Orientation Guide: Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy

——
Welcome to the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy!

Our team is delighted to welcome you to the cohort and looks forward to getting started soon! Read on to view key program dates, learn details about earning the credential, and review technology requirements and support channels to ensure your success in the program.

——
Accessing Your Course

You will receive an email from the HBS Online team on Wednesday, June 10 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time with a unique link to access the program. In the week prior to the start of the program, you can expect a couple of emails from the HBS Online Engagement team with tips for getting started and planning for a successful course experience.

In the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy, you complete the coursework on your own time while meeting the required final deadline. There is no set time to log in. All course material is delivered through our innovative online platform; there are no additional materials required. Learn more about what you can expect to see when you log in to the online platform where learning is active, social, and case-based.

——
Program Overview

The Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy is a four-course program that equips learners from diverse industries and functions with the skill set and strategic acumen to compete in the digital world. This program provides participants with 26 weeks to complete 20 modules and 140 hours of material. Participants who successfully complete the coursework, peer activities, and a capstone project will earn a Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy as well as Certificates of Completion for the three individual program courses including Design Thinking and Innovation, Winning with Digital Platforms, and Digital Marketing Strategy.

Leading in the Digital World with Professor Linda Hill consists of two modules and explores what it takes to build and lead a team able to leverage digital tools and data to address customer needs to fulfill your organization's purpose.

Design Thinking and Innovation with Professor Srikant Datar explores how to leverage fundamental design thinking principles and innovative problem-solving tools. Through seven modules, participants will address business challenges and build products, strategies, teams, and environments for optimal use and performance. They will also complete three required assignments that apply the tools and frameworks presented throughout the course.

AI for Leaders with Professors Karim Lakhani and Iavor Bojinov dives into the way AI is changing how work gets done, what it takes to scale its use responsibly, and methods large organizations can adopt to stay competitive. Over four modules, learners will explore practical applications of generative AI and machine learning across key business functions.

Digital Marketing Strategy with Professor Sunil Gupta explores six modules that cover the latest tactics, tools, and trends to acquire and retain customers, position your brand for success, and develop data-driven strategies.

View Calendar

View Syllabus (PDF)

— Course Capstone and Activities —

Throughout the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy, you will complete four activities that build toward your Capstone project. Each activity will comprise a mix of individual components and team discussions that will allow you to reflect on your organization’s potential and will help provide practical application for your work. On the Activity and Capstone Overview page, we provide you with a brief overview of each activity. You should refer to your workbook, that you download from the Introduction Module of Leading in the Digital World, for explicit instructions.

HBS Online has a process by which you may request an exception to our course policies due to extreme circumstances and life emergencies. Please see more details in our Do I qualify for an exception to your policies? section on our Support Portal.

— Disability Accommodations Information —

Harvard Business School Online welcomes participants of all backgrounds and abilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), a person is considered to have a disability if that individual (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of having such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.

If you are looking to apply for disability accommodations for your course, please first review our Requesting a Disability Accommodations article. Active communication is essential to our accommodations process. Late notification may result in a delay or inability to fulfill a request as, generally, retroactive requests will not be approved.

Should you have questions, please contact the Accommodations Team as soon as possible and they will be happy to assist you.

——
Policies and Eligibility

— Honor Code Policies —

Though we do not expect that participants will always be able to provide a correct response to every question, you are expected to answer in your own words and to the best of your ability, which is an essential component of the HBS Online learning process. Skipping questions by providing insufficient responses such as Yes, Okay, or other one-word responses is considered incomplete participation. Citations are expected to be applied to your responses whenever you include outside information that is not from your personal knowledge, such as a website or Generative AI. This includes facts, statistics, definitions, and company information such as descriptions, earnings, and accounts. Please review the HBS Citation Guide for assistance with citing your sources. Improper citations or unauthorized use of Generative AI are considered a violation of the HBS Online Honor Code and are strictly prohibited. For more information regarding responses, properly cited sources, and acceptable Generative AI use, please consult the Academic Honesty Guidelines page.

