PROJECT MANAGEMENT MGMT 5543 – Fall 2011
Time: Thursday, 9AM - Noon Instructor: Will O’Brien Classroom: Carlson Hall #128 Cell: 978-793-1635 Office hours: Call anytime Email: [email protected] Website: www.greenprof.org ════════════════════════════════════════ Background
Dr. Hans Thamhain, Bentley University, has written over seventy research papers and five professional reference books in project and technology management. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Contribution Award from the Project Management Institute (PMI) in 1998. PMI is the professional organization www.pmi.org for project managers. This course is based on Professor Thamhain’s work. In the late 90s, Tom Peters in the article,” The Wow Project”, said….”Fast forward 25 years. All white-collar work is project work”. If he is right, this will be a critical period of your professional career. In preparation for the course, I encourage you to read Peter’s article on Cicada.
Course Overview
The course is based on the Project Managers Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) published by the PMI. Topics include: team organization, development, motivation, leadership, and collaboration; the project manager’s role regarding management of: scope, cost, quality, risk, human resources, communication and procurement.
The role as team leader and change agent is examined together with important techniques for controlling project costs, schedules, and performance. Project management concepts, tools, methods and techniques are studied with emphasis on best practices. Students will study cases focused on contemporary problems and challenges, including applying the latest techniques for tracking and controlling projects, compressing the time-to-market cycle, managing innovation under cost and time pressures, addressing environmental stewardship, ethical considerations, managing project teams in decentralized organizations, and dealing with interruptions, risks, issues conflict and commitments.
Page 1 of 9 Note: students interested in becoming a Project Management Professional (PMP), under the PMI PDU Rules, this course could be worth 42 PDUs based upon PMI approval. Refer to PMI’s “New PDU Category, Structure and Policies, Continuing Education, posted on Cicada. Competencies & Skills Develops understanding of concepts, organizational behaviors, tools, and techniques for effective role performance as project manager in today's demanding business environment, including the effective use of tools, e.g., MS Project and modern techniques for designing work processes, organizing projects, communicating, motivating, team building and leading people. Develops communication skills, both in written and oral form, via case analyses, group discussions, team presentations and written reports. Attitudes & Values Develops understanding and appreciation of commitment, team-based performance norms and IT-based decision making, conflict management, issue resolution, power sharing, self- directed team work, alliances and working in a diverse, global business environment. Learning Approach Employs a combination of lectures including guest speakers, case analyses, business/project simulations, videos, Internet resources, and group discussions to develop the conceptual understanding and operational skills needed for effective managerial role performance.
Text and Required Tools “A Project Management Primer” – Nick Jenkins (2006) is posted on Cicada
“Project Managers Book of Knowledge” (PMBOK), 4th edition; order from: http://marketplace.pmi.org/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?GMProduct=00101095501
Project Management Software - Microsoft Office Project is available for a 60 day trial period through Microsoft. http://www.microsoft.com/project/en/us/try.aspx? cmpid=RXGOOGUSBSR&gclid=COGF37nLyKYCFc9w5Qod9UA2Ig
Project Management Simulation – Harvard Business Online (see information below)
Optional
Project Management (Free PMP Prep) Videos www.instructing.com
“Microsoft Project for Dummies: (paperback), Martin Doucette
Cases Analyses:
Each case write-up should consist of a maximum of three typed, double-spaced page of narrative in 12-point font. The assignment is to analyze each case and upload to Cicada in the appropriate folder under MGMT 5543, Assignments prior to class. Late papers will not be accepted.
Page 2 of 9 You will need to purchase these cases from Harvard Business Publishing:
1. The Pacific LNG Project 2. Teradyne: The Aurora Project 3. Lack of Coordination in Management of the Three Cross Harbour Tunnels in Hong Kong 4. Reson: Making Development Teams Accountable for Short Project Cycles 5. An ERP Story: Choosing a Project Leader (B)
To obtain the cases, please go to this link: http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/access/9961116 You need to register on the site to create a user name if you do not already have one. Some course materials are PDF documents and you can open them with Adobe Reader. eLearning materials include a link you can use to gain access to them. You will have access to the course materials for 6 months. After you register, you can get to the coursepack at any time by doing the following:
1. Visit hbsp.harvard.edu and log in. 2. Click My Coursepacks, and then click Project Management - FA11 For technical assistance, please contact the Harvard Business Publishing Tech Help line at (800) 810-8858 (outside the U.S. and Canada, call 617-783-7700); or email [email protected]. Our business hours are 8am-8pm ET, Monday-Thursday, and 8am-7pm ET on Friday.
Cicada
This course will be supported by the Cicada (http://www.cicada.clarku.edu) course management system. Cicada provides course documents, assignments, and announcements. It will also contain PowerPoint slides presented in class. If you encounter difficulties with the use of Cicada, please contact [email protected].
Project Management Simulation
During the last 5 weeks of the course, you will work on a Project Management Simulation provided by Harvard Business Online. The fee is $12.50 to enroll.
In this single-player simulation, students make both quantitative and qualitative decisions as they manage a critical new product development project for a printer manufacturer. The students' primary objective is to bring a competitive product to market on time and on budget, ahead of the competition. Faculty can choose from among five distinct and realistic scenarios, each designed to highlight specific learning objectives. The simulation contains powerful administrative tools which allow for real-time reporting of student decisions.
