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Unit of study_

INFO5992: Understanding IT Innovations

Semester 1, 2021 [Normal evening] - Remote

An essential skill for an IT manager is the ability to keep up-to-date with emerging technologies, and be able to evaluate the significance of these technologies to their organisation's business activities. This unit of study is based around a study of current technologies and the influence of these technologies on business strategies. Important trends in innovation in IT are identified and their implications for innovation management explored. Major topics include: drivers of innovation; the trend to open information ("open source") rather than protected intellectual property; and distribution of innovation over many independent but collaborating actors. On completion of this unit, students will be able to identify and analyse an emerging technology and write a detailed evaluation of the impact of this technology on existing business practices.

Unit details and rules

Unit code INFO5992
Academic unit Computer Science
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
PMGT5875
Prerequisites
? 
24 credit points of units at 5000-level or above
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Kevin Kuan, kevin.kuan@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Ivan Chua, ivan.chua@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Open book) Type C final exam hurdle task Final Examination
Open-Book Final Examination
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO10 LO11 LO12
Small test MCQ Online Test #1
Multiple choice questions covering Module 1 (Week 1-3)
5% Week 04 20 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Small test MCQ Online Test #2
Multiple choice questions covering Module 2 (Week 4-6)
5% Week 07 20 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO7
Assignment Innovation Report (Individual)
Research report on the application of various innovation frameworks
30% Week 09 4 weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Small test MCQ Online Test #3
Multiple Choice Questions covering Module 3 (Week 7-10).
5% Week 10 20 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO8 LO9
Small test MCQ Online Test #4
Multiple choice questions covering Module 4 (Week 11-12).
5% Week 13 20 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO10 LO12 LO11
hurdle task = hurdle task ?
Type C final exam = Type C final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • MCQ Online Test #1 – Covering Module 1 (Week 1-3)
  • MCQ Online Test #2 – Covering Module 2 (Week 4-6)
  • MCQ Online Test #3 – Covering Module 3 (Week 7-10)
  • MCQ Online Test #4 – Covering Module 4 (Week 11-12)
  • Innovation Report (Individual) – Students will be required to write a report where they apply key concepts and frameworks in innovation (such as dominant design and disruptive innovation).
  • Final Examination – Open book exam which covers all learning objectives in the course. Must meet the required standard in an assessment in order to pass the unit

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

It is a policy of the School of Computer Science that in order to pass this unit, a student must achieve at least 40% in the written examination. For subjects without a final exam, the 40% minimum requirement applies to the corresponding major assessment component specified by the lecturer. A student must also achieve an overall final mark of 50 or more. Any student not meeting these requirements may be given a maximum final mark of no more than 45 regardless of their average.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Unit of Study Introduction, Definition of IT Innovation, Importance of Innovation to a Country, and Overview of Emerging Technologies Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 02 Innovation Frameworks I: Dynamics of IT Innovation and Dominant Design Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO4 LO5
Week 03 Innovation Frameworks II: Disruptive Innovation, Innovator’s Dilemma, Value Chain & Value Network Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO6
Week 04 Distributed Innovation I: Product Platforms, Web APIs Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO7
Week 05 Distributed Innovation II: Crowdsourcing, Free and Open Source Software, Open Data Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO7
Week 06 Distributed Innovation III: Product Ecosystems, User Innovation Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO7
Week 07 Commercialisation I: Startup vs Traditional Companies, Customer Development Process, Lean Startups, and Agile Development Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO8
Week 08 No Lecture Scheduled (Mid-Semester Exam) Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 09 Commercialisation II: Innovation Management, Value Proposition Canvas, Business Model Canvas Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO8
Week 10 Commercialisation III: Investments & Funding for IT Innovation Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO9
Week 11 Innovation at Scale I: Innovation Ecosystem – Silicon Valley and Australia Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO10
Week 12 Innovation at Scale II: Organisational Cultures and Structures Supporting Innovation, and Judging IT Innovation; Review of Course Content and Assessments Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO11 LO12

Attendance and class requirements

There are no specific attendance and class requirements for this unit.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

There are no specific prescribed readings for this unit. All assigned readings will be available on Canvas and can be found alongside the lecture and tutorial materials.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Define innovation and differentiate between innovation and invention
  • LO2. Outline and discuss the importance of innovation to a country
  • LO3. Explain the concept of general-purpose technology and assess whether certain technologies are general purpose technologies
  • LO4. Discuss and apply frameworks relating to the diffusion, adoption and maturity of innovation
  • LO5. Discuss and apply the concept of dominant design and any related framework(s), and evaluate the key drivers which contribute to the emergence of dominant design (or lack-thereof)
  • LO6. Explain key research on disruptive innovation and related concept(s), apply the Disruptive Innovation Model on specific case studies and discuss the concept of the Innovator's Dilemma
  • LO7. Discuss, apply and evaluate open innovation, closed innovation and the eight open innovation methods
  • LO8. Discuss, apply and design the commercialisation process and business strategies for IT innovation, comprising of concepts and frameworks such as the customer development process, lean startups, agile development, value proposition canvas and business model canvas
  • LO9. Outline and evaluate the capital and fundraising pathways for IT innovation in Australia and abroad
  • LO10. Outline and evaluate the innovation ecosystems in Silicon Valley and Australia
  • LO11. Discuss and evaluate organisational cultures and structures that support innovation
  • LO12. Analyse, compare, contrast and judge IT innovation based on various methodologies

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No significant changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

More information can be found on Canvas or provided in-class and/or via email.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this unit.

Site visit guidelines

There are no site visit guidelines for this unit.

Work, health and safety

There are no specific WHS requirements for this unit.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.