Includes

• Copy of IT Management or IT Leadership
• Comprehensive workbook
• Access to Learning Management System
• Access to 4 e-learning presentations per module (typically 10 hours of video / e-learning in total)
• Access to a tutor via email
• Access / download of four assignments per module
• Invitation to IT Leaders network group days (3 per annum, in UK only) & LinkedIn network group
• Access to three live group seminars (typically 60 to 90 minutes in duration)

Module M1 IT Strategy

Strategic leadership starts with and end-to-end process for business strategy. We look at a number of key strategic models and concepts – for example, balanced scorecard, Porter’s five forces, product market (Ansoff) matrices and competitive advantage. The IT strategy module identifies the key steps to develop IT strategy, focusing on aligning it to the business. We provide a workbook template to allow delegates to build their own strategy. The four presentation modules are:

1. Introduction to strategy
2. Creating top level (business) strategy
3. A process for developing IT strategy
4. Optimizing and communicating IT strategy

Module M2 Project management excellence

This module looks at the key issues in project management, managing project portfolios and delivering large programs and business change initiatives. (Read more about the IT project management module) We examine the unique role that IT has to play to drive change in a business whilst ensuring that business sponsors retain ownership. A model of best practice that has been successively evolved by former delegates is presented.. This change journey is brought to life using story telling techniques from the world of films. The four presentation modules are:

1. Creating and reviewing project business cases
2. Project management guidelines
3. Business change leadership
4. Managing a portfolio of projects

Module M3 IT operational performance

In the business model of IT, operational performance is at the heart of success. This module looks at KPIs for running IT organizations, and setting standards and targets. The module uses the ITIL framework and ‘Lean IT’ methods as a basis for assessing organizational efficiency. We present process segmentation techniques to identify the true costs of business operations, assigning values to customer satisfaction and highlighting opportunities for operational improvement. We also look at operational decision making and how to avoid common decision traps, and finally, some guidelines for getting the most from your vendors. (Click to read more about our operational performance for IT managers module)

1. Delivering value and continual service improvement
2. ITIL, Lean IT and six sigma
3. Operational decision making
4. Getting the most from your vendors

Module M4 Crisis leadership

How technology teams organize themselves to resolve major technology incidents says a lot about the leadership of that team. In this module, you will learn several techniques for crisis leadership, with particular focus on the crisis planning, the crisis management team, complex problem resolution and crisis communications. We review a number of major IT crises, identifying how they happened and the lessons learnt in resolving them.

1. Preparing for a crisis
2. Risk management
3. Guidelines for managing crises
4. Problem solving under pressure

Module M5 Commercial acumen

In recent interviews, top international recruitment consultants identified that business acumen was a major factor in the differentiation and, consequently, the appointment of top CIOs. The vast majority of top CIOs come from a technology management route (estimated at about 85% of all appointments). Although many spend time in other functional disciplines, for example in sales and marketing, it is how they apply the principles of business to their own organization that sets them apart. In this module, we focus on technology sourcing, negotiation and finance. (Read more about our commercial acumen training module)

1. IT sourcing strategy and sourcing guidelines
2. What IT managers need to know about contracts
3. The art of negotiating IT agreements
4. Finance for IT manager