Linnaeus University

Industry leaders can greatly benefit from learning about agile working methods as it can contribute to increased productivity, customer focus, flexibility, engaged employees and innovativeness. By using agile working methods, an organization can become more efficient and adaptable, which can increase its success in the market. Target groupThe course is aimed at people in a management function (managers, middle managers, team leaders, project managers, etc.) mainly in industry who are interested in learning more about agile working methods. ContentTraditional organizations tend to get clogged over time and inefficient. To mitigate this there is a need for agile organization that rely less on legacy structures and processes and much more on updating and optimizing processes to facilitate better work. In this manner agile organizations become responsive and adaptable to the changes accruing around them.  For achieving the agile transition organizations need agile methods.  This course is targeted for managers within the digitalized industry sector. The course covers the following areas: Foundations of agile methods. Case studies of practical examples of agile adoption in industrial settings. What industry managers should know about agile approach. Assessment methods of agile readiness of the digitalized industrial organization. Strategic thinking and roadmap development for agile transition. The goal of the course is that the participants should be able to: Describe and understand the core principles of agile methods. Understand the possibilities, challenges, and issues while adopting agile methods in industrial organizations. Identify the areas with the digitalized industry sector where agile approaches can be utilized and how can be adopted. Assess and develop a strategy and roadmap for implementing agile ways of working in the digitalized industry. The course is offered in collaboration with Combitech through Stefan Aleborg who has long experience of working with agile methods in different type of organizations. Practical informationThe course is primarily based on the flipped classroom approach with three on-site workshops. Materials will be provided in a form of pre-recorded and online lectures, online guest lectures, reading materials, and scientific articles. The course is assessed through 3 mandatory assignments, mandatory seminars, and active participation in discussions forum and workshops. Teaching language: lectures and materials can be in English, but the physical meetings will be held in Swedish. Entry requirementsThe basic eligibility for this course is a bachelor’s degree. Candidates with corresponding work experience are also invited to apply. Two years of relevant work experience is considered equivalent to one year of university studies at bachelor level. The course is free and gives 3 ECTS course credits  

The purpose of the course “Artificial Intelligence for Managers” is to give managers and decision makers a principle understanding of AI and to increase their understanding of opportunities, difficulties, benefits, and risks connected to AI. It is neither an “Introduction to AI” nor an “AI for dummies” course. Instead, it is set to demystify AI and to transform it into an actionable tool for manages and decision makers. Target groupThis course is for product managers, project managers, executives, and engineering managers in organizations that have already made, or are about to make, the transition to working with AI. ContentThe course is organized in three modules. The initial module will focus an introduction to AI, giving an understanding of what type of cases can be addressed with AI and what managers need to know about AI technology. Module two will cover tools and concrete on how to set up an AI strategy and roadmap, how to get started on AI projects, how to integrate AI and IT development, how to (self) evaluate AI in use, and, not to forget, the ethical and legal aspects of AI. The third module will give the participants the chance to use their new knowledge and tools and work with their own practical cases and how they could be addressed using AI. The goal of the course is to empower the participants to:  Describe the principal concept of AI, its strengths, and shortcomings Understand opportunities, myths, and pitfalls of AI Identify problem areas in industry, society, and in management where AI could be utilized Analyze how AI can be applied in a particular problem area Manage an AI strategy and get started: implement a strategy and a roadmap to apply AI in a particular problem area Understand how to integrate AI with IT development Assess the maturity of AI utilization in an organization Reflect on applications of AI from an ethical and legal perspective as well as the future challenges (technical, organizational, social, etc.) Practical informationAll materials will be accessible and include reading material, lecturer slides etc. The lectures can either be attended live via Zoom or later using the recordings at a time that is convenient for the participants. There will be 3 onsite workshops with a focus on interaction with the teacher and the co-participants of sharing real-life experiences and insights. The course will be delivered in a flexible manner to facilitate the combination of course work with your ongoing professional commitments. The total effort to pass this course is typically around 200 hours. Teaching language: English Entry requirementsThe basic eligibility for this course is a bachelor’s degree. Candidates with corresponding work experience are also invited to apply. Two years of relevant work experience is considered equivalent to one year of university studies at bachelor level. The course is free