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Alex Cowan

Now more than ever, corporations are investing heavily in IT. The quality of these investments affect the daily work of millions, yet it’s not uncommon to see industry surveys where the failure rates for IT projects is over 50%. It’s possible to do better and it’s possible to do so consistently. In this two-week course, we’ll step through major challenges within corporate IT and how to address them with the disciplined use of design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.

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Now more than ever, corporations are investing heavily in IT. The quality of these investments affect the daily work of millions, yet it’s not uncommon to see industry surveys where the failure rates for IT projects is over 50%. It’s possible to do better and it’s possible to do so consistently. In this two-week course, we’ll step through major challenges within corporate IT and how to address them with the disciplined use of design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.

By the end of this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty, you’ll be able to:

Use the Business Model Canvas to focus your company strategy and facilitate buy-in from stakeholders

Translate your work on the Canvas to specific charters in IT

Rapidly prototype strategically-aligned processes for implementation within your IT infrastructure

Please Note: This is a short-form course, two weeks in duration.

Enroll now

What's inside

Syllabus

How do you define a customer-centric strategy you can actually execute?
To do strategic IT, you’ve got to have a strategy! Ideally, you need one that’s easy to understand and use as a clear basis for action. That’s what you’ll learn this week.
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How do you prototype IT solutions people want to use?
You’ve learned that being more intentional and acquiring and actionable understanding not just of what users say but of what they do is key to delivering successful IT. Now you’re going to learn more detail on how to iteratively prototype and test solutions to make sure not just that they don’t break, but that they deliver superior outcomes.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Helps learners understand how to build a customer-centric strategy that they can actually implement
Examines how to prototype IT solutions people actually want to use
Developed by the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty
Part of a short form course series, two weeks in duration

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Reviews summary

Well received customer-centric it strategy

Learners say this course is well received. It is considered engaging and practical, teaching important concepts for IT professionals including Agile principles, customer-centric design, and business model canvas. Students largely find this course useful, despite some criticism that it lacks specifics on implementation and moves too quickly.
Provides informative and useful materials.
"The course materials are really helpful and easy to understand."
"I have learn overview about Agile things and an IT strategy by focusing on customer-centric...I also learn how to sketch a process design. That's amazing."
Contains engaging examples of real-world applications.
"The examples of how to apply the learnings to actual problem scenarios is amazing."
"Excellent content, and some of the examples are actually related to real-life scenarios."
"The course is very informative, which is supported by graphs and examples."
Instructor is knowledgeable and communicates clearly.
"The Instructor made it easy to understand the topics and it was well-organized."
"Excellent course and instructor. Thank you."
"The way the instructor brought over the lesson was broad in a way one could understand"
May lack depth or specifics on implementation.
"not enough specifics how to actually do it"
"It was good enough, But I expected more because its title. Good is the enemy of excellent."
May move too quickly for some learners.
"Could have been slower and had more hands-on experience."
"The Professor talks very fast that I could barely grasp what he says."

