will perform some preliminary market research in order to identify a specific market segment that shows promise for blockchain technologies. Throughout this process, you will use and contribute to our Blockchain Case Commons, which will serve as a shared, continuously-evolving repository of blockchain applications and use-cases for all course participants.

Opportunity Identification

When identifying opportunities for blockchain technology within your chosen market, it is important to understand the kinds of problems that it can and cannot solve—at least in its current state. In this module, you will learn to distinguish between problems that are and are not well-suited to blockchain-based solutions. After considering various opportunities for blockchain technology within your chosen market segment, you will use a decision matrix to select the most promising idea to pursue for your final project. By the end of this week, you will clarify the purpose and objectives of your project, you will identify your target customers/audience, and you will prepare a statement of need and statement of benefit for your proposal.

Positioning

In the last module, you identified a promising idea or opportunity for blockchain within your chosen market segment. This week, you will work on positioning your idea—carving out a niche or identity for your product/service within the minds of your target customers. By the end of this week, you will explain how your idea will bring new or added value to your customers, and how your idea will affect the positioning for your organization.

Execution Plan

An idea may seem great on paper, however actually executing this idea will require careful consideration of various strategic decisions, including those related to funding, risk, talent, timing, corporate boundaries, and partners/allies. In this module, you will begin to think about what would be required to transform your project from idea to reality.

Final Deliverable

So far in this course you have performed an industry analysis, selected a specific market segment, assessed your competition, and identified a promising opportunity for blockchain within your chosen market. As well, you have described how you will position your idea, and have given consideration to the strategic decisions that need to be made in order to transform your idea into reality. In this final module, you will consolidate all of the work you have produced thus far into a final, peer-reviewed project deliverable, which you can use to pitch your idea to your organization and/or potential investors.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops a Strategic Action Plan that can be used to pitch to potential investors

Led by recognized industry experts

Provides multiple tools and resources to help synthesize your learning

Covers specific blockchain use cases and real-world examples

Requires no prerequisites or prior blockchain knowledge

May require additional materials not readily available in a typical household or library

Reviews summary

Blockchain in financial applications enthusiastically received

Learners say practical course helping them learn about blockchain and its applications. Students praised engaging assignments such as the opportunity to develop their own blockchain solutions and present them to the class. The quality of instruction and high-quality video were also well-received. Despite some learners feeling the course could be more challenging, and others finding the use of outdated tools frustrating, many students reported that this course exceeded their expectations and brought them a lot of knowledge.

Learners enjoyed the high quality of course content.

"Very good. High quality video and information. Thank you for the opportunity to listen, watch and learn."

"A very didactic approach, current and that will make you want to learn much more about this technology."

Assignments challenged learners.

"Thank you for enabling us with identifying a specific need within the financial services industry, figuring a solution, pitch our idea to organization with right tools in this course Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan"

"This is an awesome experience playing many roles to build Strategic Action Plan solved using blockchain technology."

Students were disappointed with outdated tools.

"I like the blockchain related content and the challenge to think of our own use case. However, the tools provided are old and no longer used (WBS, Gantt charts) and not compatible with a modern working environment. Using uploads was sometimes painful."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan with these activities:

Review blockchain basics

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Review the fundamental concepts of Blockchain technology to ensure a strong foundation for the course.

Browse courses on Blockchain

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Read an introductory article on blockchain technology.
Watch a video tutorial on the basics of blockchain.
Complete a short online quiz on blockchain concepts.

Review key concepts from introductory computer science courses

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Blockchain technology leverages concepts from computer science. Reviewing these concepts will provide a stronger foundation for understanding blockchain's underlying principles.

Browse courses on Data Structures

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Review lecture notes or textbooks from previous computer science courses.
Complete online quizzes or practice exercises to test your understanding.
Discuss key concepts with peers or instructors.

Read "Blockchain Revolution" by Don Tapscott and Alex Tapscott

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of blockchain technology and its potential impact on various industries, offering insights into the course's focus on the financial services sector.

View Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology... on Amazon

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Read the first three chapters of the book.
Summarize the key concepts and ideas presented in the chapters.
Identify how the book's content aligns with the course syllabus.

Five other activities

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Follow a tutorial on Solidity programming

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Solidity is a popular programming language for developing smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain. This activity will help students gain hands-on experience in implementing blockchain solutions.

Browse courses on Solidity

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Find a reputable tutorial on Solidity programming.
Follow the tutorial step-by-step and create a simple smart contract.
Deploy the smart contract on a test blockchain network.

Solve practice problems on blockchain development

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Regular practice in blockchain development can help solidify students' understanding of the concepts and prepare them for the final project.

Browse courses on Blockchain Development

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Find online coding challenges or practice problems related to blockchain development.
Attempt to solve the problems and debug any errors in your code.
Review and compare your solutions with other students or online resources.

