The course will cover the following topics:

• A brief introduction to software development
• Software development processes and ITIL
  • High-level view of software development processes
  • ITIL v3 in the context of software development: service design, service transition
  • IT architecture
• Sourcing options
  • Make vs. buy vs. rent
  • Decision criteria
  • Revising decisions
• Software licensing
  • Software license models
  • Software license metrics
  • Open source software
• Traditional models of software development
  • Development models including waterfall model, V model and spiral model
  • Standards and methods related to software development
  • Introduction to requirements engineering
• Agile models of software development
• Software development ecosystems
• Software product management
• Software innovation management

By the end of this course students should be able to:

• distinguish between the major IS sourcing options that currently exist;
• apply models to make well-founded IS sourcing decisions taking cost, benefits and risks into consideration;
• understand the implications of existing IT architectures and service portfolios on IS software development;
• understand the typical development models and project management techniques applied in software development;
• appreciate the importance of contemporary forms of innovation in software development;
• acknowledge globally recognized frameworks such as the IT infrastructure library;
• apply the skills and knowledge acquired in this course to real-world situations related to the acquisition and development of software in a business environment.

Attendance is required during all sessions. Exceptions can be made by prior agreement and with reasonable cause (e.g., overlapping exams).

This course will be taught in a pure distance learning format. It includes online modules with individual study such as guided reading and videos, where students can obtain fundamental knowledge of the topics covered in this course. Discussions, group work involving short case studies, and preparation for and production of coursework assignments are key elements of the learning and will be used to intensify the knowledge and foster the understanding of the theoretical foundations.

During the first module, the lecturers will introduce the format of the course, the topics covered and the scheduled assignments. The course content is structured in smaller modules including readings, videos and presentations. For each module, the estimated time for completion is provided. Moreover, self assessments, practical examples or similar methods are made available.

The lecturers will be available for questions during online Q&A sessions and via the forum.

Formative assessment will take place each session when students will work on questions, discussions, activities, case studies, seminar papers or homeworks in groups or individually. Formal grading of work and learning outcomes will be provided for each assessment via LEARN, with written feedback, e.g. in the forum and in the gradebook.

The weights of the assessment components are as follows:

• individual in-class and online contribution: 20 points of the final grade
• first case study (group work): 20 points of the final grade
• first individual assignment: 20 points of the final grade
• group activity: 20 points of the final grade
• second case study (group work): 20 points of the final grade

Grading scale:

• 88-100 points: excellent (1)
• 76-87 points: good (2)
• 63-75 points: satisfactory (3)
• 51-62 points: sufficient (4)
• 0-50 points: insufficient (5)

Students are welcome to discuss course-related issues in online Q&A sessions, at the end of regular online sessions and in the discussion forum.

All course materials will be made available through LEARN.