Experiential Learning in a Management Information Systems Course: Simulating IT Consulting and CRM System Procurement

Abstract

Educating management students in technology-based disciplines can be enhanced through experiential team projects simulating the activities employees perform in actual technology jobs. This paper describes an experiential team project the authors use in the Management Information Systems course at Boston College. The project was developed jointly by Boston College faculty and consultants from the Boston office of a major consulting firm. The project involves student teams playing the roles of IT consultants who must compete against one another to win a consulting engagement at an imaginary company. The company's business situation is communicated to students through a case study written in the format of a Request For Proposal (RFP) informing information technology (IT) vendors that the company is interested in procuring a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Each student team develops a consulting proposal responding to the RFP and presents the proposal to company managers. The activities involved in identifying the company's business needs, developing a proposal, and determining which team "wins" the contract are simulated through phone calls and live meetings with company managers, who are role-played by consulting firm employees. These real-life business interactions expose students to the ever changing nature of IT, motivate them to improve their technical understanding, and challenge them to improve their communication skills through written deliverables and live business presentations. Student buy-in and response to the project is

IT Workforce Trends: Implications For IS Programs

“…Another approach is to have students interview an IT professional about what they do in their job. At Boston College, consultants from a global firm cooperate with faculty to develop cases and then play the role of client-managers in a simulated competition [Heim et al, 2005]. The object of the competition is for student teams to develop a proposal for a CRM system, and the best one wins a consulting contract.…”

Applying the CRISP‐DM Framework for Teaching Business Analytics

“…Students often find themselves not adequately trained to deal with real-life projects and the emphasis on analytical rigor often comes at the expense of storytelling, which is among the most important aspects of business analytics (Dykes, 2016). As suggested by Heim et al (2005), student learning in technology-based disciplines, such as business analytics, can be enhanced through experiential projects that simulate real-life activities. The current teaching brief infuses the philosophy of the CRISP-DM framework into the teaching of business analytics through a term-long project that simulates the analytics process.…”

“…As suggested by Heim et al. (2005), student learning in technology‐based disciplines, such as business analytics, can be enhanced through experiential projects that simulate real‐life activities. The current teaching brief infuses the philosophy of the CRISP‐DM framework into the teaching of business analytics through a term‐long project that simulates the analytics process.…”

A Process Chart to Design Experiential Learning Projects

“…Holstermann et al. (2010) and Heim et al. (2005) agreed, pointing out that educators must aim to offer an adequate level of difficulty to challenge students without letting them become overwhelmed; Holstermann et al.…”