Participate in a study group with other course students

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Study groups allow students to collaborate, share knowledge, and quiz each other on course material, which can enhance comprehension and retention.

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Connect with other course students through the course forum or social media.
Organize regular study sessions to discuss course topics, review assignments, and prepare for exams.
Take turns leading discussions and presenting key concepts to the group.

Develop a research proposal on a blockchain use case in financial services

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This activity encourages students to apply their understanding of blockchain technology by identifying a specific use case in the financial services industry and developing a research proposal to explore its potential.

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Identify a specific problem or opportunity in financial services that can be addressed with blockchain.
Develop a hypothesis and research question related to the use case.
Outline a research methodology to investigate the use case.

Attend a blockchain industry meetup or conference

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Networking events provide opportunities to connect with professionals in the blockchain industry, gain insights into current trends, and learn about potential career paths.

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Research and identify upcoming blockchain industry meetups or conferences.
Register for the event and prepare an elevator pitch about your interests in blockchain.
Attend the event and engage in conversations with other attendees.

Career center

Learners who complete Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Blockchain Developer

Blockchain Developers need to have a deep understanding of the blockchain ecosystem and its potential applications within the financial services industry. This course can provide Blockchain Developers with this knowledge, and also help them develop the skills they need to execute strategic plans.

See salaries and explore the career path for Blockchain Developer

Chief Technology Officer

This course can help Chief Technology Officers develop the skills they need to lead their organizations' blockchain initiatives. This knowledge is essential for Chief Technology Officers who want to stay ahead of the curve and drive innovation within their organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Technology Officer

Chief Information Officer

This course can help Chief Information Officers develop the skills they need to lead their organizations' blockchain initiatives. This knowledge is essential for Chief Information Officers who want to stay ahead of the curve and drive innovation within their organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Information Officer

Chief Executive Officer

This course can help Chief Executive Officers develop the skills they need to lead their organizations' blockchain initiatives. This knowledge is essential for Chief Executive Officers who want to stay ahead of the curve and drive innovation within their organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Executive Officer

Chief Financial Officer

This course can help Chief Financial Officers develop the skills they need to lead their organizations' blockchain initiatives. This knowledge is essential for Chief Financial Officers who want to stay ahead of the curve and drive innovation within their organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Financial Officer

Chief Operating Officer

This course can help Chief Operating Officers develop the skills they need to lead their organizations' blockchain initiatives. This knowledge is essential for Chief Operating Officers who want to stay ahead of the curve and drive innovation within their organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Operating Officer

Chief Risk Officer

This course can help Chief Risk Officers develop the skills they need to lead their organizations' blockchain initiatives. This knowledge is essential for Chief Risk Officers who want to stay ahead of the curve and drive innovation within their organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Risk Officer

Venture Capitalist

Venture Capitalists who invest in blockchain startups need to have a deep understanding of the blockchain ecosystem and its potential applications within the financial services industry. This course can provide Venture Capitalists with this knowledge, and also help them develop the skills they need to execute strategic plans.

See salaries and explore the career path for Venture Capitalist

Business Analyst

Business Analysts who work on blockchain projects need to have a deep understanding of the blockchain ecosystem and its potential applications within the financial services industry. This course can provide Business Analysts with this knowledge, and also help them develop the skills they need to execute strategic plans.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Software Engineer

Software Engineers who work on blockchain projects need to have a deep understanding of the blockchain ecosystem and its potential applications within the financial services industry. This course can provide Software Engineers with this knowledge, and also help them develop the skills they need to execute strategic plans.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Product Manager

This course can teach Product Managers about the blockchain ecosystem and its potential applications within the financial services industry. This knowledge is essential for Product Managers who are working on blockchain-based products or services. Additionally, the course can help Product Managers develop problem-solving skills and learn how to execute strategic plans.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Data Analyst

This course can help Data Analysts develop the skills they need to identify and analyze data related to blockchain projects. This knowledge is essential for Data Analysts who want to work on blockchain projects or who want to provide insights to businesses that are using blockchain technology.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Management Consultant

Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan helps learners understand the financial services industry, and the challenges and opportunities that exist within the blockchain ecosystem. This is valuable knowledge for Management Consultants, as it can help them better serve their clients in the financial services industry. Additionally, this course may help learners develop the strategic planning skills that are essential for success in consulting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Investment Banker

This course may be useful for Investment Bankers who want to learn more about the blockchain ecosystem and its potential applications within the financial services industry. This knowledge can help Investment Bankers make better investment decisions and advise their clients on blockchain-related matters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Investment Banker

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts generate financial models to value companies and make economic predictions. They also present these valuations and/or predictions to clients. To succeed in this role, one must understand how to assess the financial health of a firm, and how to use this information to make sound business decisions. This course may be useful by helping you understand the financial services industry, and the challenges and opportunities that exist within the blockchain ecosystem.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst