DISC 331 Project Management Fall Semester 2017 Instructors Dr Zehra Waheed Room No. 4.06, SDSB Office Hours 1030 1230 TT Email zehra.waheed@lums.edu.pk Telephone 8426 Secretary Mr. Ahmad Ali, Extension 8041 TA Office Hours TBA Course URL (if any) DISC 331 Project Management tab at http://lms.lums.edu.pk COURSE BASICS Credit Hours 3 Lecture(s) # of Lectures per week 2 Duration 75 minutes COURSE DISTRIBUTION Core Elective Open for Student Category Close for Student Category No Yes Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors None COURSE DESCRIPTION Project management is increasingly being used in public sector as well as the private sector. Projects are undertaken in a variety of industries, some of which (such as the software and construction sectors) rely almost entirely on them. There are no typical projects: projects range from orchestrating events to installation of new IT systems, introducing new processes or procedures, office moves, opening of new branches, disaster management, launch of new products/ services, launch of advertising campaigns and even bidding for major customer contracts. Sometimes consultancy may also take the form of a project. Given the nature of the corporate world these days, students undertaking this course can be expected to be involved in projects during some part of their careers. The course, therefore, equips these students with working knowledge of project management theory and techniques and also helps them understand the environment within which project are conducted. During the course, they will also become aware of project processes as well as project stakeholders whose needs must be understood and satisfied during the course of projects. COURSE PREREQUISITE(S) None COURSE OBJECTIVES 1. To understand the nature of projects within business and non business environments 2. To create an awareness of the skills, attributes and knowledge required by project managers 3. To develop the practical knowledge of project skills pertaining to scope definition and stakeholder management 4. To equip students with the practical knowledge of the various project knowledge areas defined by PMI and practiced worldwide 5. To expose students to the project planning software MS Project so that they are able to plan, schedule and run projects on the software Page 1 of 6
LEARNING OUTCOMES After completing this course students should be able to: 1. Define the concept of the project in relation to commercial and social organisations in the government and private sector 2. Perform tasks including project assessment, defining project scope, performing key stakeholder analysis and creating a project charter 3. Explain how project plans and work breakdown structure (WBS) are developed and used in projects for scheduling and cost control 4. Articulate how a project team performs the work necessary to achieve the stated objectives of the project through monitoring, quality management, stakeholder management and risk management 5. Explain the needs, tools and the success/failure indicators in projects 6. Demonstrate an understanding of the skills, knowledge and attributes required of a project manager UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM LEARNING GOALS & OBJECTIVES General Learning Goals & Objectives Goal 1 Effective Written and Oral Communication Objective: Students will demonstrate effective writing and oral communication skills Goal 2 Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Objective: Students will demonstrate that they are able to identify and address ethical issues in an organizational context. Goal 3 Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Objective: Students will demonstrate that they are able to identify key problems and generate viable solutions. Goal 4 Application of Information Technology Objective: Students will demonstrate that they are able to use current technologies in business and management context. Goal 5 Teamwork in Diverse and Multicultural Environments Objective: Students will demonstrate that they are able to work effectively in diverse environments. Goal 6 Understanding Organizational Ecosystems Objective: Students will demonstrate that they have an understanding of Economic, Political, Regulatory, Legal, Technological, and Social environment of organizations. Major Specific Learning Goals & Objectives Goal 7 (a) Program Specific Knowledge and Understanding Objective: Students will demonstrate knowledge of key business disciplines and how they interact including application to real world situations. Goal 7 (b) Understanding the science behind the decision making process (for MGS Majors) Objective: Students will demonstrate ability to analyze a business problem, design and apply appropriate decision support tools, interpret results and make meaningful recommendations to support the decision maker Indicate below how the course learning objectives specifically relate to any program learning goals and objectives. PROGRAM LEARNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Goal 1 Effective Written and Oral Communication Goal 2 Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Goal 3 Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Goal 4 Application of Information Technology COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES Not directly covered Not directly covered Somewhat covered through objective 3 Covered through objective 5 Page 2 of 6 COURSE ASSESSMENT ITEM Term Project Report and presentation, Class Participation Term Project Report Term Project Report and presentation
