I recently was asked how we should teach future IT leaders, and I couldn't hold my ITG tongue for long. This is what happened:
I was recently invited to attend the Board meeting for the Center for Electronic Business, which is sponsored by San Francisco State University. The mission of the CEB is "to promote interaction among students, faculty and practitioners that results in the sharing of knowledge, experience, and expertise in electronically-based business activities, and to foster cooperation and collaboration among participants through joint applied research, sharing of best practices, student internships and related programs."
One of the agenda items was a general discussion on curriculum content for the university's MBA Information Systems Program. The vastness of technology related information coupled with the incredible rate of change creates a significant challenge for academic institutions. What should they be teaching graduate students who want to lead our information technology enterprises and organizations of the future?
The list of required and elective courses currently offered at the graduate school includes the following:
- Building Advanced Business Applications with Java...C+...COBOL (!)
- Internet and World Wide Web Business Applications
- Business Application Design and Development with .NET
- Object-oriented Business Applications Development
- Information Systems Projects
- Software Testing for Quality Assurance
- Information Security and Governance
Members shared ideas on what was being offered today versus what should be offered in the future. The discussion focused largely on specific areas of technology, frameworks and theories. Their greatest challenge is ensuring the curriculum is relevant and stimulating while preparing graduate students for the challenges that lie ahead.
Being new to the forum, I wanted to observe and absorb before offering opinion. I was especially hesitant due to the significance of the question being raised: What do we teach? I did my best to listen intently and focus on the points being made. I say I did my best because I had a very immediate response to their quandary.
My good friend Mike Nelson, President of SecureNet Technologies, saw me struggling to hold my tongue. Mike has known and worked with me for almost 20 years and had sponsored my invitation to attend the meeting because he thought it was a great fit and was intrigued at what I might offer.
The other members of the Board noticed Mike's attempts to prod me into speaking up. As the group's attention turned to me I quickly voiced my reluctance and begged their pardon. I was new to the group and this was a meaty subject at the heart of their purpose. I was sharing a forum with academic leaders and participating in their field on their turf. Though I was not intimidated, I was very respectful.
The Board is comprised of an intelligent, affable and unpretentious group of people who are inquisitive and genuinely open to new ideas. They encouraged me to share my thoughts.
I told them I found myself responding to the question of "What to teach" with the same reply I give to people in IT who ask, "What should we do?" My answer is the same--IT Governance.
My rationale is based on the reality that technology, frameworks, methodologies and approaches will constantly and forever change. What does not change are the IT Governance processes they enable:
- Integrated Business & IT Planning
- IT Investment Assessment, Prioritization, Funding & Benefits Realization Accountability
- IT Financial & Resource Allocation
- Project Prioritization and Decision-making
- Emerging Technology Evaluation & Adoption
- Client Relationship Management
- Building & Maintaining Applications & Infrastructure
- Provisioning of IT Services
- Outsourcing Services
- Audit & Risk Management
- Architecture Management--Standards and Review
I contend that everything we do in IT falls under one or more of these IT Governance processes. I also believe these are the processes that all IT concerns should execute to meet the five principles of IT Governance articulated by the IT Governance Institute (ITGI), which I have written about previously in this blog:
- Ensure IT is aligned with the business
- Ensure IT delivers value to the business
- Ensure IT manages risk
- Ensure IT manages resources
- Ensure IT manages performance
So my reasoning was if they taught these subjects, their curriculum foundation would never need to change. The content and subject matter would change as technology, frameworks, methodologies, etc. changed, but the class titles would remain the same.
They were intrigued by my ideas and we adjourned shortly thereafter. That evening I received a note expressing appreciation for my involvement and inviting me to join the Board as one of their Industry Members.
I am very excited at the prospect of evangelizing IT Governance to the technology leaders of the future.