Advanced Diploma in Information Resource Management

Purpose

Qualifying learners will be able to apply the theoretical knowledge to the management of Information Communication Technology (ICT) services in an organisation, in a holistic approach to managing services, from end-to-end, where all aspects of a service (and not just the individual technology silos) are delivered within a determined timeframe, properly secured, and available when necessary to the business customer, where Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is used in conjunction with other good practices to manage information technology (such as COBIT). This qualification aims to improve the level of training for new entrants as well as practicing service managers and supervisory staff. In addition, it will provide a solid theoretical basis for staff who have undergone on-the-job training without the benefit of being exposed to the underpinning theory and best practices provided by any ITIL based theoretical training at tertiary level. Both entry level staff and experienced staff with relevant practical experience will benefit.

Rationale

There is a severe skills shortage in South Africa at the moment. Information Technology and Information Resource Management are considered scarce skills by the Department of Labour (DoL). The qualification addresses objectives of the National Qualification Framework (NQF) by providing a crucial link between the ITIL guidelines for ICT Service Management and the underpinning theory. The qualification is beneficial to the economy and society as it addresses some of the training needs for the successful operation of ICT systems in the organisations. Skilled ICT Service Management personnel are required to meet the developmental needs of the country in the wider application and use of advanced ICT systems in support of business as well as government and other mission critical operations. This qualification will deliver learners to satisfy the growing need in industry for professionals with both IT and business knowledge. Learners that complete the qualification can successfully pursue a career in ICT Operations Management, Change Management and Control, ICT Asset Management, User Liaison and Account Management, ICT Help Desk Management and ICT Security Management to mention a few. This has become the trend internally as well.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

It is acknowledged that all learning has value and the University accepts the challenge to assess prior learning and award credit that is aligned to the institution's qualifications to promote lifelong learning.

Therefore recognition may be granted for non-formal prior experiential learning. The RPL process will be conducted according to institution's RPL policy and may involve, among other things, the submission of portfolios with evidence of prior learning, challenge examinations, and interviews with assessment panels.

Learners who already work in the Information Technology (IT) industry and believe they possess competencies which will enable them to meet some or all of the ELOs listed in the qualification will be able to present themselves for portfolio assessment.

Entry Requirements

Learners are required to have the following in place in order to be considered for admission.

• An appropriate Diploma or Bachelor's Degree.

The qualification consists of 10 modules at NQF Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

Modules

• Principle concepts of ITSM, 12 Credits.
• Service Management Functions (Service Desk), 12 Credits.
• Development Software, 12 Credits.
• Networks, 12 Credits.
• IT Ethics, 12 Credits.
• Service Operation Processes, 12 Credits.
• Software Project Management, 12 Credits.
• Research Report, 12 Credits.
• Database Systems, 12 Credits.
• Incident and Problem Management, 12 Credits.

1. Understand and utilise fundamental concepts of IT Service Management and the service lifecycle.
2. Manage the lifecycle of all incidents, using incident management procedures with a stated primary objective clearly applying problem management principles.
3. Understand and promote Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) ethics and understand the role of ethics in complex organisations.
4. Explore the principles and challenges in designing and developing applications for mobile devices and critically analyse and evaluate research scripts of existing ontologies in order to apply appropriate techniques to develop, update, or adopt simple ontologies.
5. Implement plans, manage and direct IT operations, access and review protocols and Event Management activities, with a focus on day-to-day short term activities to operate and support IT activities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• The purpose, objectives and scope of service strategy, service design, service transition, service operation and of continual service improvement are summarised.
• The value that service strategy, service design, service transition, service operation and continual service improvements provides to the business is justified.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• The service operational processes and how they fit into the overall ITIL architecture are understood.
• The ability to capture knowledge about the problems encountered and the resolution found by means of a knowledge base of problems is demonstrated.
• The techniques and methodologies for identifying, diagnosing and resolving incidents and problems are appropriately tested.

Associated Assessment Criteria for exit Level Outcome 3

• Functions of and relationships among laws, regulations, and professional organisations in information security are assessed.
• Compliance and how it helps to promote the right behaviours and discourage undesirable ones is explained.
• Jobs, equipment and working conditions are designed to avoid negative health effects.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Best practices for smartphone development are described.
• Suitable design patterns to solve commonly occurring problems in software design are identified.
• The lifecycle of an application is described.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• A proposed information technology project based on appropriate scientific enquiry is evaluated and initiated.
• Fundamental planning principles to develop a proposed software project using different approaches and techniques are applied.
• An appropriate project approach and process model are selected.

Integrated Assessment

For the award of the qualification, a learner must successfully complete all the modules. Applied competence - that is, the integration of foundational, practical and reflective competence - will be assessed in a variety of ways during the course of the qualification. For example, learners will be asked to propose practical solutions to field-specific problems and to evaluate their own proposed solutions and their learning in the process, thus involving knowledge, the application of knowledge, as well as reflection.

In the various modules of the qualification, learners will be required to provide evidence of integrated knowledge, skills and values. A variety of formative and summative assessments will be used during the unfolding of the qualification, including written activity assignments (of reflections, summaries of key aspects, applications in a variety of scenarios and contexts, practical tasks, examinations, and a portfolio which collects evidence if required.