Kristine Joy Paas
Master of IT in Business (Digital Transformation)
Class of 2025
After more than a decade of building software for users, I found myself at a crossroads. As I began taking on roles that shaped products and business outcomes, I realised that deep technical expertise alone wasn’t enough. I needed to understand the language of strategy, change, and digital transformation. That’s what led me to the Master of IT in Business programme, and it became a turning point in how I think, build, and lead.
As a senior software engineer at Grain, a food experience company, my responsibilities include developing tech solutions, improving systems' quality and stability, and mentoring team members. My role also involves close collaboration with stakeholders to understand their needs and design better user experiences.
I was initially drawn to the idea of pursuing an MBA, but MITB stood out as the perfect bridge between business strategy and technical depth. The Digital Transformation track offered exactly what I needed: a way to enhance my decision-making with structured thinking, and to bring a systems lens to organisational change.
One of the biggest takeaways from the programme was this: digital transformation is never just about technology – it’s about people, processes and context. Effective tech leadership means being able to guide change in a way that considers all three. Through modules like Digital Organisation and Change Management, I gained a deeper understanding of how people respond to change and how assumptions don’t always hold across different organisational cultures. This module gave me fresh insights into how to manage transformation more thoughtfully and inclusively.
Another module I enjoyed was the Visual Analytics and Applications module, where I learned to communicate with data in a way that’s clear, purposeful, and tailored to my audience. The course was both technically and creatively intense – our final project, which analysed complex datasets, was being recognised by our professor and peers and won an award at the VAST Challenge 2024. It was one of my most challenging yet rewarding learning experiences – and yes, I have also acquired eye bags after!
MITB didn’t just sharpen my technical toolkit; it has changed how I approach problems. In the past, I’d rush into solutioning—eager to fix things. But real-world problems are rarely neat. They’re layered, messy, and deeply contextual. MITB taught me to pause and explore the “why” behind a problem and understand its broader landscape before proposing solutions. This mindset shift continues to shape my work today, especially as my company undertakes efforts to digitise and automate key workflows.
MITB graduates bring a unique edge to the job market. While AI tools are transforming the landscape of technical work, they still lack the ability to understand context. Our ability to connect business needs with the right tech solutions across industries makes us adaptable and future-ready.
To future students: make the most of your time at SMU by learning from your peers. Work with different classmates in every module. The MITB community is incredibly diverse, and those varied perspectives are one of the program’s greatest strengths. Some of my most valuable lessons came not just from professors, but from open discussions with peers.
As we continue to build on the solid foundations laid during the MITB journey, we’ll be ready to navigate whatever comes next—whether it’s the next big tech wave or the next bold business challenge.
