Success Factors in Online Graduate IS Programs Uday Kulkarni Arizona State University Founding Director MSIM Co-director MSBA

How do you measure the success of a program? Financial ($$$) Numbers (of students) Student success (placement, advancement) Alumni involvement, WOM advertising Rankings

Success Factors Structural factors Capability factors Commitment factors Strategic factors

Structural Factors Cohort-based structure One course at a time Class Size Lockstep program Team responsibilities Student safety net Faculty familiarity Better time management Focus from a individual, team, (and entire class) perspective) Online does not mean that classes can scale to large numbers (without loss of quality)

Capability Factors Prior experience with a similar on-site program Tenured/tenure track or clinical full-time faculty Online educational consulting Faculty Continuity Easier to replicate a tried and tested program In-house support vs. outsourcing

Commitment Factors Faculty commitment Financial commitment Technical support and service Believers, not skeptics Commitment to creating the entire experience (not a canned course that anyone can deliver) Investments in hardware, software Investing in faculty development In-house consulting and hand- holding for conversion from on- site to online Understanding individual faculty needs Customization to individual level (not at program or department level)

Strategic Factors Recognize the market segment Differentiation Applied projects, faculty attention and access What are the desirable characteristics? Is it the same (as on-site)? Is it new? Who is the typical student? (Mid- level manager, working professional, 5th year student) What are the desirable characteristics?

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