MG481      Half Unit
Innovating Organisational Information Technology

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Availability

Requisites

Additional requisites:

A basic knowledge of computing, including hardware and software. 

The course provides students with a practical and theoretical insight into the processes and practices of developing contemporary digital systems and technologies. The course reflects the diversity of contemporary information systems contexts; discussing how we should manage the development of digital systems and services. The course focuses on new technologies and practices including cloud computing, Software as a Service, mobile and ubiquitous information technology, innovating customer relationship management, DevOps and Agility. The changing architectures of information systems towards cloud computing services are key themes of the course. Attention is however also given to the development of traditional information management systems which remain important within enterprises. The course also discusses the development challenges in small start-ups leveraging existing development platforms. Particular attention is given to problem structuring and problem design issues within such complex settings using Soft Systems Methodology and the Unified Modeling Language as a toolkit. Agile methods form a core part of the teaching. To ensure that students gain practical experience we include a one-week intensive Sprint project run during reading week using a a "real-world" problem and whereby groups undertake to rapidly analyse and design a proposal for a technical solution. This allows students to support their theoretical understanding with a strong practical experience of the pressures and difficulties of systems development today. The group sprint project provides a realistic experience of developing systems within a consulting role and is supported by classes and question and answer session and face to face discussion. Students gain an understanding of the benefits and difficulties of working within and leading a small team under pressure. 

10 hours of workshops, 18 hours of lectures and 5 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.

In its Ethics Code, LSE upholds a commitment to intellectual freedom. This means we will protect the freedom of expression of our students and staff and the right to engage in healthy debate in the classroom.

Students discuss articles, practice systems development techniques, and critically evaluate their success. Formative feedback is provided on class participation. Formative feedback is provided within the Sprint Project.

• Beynon-Davis, P. (2019) Business Information Systems, Red Globe Press *This is a textbook on information systems and well regarded. We do not use a textbook in this course and will not refer to this book but if you feel more comfortable with an easy to access textbook on key ideas this is a good place to start.
• Checkland, P. and J. Poulter (2006). Learning for Action. John Wiley and Sons. 
• Fowler, M. (2004): UML distilled. Addison-Wesley Professional. 
• Kim, G., Behr, K., & Spafford, G. (2022). The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win. Trade Select. 
• Knapp, J., J. Zeratsky and B. Kowitz (2016). Sprint: How to solve big problems and test new ideas in just five days, Simon and Schuster. 
• Melville, N., & Kohli, R. (2021). Roadblocks to Implementing Modern Digital Infrastructure: Exploratory Study of API Deployment in Large Organizations 54th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. 
• Polyviou, A., Venters, W., & Pouloudi, N. (2023). Distant but close: Locational, relational and temporal proximity in cloud computing adoption. Journal of Information Technology. https://doi.org/10.1177/02683962231186161 
• Rinta-Kahila, T., Penttinen, E., & Lyytinen, K. (2023). Getting Trapped in Technical Debt: Sociotechnical Analysis of a Legacy System’s Replacement. MIS Quarterly, 47(1), 1-32. https://doi.org/10.25300/misq/2022/16711. 
• Wang, P. (2021). Connecting the Parts with the Whole: Toward an Information Ecology Theory of Digital Innovation Ecosystems. MIS Quarterly, 45(1), 397. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2021/15864. 
• Willcocks, L., W. Venters, & E. Whitley (2014): Moving To The Cloud Corporation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. 

Exam (50%), duration: 120 Minutes in the Spring exam period

Project (50%)

A two-hour unseen examination taken in the ST (50%). The Spring Week project in Week 6 of the AT (50%).

For detailed assessment information, including all deadlines and timings, please see the relevant course Moodle page. Assessment timings will be available at the start of each term.