Goal 5 Teamwork in Diverse and Multicultural Environments Goal 6 Understanding Organizational Ecosystems Goal 7 (a) Program Specific Knowledge and Understanding Goal 7 (b) Understanding the science behind the decision making process GRADING BREAKUP AND POLICY Covered through objective 3 Covered through objective 1 Covered through objectives 1 5 Covered through objective 2 Quizzes, midterm and Final Quizzes, midterm and Final Term project, quizzes midterm and Final Term Project:... 20% Quizzes:... 10% Class Participation... 10% (5% for attendance; 5% for CP) Midterm Examination:... 30% Final Examination:... 30% (Post mid only) Four absences are allowed. After the fourth absence, the 5% attendance grade will start reducing by 1% for each subsequent absence. EXAMINATION DETAIL Midterm Exam (In Class) Yes/No: Yes Combine/Separate: Separate Duration: 90 minutes (tentatively) Exam Specifications: Pre Mid Syllabus. Close Book and Notes Final Exam Date TBC Yes/No: Yes Combine Separate: Combined Duration: 90 minutes (tentatively) Exam Specifications: Pre and Post Mid Syllabus. Close Book and Notes ATTENDANCE, QUIZZES AND CLASS POLICY Your class presence is required. A maximum four (4) absences are tolerated. Each further absence will reduce 1% from your total grade (attendance component i.e.). Students with more than 8 absences will automatically be given an F grade. Petitions for absences should be submitted along with proper documentation (e.g. a medical certificate certifying illnesses or OSA certifying participation in OSA activity) and will be approved on case by case basis. OSA activities are planned, therefor the documentation must be brought to class BEFORE the absence. Later OSA petitions will be assumed not to be genuine. You are also expected to arrive in class exactly at the prescribed time. There will be no grace for late arrivals and you will be marked absent. Cell phone usage will not be tolerated. Therefore, make sure they are switched off when you arrive in class. Further Instructions Reading: Students are expected to complete the assigned readings and material made available through LMS in advance of each class. Students are encouraged to participate in class discussions and contribute towards a supportive learning environment. Class material may include handouts. Make sure you are going through the material on a regular basis. Material will not be revisited if you are unable to attend class. At times a case brief may be asked and students will be graded on the brief as a sub component of the quizzes grade. Page 3 of 6
Term Project: The project will draw upon a real life project in an organizational setting, where students will be expected to use theories and tools learnt in class to see the whole project through from inception to completion. They will be expected to generate various reports together forming the term project. Details of the course project will be given in class in the fourth session. Coursework (and subsequent presentations) will be completed in groups of five students each. A contribution statement will be required in full. A one page project proposal must be submitted by Friday, September 29 th, 2017 (till end of working day, 1700hrs). The final reports will be due the week before the final. The date for report submission and report presentation will be communicated nearer the time. Quizzes: There will be short quizzes throughout the course. The quizzes may be announced or unannounced. These may be from the material from the previous session or material assigned for the current session, and an n 1 policy will apply i.e. the quiz with the lowest score will be dropped ONLY if the number of quizzes exceeds 4. Make up quizzes will not be given. Missed quizzes without prior petition will be marked a zero automatically. Communication and grade management is carried out through LMS and Zambeel so students must make sure their details are correct and up to date on both LMS and Zambeel. The instructor reserves the right to modify the course contents and the sessions breakup. COURSE OVERVIEW SESSIONS TOPICS RECOMMENDED READINGS SESSION OBJECTIVES Introduction 1 Course introduction Course Outline Introduce students to the Project Management course: its structure, deliverables and expectations. 