2022/2023
Software Business Management
Category 'Best Course for Career Development'
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Mago-Lego
Delivered by:
School of Software Engineering
When:
1, 2 module
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Instructors:
Konstantin Nikolaevich Bredyuk
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Besides being an engineering discipline, software development is a $300+ billion industry in which software companies strive to be a successful business. Understanding of key aspects of software business is important for building a career in software companies in both management and technology paths. This course provides mostly technology-focused students an overview of the key aspects of software companies business touching such aspects as Product Management, Marketing, Sales, Finance etc. helping them build successful careers.
Learning Objectives
- Besides being an engineering discipline, software development is a $300+ billion industry and any software company is a part of it. Knowledge and skills required for managing a software company or a department within a software company significantly differs from knowledge and skills required for software engineering itself. This course provides mostly technology-focused students with an overview of the key aspects software company business.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Be able to analyze software company operations
- Be able to analyze strategies of software companies
- Be able to apply basic product management techniques including needs definition, roadmapping, features prioritization
- Be able to identify which business models are used by a company
- Know the difference between software and software-driven companies
- Understand Adizes corporate lifecycle model
- Understand different market research techniques: primary/secondary, exploratory/confirmatory
- Understand investment concepts: types of investors, investment stages
- Understand key concepts of product management for startup and established companies
- Understand key concepts of software marketing including technology adoption lifecycle, positioning, buying cycle
- Understand key leadership theories
- Understand key methods of financial management metrics for software companies: MRR, ARR, CAC etc.
- Understand key motivation theories
- Understand knowledge transfer models
- Understand main software sales methods: direct sales, online sales
- Understand modern trends in software development: best of breed vs. integrates solution, platforms
- Understand software business models: professional services, product business models
- Understand team work principles
- Understand typical operations challenges of software companies: cross-departmental collaboration, internal services
- Understand when different sales methods should be applied
Course Contents
- Introduction to the course, foundations of software business
- Business models in software business
- Product management for software products
- Market research and software product marketing
- Software products and solutions selling
- Operations management for software companies
- Financial management for software companies
- People management and leadership for software companies
- Organizational management for software company
- Business strategy for software companies
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Childers, R., & Moore, G. A. (2012). Quicklet on Geoffrey A. Moore’s Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High Tech Products to Mainstream Customers : Key Terms and Definitions. [San Francisco, California?]: Hyperink - Crossing the Chasm Quicklet. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1011706
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Crawford, C. M. (2012). New products management. Slovenia, Europe: Irwin. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.38FAE087