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 Customer-Centric IT Strategy with these activities:
Review Business Model Canvas
Refresh your understanding of the Business Model Canvas and its application in strategic IT planning.
Show steps
  • Read Chapters 1-3 of Business Model Generation.
  • Identify the key elements of the Business Model Canvas.
  • Complete the Business Model Canvas for your own IT organization.
Design Thinking Exercises
Practice applying design thinking principles to IT solutions and processes.
Browse courses on Design Thinking
Show steps
  • Identify a problem or challenge within your IT environment.
  • Brainstorm and prototype multiple solutions.
  • Test your solutions with users and gather feedback.
Project Charter Template
Create a project charter template that aligns with the principles covered in the course.
Browse courses on Project Charter
Show steps
  • Research best practices for project charters.
  • Identify the key components of a project charter.
  • Develop a template that includes these components.
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Agile Development Tools and Techniques
Explore and practice using agile development tools and techniques in a practical setting.
Browse courses on Agile Development
Show steps
  • Enroll in an online tutorial or workshop on agile development.
  • Implement agile principles in a real project or case study.
Case Study Discussion Groups
Engage with your peers to discuss and analyze real-world IT case studies.
Browse courses on Case study
Show steps
  • Join a study group or create your own.
  • Select a case study to discuss.
  • Meet regularly to analyze the case study.
Lean IT Project
Apply the principles of Lean IT and Agile to plan and execute a real-world IT project.
Show steps
  • Identify a problem or opportunity in your IT environment.
  • Develop a Lean IT charter and project plan.
  • Implement the project using agile principles.
IT Strategy Consulting
Provide guidance and support to other IT professionals seeking to improve their strategic skills.
Browse courses on Mentoring
Show steps
  • Identify opportunities to mentor others within your organization or network.
  • Share your knowledge and expertise on IT strategy and execution.
  • Provide constructive feedback and support.
Contribute to an Open Source IT Project
Gain practical experience and contribute to the IT community by participating in an open source project.
Browse courses on Open Source
Show steps
  • Identify an open source IT project that aligns with your interests.
  • Join the project's community and contribute your skills.
  • Collaborate with other developers and contribute to the project's growth.

Career center

Learners who complete Customer-Centric IT Strategy will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
IT Project Manager
IT Project Managers plan and execute IT projects to ensure that they are aligned with business objectives and delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. This course may be useful by providing you with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage IT projects, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
IT Architect
IT Architects design and implement IT solutions that meet the business needs of an organization. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful IT Architect, including how to use the Business Model Canvas to focus your company strategy and translate your work on the Canvas to specific charters in IT.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts analyze business needs and develop solutions to improve business processes. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful Business Analyst, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
Product Manager
Product Managers develop and manage products to meet the needs of customers. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful Product Manager, including how to use the Business Model Canvas to focus your company strategy and rapidly prototype strategically-aligned processes.
IT Security Analyst
IT Security Analysts protect an organization's IT systems and data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful IT Security Analyst, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
IT Consultant
IT Consultants provide advice and support to organizations on how to use IT to achieve their business goals. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful IT Consultant, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
IT Auditor
IT Auditors evaluate the effectiveness of an organization's IT controls and make recommendations for improvements. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful IT Auditor, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
Data Analyst
Data Analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to extract insights that can be used to improve business processes and make better decisions. This course may be useful by providing you with the knowledge and skills to effectively analyze data and communicate your findings to stakeholders.
Software Engineer
Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful Software Engineer, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
Web Developer
Web Developers design and develop websites. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful Web Developer, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
Network Administrator
Network Administrators design, implement, and maintain computer networks. This course may be useful by providing you with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage networks, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
Database Administrator
Database Administrators design, implement, and maintain databases. This course may be useful by providing you with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage databases, including how to use design thinking, Lean Startup, and agile as a team framework.
Systems Analyst
Systems Analysts analyze business needs and develop solutions to improve business processes. This course may be useful by providing you with the knowledge and skills to effectively analyze business needs and develop solutions.
Technical Writer
Technical Writers create documentation for software applications and other technical products. This course may be useful by providing you with the knowledge and skills to effectively create technical documentation.
Quality Assurance Analyst
Quality Assurance Analysts test software applications to ensure that they meet quality standards. This course may be useful by providing you with the knowledge and skills to effectively test software applications.

Reading list

We've selected 11 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Customer-Centric IT Strategy.
Practical guide to design thinking, a powerful approach to innovation that can help you to solve complex problems.
Step-by-step guide to the Lean Startup methodology, which can help you to build and launch new products and services with less risk.
Comprehensive guide to Agile software development, which can help you to deliver software faster and with higher quality.
Practical guide to the Lean Product Development process, which can help you to create successful products and services.
Classic work on innovation, which can help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of innovation.
Seminal work on the experience economy, which can help you to understand the importance of creating memorable customer experiences.
Practical guide to Value Proposition Design, a tool that can help you to create a compelling value proposition for your products and services.
Classic work on design, which can help you to create products and services that are both useful and usable.

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