Sunday, June 07, 2009

CIS 95D - Managing Outsourcing - A Practicum

For the first time in Spring 2009 we have introduced short courses to respond to the market requirements. Managing Outsourcing is being taught over two weekends - starting June 6th and ending June 14th.

Teaching methodology
Individuals are getting "hands-on" experience in working for C-Bay Inc (a ficticious company) used in our in-class fiction. Director of IT is busy working on keeping the system running and has a new project that needs attention. Students help the Director of IT create a Procurement Plan by first understanding reasoning behind why C-Bay should outsource and how their decision making process should align with stategic initiatives of C-Bay.

Students build a Request for Proposal considering;
1. What part of projects should be outsourced?
2. SWOT analysis technique to develop the reasoning for outsourcing
3. Contract type to be used for the given project at hand
4. How a supplier should be selected?
5. Risks associated with outsourcing

Student also prepare a statement of work that can be utilized to manage the vendor being mindful of tasks to be performed by vendor, deliverables, project duration, payments, vendor requirments and other contractual elements.

Students also learn to manage the vendor through several hard situations to bring a project to completion considering the five pillars of project management - Scope, Quality, Budget, Schedule and Team. Student learn how to manage hard situations by comparing/contrasting solution in class discussion and get a perspective of others on the problem they are solving in class.

Student are required to work in teams and get to experience framework, tools and techniques utilized for integrating the outcomes in realtime (A skill much needed for the real world) - at the same time dealing with politics in team, gain ing consensus and making the project successful.

Following elements contributed to student grade:

1. Individual performance assessment:
Based on Q and A in class (Verbal and Written)
Class participation
Contribution to teamwork for group tasks
Attendance

2. Group work
Score assigned for each task
Group synergy

3. 360 Evaluation
Each member grades their team members
Instructor observations

Overall these classes are engaging - there is lot of interaction among class members and facilitator with students gaining experience - which help in long-term retention of the material.

1 comment:

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