Human-Centered Design Thinking

This course deals with the theory and methods associated with design thinking, a problem-solving protocol that spurs innovation and solves complex problems. Design thinking involves a unique form of inquiry which goes well beyond product and service design. Students will develop an appreciation for design and develop skills for studying design systems. These concepts and methods have wide applicability as they can be used to design organizations of people, information structures, compensation systems as well as the entire consumer experience. Applying these approaches can often create entirely new systems that are more useful and usable. The logic of this approach can sometimes solve “wicked problems” which have defied previous solutions.

Leading Creative Collaboration

Innovative organizations are led by people who relentlessly nurture creative collaborations. These leaders stimulate imagination, teach others how to turn imagination into creativity, and build group structures and processes to enable people to turn creative ideas into innovations that drive business results. This course builds individual awareness of creativity and collaboration skills while increasing the student’s capacity for both. It teaches the science behind techniques, tools, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, organizational strategies, and environmental designs that increase group effectiveness. The overall goal is to strengthen the student’s ability to lead others to address meaningful problems and possibilities wherever they may be found.

Big Data Seminar

The field of Big Data is emerging as one of the transformative business processes of recent times. It utilizes classic techniques from Business Intelligence & Analysis, along with a new tools and processes to deal with the volume, velocity, and variety associate with big data. As they enter the workforce, a significant percentage of BIA students will be directly involved with big data either as technologists, managers, or users. This course will build on their understanding of the basic concepts of BI&A to provide them with the background to succeed in the evolving data centric world, not only from the point of view of the technologies required, but in terms of management, governance, and organization. Tools will include Hadoop, Hbase, and related software.

Service Innovation

This course leads students through the identification, analysis, definition, and deployment of service opportunities within public and private organizations. Each of these phases is analyzed in detail to encompass the principal activities, methods, tools and techniques applied in the respective phase. Students will learn how to identify appropriate supporting techniques and information technologies for the different phases of the service life cycle, assess the role of technology, and gauge the organizational impact of service-focused operations. The objective of the course is to enable students to identify, implement and evaluate innovative service offerings in their organization.