Training Course: Excellence in IT Management

Introduction

Course Objectives

• Develop an effective IT strategy.
• Increase project delivery rates and manage a portfolio of projects.
• Lead effectively in a technical crisis.
• Set clear IT contract objectives.
• Effectively negotiate technical agreements.

Course Outline

Day 1: Business and IT strategy

• Business strategy
  • What is strategy?
  • Solving the problems of business strategy.
  • Leading approaches to creating a top-level strategy.
  • Case study ‘Setting corporate direction’.
• IT strategy
  • A proven process for IT strategy.
  • Aligning IT strategy to business priorities.
  • Balanced scorecard IT objectives.
  • Enterprise architecture in IT strategy.
  • Looking for a better way — optimizing IT strategy.
  • Strategic plans — plot on a page.
  • Communicating strategy.

Day 2: Project excellence

• The advanced project, program, and portfolio management
  • Validating project business cases using investment appraisals and sensitivity analysis.
  • IT project management wisdom — lessons learned from successful and failed projects.
  • Effective project governance and reporting.
  • Project portfolio management guidelines.
• The first 90 days
  • Making an impact — the first 90 days.
  • Strategic importance and tactical urgency.
  • Case study ‘Priorities of the new IT director’.
• Business change leadership
  • The emotional cycle of business change.
  • Guidelines for successful change projects.
  • IT's a unique role in business change management.

Day 3: Communicating technology

• Communication skills
  • The art of communicating technology.
  • Presenting IT to non-technical audiences.
  • Creating a compelling technology message — IT’s an elevator pitch.
  • Handling difficult (IT) situations — forum theatre and role play.
  • Group debate — What has IT ever done for us?
• Business relationship management
  • Business relationship scenarios.
  • The POSTMAN technique for identifying priority business requirements.
  • The advanced use of questioning strategies – opening and closing dialogue.
  • Methods of influencing outcomes.

Day 4: Operational and crisis management

• Continual Service Improvement (CSI) models
  • Overview of different frameworks, including ITIL, Six Sigma, and Lean IT.
  • Techniques of root cause analysis.
  • CSI examples and guidelines.
• Crisis leadership
  • Preparing for major (technology) incidents.
  • Managing major incidents.
  • Leading in crisis — the art of communication.
  • Roleplay ‘Handling difficult situations’ — media simulation.

Day 5: Commercial acumen

• Vendors
  • Making good decisions.
  • Avoiding supplier pitfalls.
  • Choosing good technology partners.
  • Creating a culture of partnership.
  • Harnessing vendor innovation.
• Essentials of IT contracts 
  • Contract guidelines for successful IT.
  • Getting what you want from your legal team.
  • Designing contract flexibility.
  • Managing IT contract portfolios.
• IT negotiation strategy
  • Creating a negotiation strategy.
  • Rational supporting arguments.
  • Agreeing on final positions and BATNA.
  • Negotiating as a team.
  • Delivering better-negotiated outcomes.
  • Negotiation role plays and case studies.