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Overview
The MAP curriculum aims to serve microentrepreneurs, small business owners and other professionals who are interested in knowing more about the benefits of using ICT in their businesses. Whereas many microentrepreneurs have a background in using computers for personal purposes (including word processing, Internet, email, and more), they may not be as familiar with ways that ICT can benefit their businesses. The curriculum aims to demonstrate the practical business benefits of a range of technologies and to provide the skills needed to use technology to address business challenges.
Pre-requisites
Participants should have some familiarity with using computers, email, and the Internet. Participants also should be familiar with the basics of running a business, such as marketing and sales, finance, and business management.
Contents
The curriculum is designed using the perspective of the microentrepreneur – it highlights business challenges that microentrepreneurs face and how technology solutions can address those challenges. The course focuses on introductory concepts for participants who are relative novices with technology.  As shown above, the curriculum has five thematic modules that contain 10 business topics. Each topic presents tools that can help address a different business challenge, and takes around 2 hours to complete.
Overview of the Technologies & Outcomes for each Topic | Module 1: Operations and Management (4h). Managing day-to-day operations can be one of the most crucial and challenging aspects of running a business. In this regard, business owners must be able to juggle a number of competing priorities. | | Scheduling (Creating Electronic Calendars) Featured Technology - Calendaring Software (MS Outlook Calendars)
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about time management, schedule appointments electronically, and be able to take home a print version of the calendars they create in class.
| | Contact Management (Using Electronic Contacts and Learning about CRM Software) Featured Technology - Contact Management Software (MS Outlook Contacts)
- Additional: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software (Simulation)
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about contact management, create their own electronic contacts, and be able to print and take home their contact list.
- Participants will create an envelope mail merge and be able to take them home and print an electronic version for future use. (Advanced Material)
- Participants will learn features of CRM software. (Additional)
| | Module 2: Finance (4h). Accurate and timely financial information is essential to running a successful business. Electronic tools are available to help business owners establish and maintain effective financial records and transactions. | | Common Financial Documents (Working with Invoices and Income Statements) Featured Technology - Spreadsheet Software (MS Excel)
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about common financial documents, work with invoices and income statements, and be able to take home an electronic copy of these for future use.
| | Expense Tracking (Creating Monthly Expense Sheets and Pivot Tables) Featured Technology - Spreadsheet Software (MS Excel)
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about tracking expenses, create their own monthly expense tracking sheet, and be able to take home an electronic copy of it for future use.
- Participants will create pivot tables to group and calculate expenses and be able to take home an electronic copy of these for future use. (Advanced Material)
| | Module 3: Communications (4h). Whether communicating internally with partners and staff or externally with customers, suppliers, and associates, business owners need effective tools and techniques for instant communication anytime, anywhere. | | Email and Internet (Time-Saving Features) Featured Technology - Web-based Email (Yahoo! Mail)
- Internet Browsers (Internet Explorer), Searching, and Additional Features
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about email and the Internet, create email signatures, and use other time-saving features of email and the Internet.
| | Presentations (Creating Slideshows) Featured Technology - Presentation Software (MS PowerPoint)
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about communicating with visual aids, create a slideshow presentation, and be able to take home an electronic copy of it for future use.
| | Module 4: Marketing (4h). It can be a challenge for small businesses to craft effective marketing materials with limited resources. Technology tools are available to help business owners tap their creative energy and customize materials to fit their own business needs. | | Print Marketing (Creating Flyers and Brochures) Featured Technology - Word processing software (MS Word)
- Additional: Desktop Publishing Software (MS Publisher - Simulation)
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about print marketing, create flyers, and be able to take home a print and electronic version of these for future use.
- Participants will learn features of desktop publishing software for creating brochures. (Additional)
| | Digital Images (Adding Digital Images to Your Marketing Materials) Featured Technology - Digital Cameras, Scanners, Printers
- Basic Image Editing Tools (MS Word)
- Additional: Image Editing Software (Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator - Simulation)
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about using digital images, create and work with digital images in flyers, and be able to take home print and electronic versions of these for future use.
- Participants will learn features of advanced image editing software. (Additional)
| | Module 5: Technology Management (4h). One challenge for business owners is acquiring and managing technology itself. Business owners can take steps to determine the best mix of technologies that meet their needs and are relatively cost-effective. Once business owners are comfortable using individual technologies, they can combine those technologies for enhanced productivity and performance. | | Setting Priorities (Prioritizing Your Needs) Featured Technology - Varies by participant—see below. Some use of the Internet is explored.
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about prioritizing technology needs, create a technology action plan for their own businesses, and be able to take home their action plans for future implementation.
| | Putting It All Together (Integrating Technology) Featured Technology - Various technologies from the full curriculum
Outcomes and Take-Homes - Participants will work on a business scenario about using multiple technologies, carry out a Challenge Lab in which they will integrate their knowledge and technology skills from the full curriculum, and be able to take home the documents they create in class.
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