IT Management Excellence |Smart

Overview

Why Attend

Managing an IT function is very different from developing or supporting technical IT solutions. General management skills are helpful to the IT manager, but results from this course demonstrate that a management course designed specifically for the IT professional is invaluable.

The IT Management Excellence course is first and foremost a practical and interactive course. It combines trainer experience with that of over 2,000 past participants and has identified the most valuable lessons on the road to delivering exceptional IT management and business results. The course delivers a proven combination of models and guidelines, supported by carefully designed, enjoyable and interactive role plays, case studies and team exercises.

There are five key modules covering IT strategy, project excellence, communicating technology, operational and crisis management and commercial acumen. These are the 5 management skills that have been identified as consistently enabling business results and career success for all IT managers.

Course Methodology

This course uses a mixture of presentations, discussions, case studies, videos, role-plays and interactive exercises to transform participants’ knowledge into hands-on practice.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Develop an effective IT strategy
Increase project delivery rates and manage a portfolio of projects
Improve operational efficiency using different operational models
Lead effectively in a technical crisis
Create effective sourcing plans
Set clear IT contract objectives
Effectively negotiate technical agreements

Target Audience

The IT Management Excellence course is targeted at IT managers and team leaders who are looking to develop their career in management and leadership. Job titles often include IT Manager, IT Team Leader, Project Manager, Systems Architect, Head of (IT) Department and more.

Target Competencies

Business and IT strategy
Project, program and portfolio management
Advanced communication and presentation skills
IT operational excellence
Planning and managing a crisis event

Course Outline

Business and IT strategy
- Business strategy
  - What is strategy?
  - Solving the problems of business strategy
  - Leading approaches to creating top level strategy
  - Case study ‘Setting corporate direction’
- IT strategy
  - A proven process for IT strategy
  - Aligning IT strategy to business priorities
  - Balanced scorecard IT objectives
  - Enterprise architecture in IT strategy
  - Looking for a better way — optimizing IT strategy
  - Strategic plans — plot on a page
  - Communicating strategy

Project excellence
- Advanced project, program and portfolio management
  - Validating project business cases using investment appraisals and sensitivity analysis
  - IT project management wisdom — lessons learned from successful and failed projects
  - Effective project governance and reporting
  - Project portfolio management guidelines
- The first 90 days
  - Making an impact — the first 90 days
  - Strategic importance and tactical urgency
  - Case study ‘Priorities of the new IT director’
- Business change leadership
  - The emotional cycle of business change
  - Guidelines for successful change projects
  - IT's unique role in business change management

Communicating technology
- Communication skills
  - The art of communicating technology
  - Presenting IT to non-technical audiences
  - Creating a compelling technology message — IT’s elevator pitch
  - Handling difficult (IT) situations — forum theatre and role play
  - Group debate — What has IT ever done for us?
- Business relationship management
  - Business relationship scenarios
  - The POSTMAN technique for identifying priority business requirements
  - The advanced use of questioning strategies – opening and closing dialogue
  - Methods of influencing outcomes

Operational and crisis management
- Continual Service Improvement (CSI) models
  - Overview of different frameworks, including ITIL, Six Sigma and Lean IT
  - Techniques of root cause analysis
  - CSI examples and guidelines
- Crisis leadership
  - Preparing for major (technology) incidents
  - Managing major incidents
  - Leading in crisis — the art of communication
  - Role play ‘Handling difficult situations’ — media simulation

Commercial acumen
- Vendors
  - Making good decisions
  - Avoiding supplier pitfalls
  - Choosing good technology partners
  - Creating a culture of partnership
  - Harnessing vendor innovation
- Essentials of IT contracts
  - Contract guidelines for successful IT
  - Getting what you want from your legal team
  - Designing contract flexibility
  - Managing IT contract portfolios
- IT negotiation strategy
  - Creating a negotiation strategy
  - Rational supporting arguments
  - Agreeing final positions and BATNA
  - Negotiating as a team
  - Delivering better negotiated outcomes
  - Negotiation role plays and case studies

Schedule & Fees

2026 Schedule & Fees

11 - 15 Oct, 2026

English

Per participant USD 2,900

11 - 15 Oct, 2026

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

6 - 10 Dec, 2026

English

Per participant USD 2,900

6 - 10 Dec, 2026

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

2027 Schedule & Fees

10 - 14 Jan, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

10 - 14 Jan, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

7 - 11 Mar, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

7 - 11 Mar, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

11 - 15 Apr, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

11 - 15 Apr, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

6 - 10 Jun, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

6 - 10 Jun, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

11 - 15 Jul, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

11 - 15 Jul, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

5 - 9 Sep, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

5 - 9 Sep, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

10 - 14 Oct, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

10 - 14 Oct, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

5 - 9 Dec, 2027

English

Per participant USD 2,900

5 - 9 Dec, 2027

Arabic

Per participant USD 2,900

IT Management Excellence

Overview

Why Attend

Course Methodology

Course Objectives

Target Audience

Target Competencies

Course Outline

Schedule & Fees

2026 Schedule & Fees

2027 Schedule & Fees

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