2 3 Introduction to Project Management and the project lifecycle Meredith and Mantel (MM), Chapter 1 PMBoK Guide Chapter 1 Turner and Muller, 2003: On the nature of projects as temporary organisations Prabharkar 2008: Projects and their management Introduce key terminology To develop an understanding of the nature of projects, the stages of the project lifecycle and PMBoK knowledge areas Project Initiation 4 5 Strategic Management and Project Selection MM Chapter 2 pp37 50 Reading: Investment Appraisal Reading: Linking projects to strategy CASE: to be handed out Demonstrate that projects emerge from organizational strategies and goals Describe procedures for strategically evaluating and selecting projects; Use a case to illustrate how strategic evaluation of projects may be accomplished 6 Project Scope Management PMBoK Guide Chapter 5 Reading: Environmental Impact Assessment Introduce scope, requirement collection, WBS and scope control in projects Reading: Project Context Page 4 of 6
7 Project leadership: the role of the Project Manager MM Chapter 3 pp107 144 Directed Reading: What it takes to be a Project Manager Explain project leadership and the skills and responsibilities of a project manager 8 Projects and organizational structures MM Chapter 5 pp189 222 PMBoK Chapter 2 Explain how the project is set within the organization s reporting structure 9 Project Stakeholder Management PMBoK Chapter 8 Reading: Stakeholder Management Present an overview of stakeholder management processes Olander, 2007: Stakeholder Impact Analysis Project Planning 10 11 Project activity planning Action plan, Work Breakdown structure; MM Chapter 6 pp239 273 MM Chapter 7 Introduce the major tools used for project planning especially those around activity planning 12 MS Project: setting up a project and activity planning 13 14 Scheduling Network techniques: PERT and CPM Lab session Reading: MS Project Tutorial MM Chapter 8 pp333 373 Reading: Estimating Introduce the MS Project Software to the students through various exercises on project setup and activity planning Explain the significance of, and the tools used for scheduling projects including PERT and CPM 15 Class cancelled: Midterm Exam (date TBD. No class during exam week) 16 Resource allocation: critical path method Resource loading and leveling 17 MS Project: allocating resources, crashing MM Chapter 9 pp383 414 Lab session Look at the problem of resource allocation among the various activities of the project, and among various projects Introduce resource allocation, critical path and crashing through MS Project 18 Public sector project management in Pakistan Reading: Public Sector Project Management Reading: Planning Commission s Project Guidelines 19 Conflict Management in Projects Reading: Principled Negotiation Reading: Negotiation Conflict Style Introduce the public sector project framework in Pakistan Develop an understanding of the need, the nuances and the challenges in public sector projects To help students understand conflict as an everpresent element in projects, given their unique nature Project Execution Page 5 of 6
20 21 Project Procurement Management Reading: Procurement Case: TBD 22, 23 Project Risk Management Ward and Chapman, 2003: Transforming project risk management Reading: Risk Monte Carlo: Handout 24 25 Project Monitoring and Control Reading: Monitoring Reading: Control Reading: Earned Value Analysis Understand the processes necessary to purchase or acquire products, services or results from outside the project team. Acquire an understanding of contract management and administering contractual obligations Familiarize students risk in projects; risk tolerance, the risk management processes and to appropriate risk response mechanisms in projects. Review the monitoring function, relating it to project planning and control 26 Project Termination and Closeout; Learning from projects Reading: Project Close out MM Chapter 12 pp521 538 Discuss why project may need to be terminated at times and the process it usually takes Understand project closure as a key set of processes in the project lifecycle Realize the significance of assessing and learning from project pre and post closure 27, 28 Class project presentations Final Exam (Date TBA) TEXTBOOK(S)/SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS Primary text: Meredith, J.R. & Mantel, S.J. (2010) Project management: a managerial approach. Hoboken, N.J., John Wiley. Supplementary Text (referred to intermittently during various sessions; students may wish to refer): Project Management Institute (2013) A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) OR the earlier 2004 edition available in the library Kloppenborg, T. (2014) Contemporary Project Management. Cengage Supplementary material will be suggested in class and will be made available through LMS. Students are expected to be familiar with all material made available through LMS. Soft copies of all material will be made available through LMS in advance of each class. Prints can always be taken, or course packs purchased. Let us, though, be kind to the environment and learn to study through e resources. Page 6 of 6