New year, new professor, new perspective! Taught by Dr. Tony Barber, QUEST’s new version of BMGT/ENES 390H is moving beyond technology to focus on people, processes, and holistic solutions.
BMGT/ENES 390H: Designing Innovative Systems, now the second course in the QUEST curriculum, teaches students about different kinds of systems and processes. Students employ the skills they have learned by working with different departments across the University of Maryland to enhance their productivity and quality.
Dr. Tony Barber, BMGT/ENES 390H’s new professor, works full-time as the Architecture Division Chief for the Office of the Chief Information Officer in the United States Army. He has a doctorate in systems engineering and has been teaching multiple graduate-level courses within the University of Maryland’s Applied Graduate Engineering Program since 2017. Those classes cover topics such as model-based systems engineering, software design implementation, statistical experimentation, and quality improvement. Regarding 390H, he is excited about the idea of student engagement and seeing students gain practical experience from working with clients.
The largest change to 390H is the shift towards covering organizational and other kinds of systems, rather than only engineering-based systems. The older version of the course focused on a technological perspective of system thinking. 390H now expands that view of system thinking into what real systems are, not just the technical aspects but a combination of concepts and components that create a whole.
Dr. Barber emphasizes that “there’s always more to a solution than automating technology.” It’s important to consider the people who use the system first, then what processes could be improved, and then how technology can be used. For example, a system could be improved through providing new training exercises or through reorganizing a specific business unit. With the new version of 390H, students are learning about a more holistic approach towards analyzing systems.
In-class activities are centered around equipping students with popular tools used to improve systems across different kinds of organizations and industries. For example, students will be working with on-campus clients to improve departmental systems. At each stage of their quality process, students will participate in a quality toll gate, where they will present their current progress to the professor for feedback. This activity will help determine if the team is ready to move on to the next stage of quality. Many of the course’s concepts and learning outcomes are directly aligned with the American Society of Quality’s standards, so that students can reflect on their experiences and take what they have learned to pursue professional certifications in quality.
It’s only been three weeks into the semester, and the class is already off to a great start! Dr. Barber enjoys how engaging and smart the students are. He looks forward to seeing the AHA moments, where education meets enlightenment for the students as they learn the concepts by doing.