— Active Engagement —

We expect you to engage with your peers to uphold the social components of the program. Throughout the courses you may comment on other participants' postings, post to Peer Help to ask questions, and engage with your peers' posts. To foster a supportive online learning environment, you must uphold the HBS Online Community Values throughout the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy.

— Credential Eligibility —

Credential eligibility is determined within 30 days of the required final deadline of the program. Successful completion of the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy program will result in the issuance of the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy, as well as individual certificates for each of the program’s courses—Digital Thinking and Innovation, Winning with Digital Platforms, and Digital Marketing Strategy. Certificates are available in digital and printed format. All printed certificates are shipped via United States Postal Service First Class Mail and may take up to eight weeks to arrive once dispatched; shipment tracking is not available. Please visit our Certificate Guidelines page for a detailed overview of the certificate process, and our Certificates, Credentials & Credits page to see what your certificate will look like.

——
Technology and Support

Please review our technology requirements before the course begins. Throughout the program, you'll have access to your peers for support and networking. In addition, you can always count on the HBS Online Support Team for any questions you may have. In order to ensure you stay up to date with announcements and information, please make sure HBSOnlineSupport@email.online.hbs.edu is added to your safe sender list and/or address book. We will be in touch with reminder emails that outline module release dates, deadlines, and special announcements.

Supported Devices
Courses on our course platform are designed to work on an internet-connected desktop or notebook computer. We highly recommend a reliable internet connection for the rich media content on the platform. Tablets and smartphones are not supported.

Supported Browsers
Be sure to access the course using an updated version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Please note that a broadband internet connection is highly recommended to access the rich media in the program.

Peer-to-Peer Learning
Use the Peer Help tool in the course to engage with your peers as you ask and answer questions about the course concepts.

——
Withdrawals and Refunds

You may request a withdrawal with refund up to 24 hours after the start of the program. To request a withdrawal with refund, log in to your account with us and select “Change Program Status” for the relevant program. You may request an enrollment deferral by reaching out to our HBS Online Support Portal. You may only defer once. If you have previously deferred, you will not be eligible for an additional deferral or a refund.

If your organization paid for your enrollment or you received a discount through your organization, you may not defer or receive a refund. If you wish to withdraw, please contact the appropriate representative at your organization and they will inform HBS Online. If you pay for the program yourself and intend to ask your organization for reimbursement, you are still eligible for deferrals and refunds.

We encourage you to log in to your program as soon as it starts to confirm it will be a good fit for your learning needs. Please view our full program policies for further information.

View Program Policies

——
A Note About Faculty and Guest Experts

Our courses have been developed by some of the most renowned HBS faculty and guest business experts. While you will not have direct, real-time interactions with faculty and experts, you will hear from them throughout the course via short videos that explain key concepts and guide you through cases, exercises, and other interactive learning elements. As much as we expect you to learn from faculty and experts through this highly engaging learning environment, we expect you to learn as much (if not more) from your own thoughtful participation and from your peers. Additionally, please note that all HBS Online faculty and experts featured in our courses are not available to communicate with learners directly or participate in learner-organized events. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to beginning your program!

——
Take Your Learning a Step Further

Learning Tracks offer an opportunity to deepen expertise in specific subject areas and earn a Certificate of Specialization by completing three courses within 18 months. Participants who are working towards the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy can simultaneously apply their coursework in Design Thinking and Innovation and Winning with Digital Platforms toward a Certificate of Specialization in Entrepreneurship & Innovation or coursework in Digital Marketing Strategy toward a Certificate of Specialization in Marketing. Visit the FAQ page to learn more.

Still can't find what you're looking for? Please refer to the HBS Online FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), or visit the HBS Online Support Portal for any questions, comments, or concerns about your Harvard Business School Online experience.

Site Map

Orientation Guide

Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy

—— Welcome to the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy!

—— Accessing Your Course

—— Program Overview