Modules in Semester 2
M 4 Software Engineering 2 (10 ECTS)
M 4.1 Information Management
Information management is much more than maintaining a database. It starts with a close analysis of the requirements and the provided information. You learn to distinguish different types of information and the appropriate modelling and processing techniques. You learn to choose the appropriate mapping of application information to a rich model and implementation that preserves as much of the complexity of the real world as is possible and advisable. This includes modelling languages, storage engineering and retrieval functionality.
M 4.2 Requirements and Usability Engineering
In real-life interaction with a customer, different areas require attention: The problem domain a customer lives in demands advanced techniques in information modelling. The model developed should preserve as much of the complexity of the problem domain as is possible and advisable. Requirements must be elicited, analyzed, organized, documented and tracked. The usability of a human/machine interface is of paramount importance in this context. Finally, projects must be run to transform these requirements into software applications; often under conditions of uncertainties.
M 4.3 Project and Risk Management and Project Controlling
In industry almost everything is run in the form of projects – as is software development. The challenge is impressive: today’s systems quite often consist of millions of lines of code, several hundreds of persons are involved in big projects, and work is distributed over different continents and time zones. An advanced and mature project management in an international context is key for success.
In project management you aim to deliver a (software) product with the requested features on time, within budget and with the desired quality. It is a management process that has an economical, a technical, an organizational, a sociological as well as a psychological dimension. An advanced project management encompasses a disciplined risk management and project controlling. Learn to manage success!
M 5 Change Management and Strategic Leadership (10 ECTS)
M 5.1 Change Management
As the world is rapidly changing it is crucial for enterprises to be innovative and handle change. In the unit Change Management you achieve the capability to initiate and guide change processes in companies.
You learn how to guide and implement strategic projects and initiatives, rate and influence corporate culture, analyze the basis of fundamental change projects, guide change projects using change management tools as well as implement new processes or software in the enterprise.
M 5.2 Strategic Information Management
The unit Strategic Information Management enables you to make strategic decisions in the area of IT Service Management. It shows the importance of information technology as a fundamental competitive factor in enterprises of all branches.
As access to all relevant information has to be guaranteed at all times, the unit focuses on the importance of high-quality IT services as a competitive advantage. You will get to know the best-practices as far as IT Services are concerned and learn how to organize IT Service Management in an efficient and effective way.
M 5.3 Process Management
The unit Process Management focuses on the fundamental abilities an enterprise has to develop in order to successfully accomplish Engineering tasks. You get to know Integrated Process Management and Quantified Process Management. You learn how to achieve effective Requirements Management, Project Planning, Project Monitoring and Control, and Risk Management and how to implement Configuration Management.
The unit introduces models that support the structuring, the description and the quantification of those abilities, e.g. Maturity Models as well as Methods of Appraisal. You will examine CMMI as an example for a widely-accepted process model and work on a project where you apply the CMMI model to an enterprise.
M 6 International Cooperation in Software Engineering (10 ECTS)
M 6.1 Computer Mediated Communication
Completing this unit you can assess and optimize computer-mediated communication processes considering their psychological implications regarding cognitive, social and communication aspects. You will have identified major research from computer-mediated communication studies based on theories like media richness, hyperpersonal communication and social information processing. Applying these theories in case studies and critical incidents will enable you to develop strategies for on-line team work, performance management in virtual teams and successfully managing computer-mediated communication processes.
M 6.2 Remote Collaboration in Virtual Teams
This unit will provide you with skill and comfort in the understanding and use of the strategies of computer-mediated communication in remote collaboration in virtual teams. You will work on a project with team members from other locations using an on-line platform. This will give you a chance to tackle and resolve real-life issues and transfer your methodological competencies to an international and remote working environment. In on-line team work you will develop skills like managing international projects through technology, facilitating remote decision processes and creating trust and commitment in a virtual team.
M 6.3 Intercultural Management
The unit “Intercultural Management“, explores the origin, significance and complexity of the knowledge constructs “culture“, “corporate culture” and of other culture-related psychological and ethnographic issues in an international business environment.
After investigating the principles, strategies and tools of intercultural and cross-cultural management, you will be able to assess your own intercultural behavior, have developed strategies to conduct cross-cultural business negotiations successfully and will be aware of ethical, political and organizational sensitivities in cross-cultural situations.
Modules in Semester 1