Page 3 of 9 Subjects covered include: Project Management, Operations Management, Managing Resources, Scheduling, Project Planning, Managing Budget, Project Implementation, Team- Building, General Management, Managing Teams and Team Leadership. Explores trade-offs among the 3 major project management levers: scope, resources, and schedule. Illustrates importance of and trade-offs associated with level, timing and type of communication Shows the value of coaching and training Examines importance of team member morale on productivity Aids in illustrating the concept of earned value management Highlights importance of appropriately timing changes in project resource allocation Forces students to navigate projects through uncertainty and unanticipated events Illustrates the concept that correcting problems early in the course of the project provides significant benefit.
Final Exam
Similar to the PMI testing for CAPM and PMP Certification, a multiple choice, true/false test with some scenarios will be given to ascertain that students have learned the basic terms, concepts, tools, techniques and processes of Project Management. The final will be “open book” exam; i.e., PMBOK, the PMI Code of Conduct & Professional Responsibility and other relevant documents may be referenced; two hours will be allowed to complete the exam.
A “Paperless” Course
To enhance awareness of and reduce our own resource use at our own university, this course will strive to be a “paperless” course. To facilitate our collective learning, we will rely heavily on technology including Cicada, email, and a projector in class sessions for presentations and discussions. All written assignments will be submitted electronically, and all feedback on written assignments will be made electronically. All readings will be available electronically on Cicada, and students are encouraged to read the assignments without printing out the readings.
Professionalism
Most students already have these habits; i.e., preparing for class, arriving on time, and contributing to class discussions.
For the exceptions that do not, these requirements will help you in the work environment:
it is essential that you are fully prepared for “meetings”; in this case, for class. as a young professional, it is important that you be on time; i.e., arrive before class starts. it is important that you focus on your work; e.g., the use of laptops and/cell phones during class is not allowed. you are expected to contribute to the class discussion just as in your work environment.
Class sessions start on time; if you arrive late, one point will be deducted from your final grade for the class.
Page 4 of 9 Student Team-Led Discussions:
During the first class, teams of two students each will be formed for the purpose of leading future class discussions on assigned topics and cases. Ideally, teams will be composed on one student with project management experience and one with none or minimal experience.
How to Prepare to Lead Class Discussions
Project Management Topic • Read PMBOK chapter • Prepare a lecture • Provide a few examples possibly from your experience • Maybe show a short video • Other creative ways to engage students…..
Case Analysis • Read the case • Prepare your analysis • Discuss with your team • Present different analyses, recommendations • Engage class for their feedback for discussion
How NOT to Lead a Class Discussion
• Cut and paste pages from PMBOK • Read each section to the class.
Academic Integrity
The Graduate School of Management (GSOM) at Clark University maintains standards of academic conduct that have preserved integrity and excellence in institutions of higher learning over the centuries. Under these standards of conduct, all work submitted to fulfill course requirements is presumed to be the student’s own, unless credit is given for the work of others in a manner prescribed by the course instructor. Cheating, plagiarizing, and falsifying data constitute academic misconduct, as does submitting the same paper in different courses without prior approval of the instructor to do so. It is the student’s responsibility to consult the faculty when in doubt whether a particular act constitutes academic misconduct.
If a student is found guilty of cheating, plagiarizing and/or falsifying data in a course, the first offense will result in the student failing that course; if a student is found guilty of a second offense involving cheating, plagiarizing, and/or falsifying data, that student will be dismissed/expelled from GSOM.
Page 5 of 9 Evaluation and Grading
Grades will be determined on the following basis:
Case Analysis (5 cases; 5 pts. each) 25% Professionalism 20% Student Team-Led Discussions 15% MS Project Exercises (5) 10% Project Management Simulation 10% Exam (based on PMBOK, PMI Code of Conduct) 20%
Snow Days:
On days for which “dangerous driving conditions” are predicted, the class will probably be conducted remotely. You will receive an email from me the night prior to class if we are going to use Webex www.webex.com
Exam:
Similar to the PMI testing for CAPM and PMP Certification, a multiple choice, true/false test with some scenarios will be given to ascertain that students have learned the basic terms, concepts, tools, techniques and processes of Project Management. The final will be “open book” exam; i.e., PMBOK, the PMI Code of Conduct & Professional Responsibility and other relevant documents may be referenced; three hours will be allowed to complete the exam.
Below are links to sample PMP exams: http://www.oliverlehmann.com/pmp-self-test/75-free-questions.htm http://certification.about.com/od/projectmanagement/a/pmp_test_whiz.htm http://www.testprepreview.com/modules/pmp.htm http://www.tutorialspoint.com/pmp-exams/pmp_sample_questions.htm http://www.preparepm.com/mock1.html
Instructor Information: www.clarku.edu/gsom/faculty/facultybio.cfm?id=783&progid=20& www.greenprof.org www.sustainablebusinessleader.org
Page 6 of 9 Class Schedule:
The class starts on Thursday, September 1st with weekly sessions until December 15th.
# Date Discussion Topics Readings & Exercises in Assignments Team Members Preparation for Class Due for Grading 1 9/1 Course Introduction: “A Project Management Introductions Primer” Syllabus “The Wow Project”. Tom PM Overview Peters Lectures on Cicada 2 9/8 PM Overview continued: PMBOK: #1 PM Roles PM Knowledge & Skills PMBOK Guide Structure 3 9/15 Project Life Cycle & PMBOK: #2 Case #1: The Pacific Organization LNG Project
Case #1
3 9/15 Program Management Office Lecture on Cicada Will O’Brien 4 9/22 Project Management Processes PMBOK: #3 Case #2:Teradyne: The Aurora Project Case #2
5 9/29 Project Integration Mgmt. PMBOK #4 Case #3: Three Cross Harbour Tunnels in Case #3 Hong Kong 5 9/29 Consulting Skills Lecture on Cicada Will O’Brien
Page 7 of 9 # Date Discussion Topics Readings & Exercises in Assignments Team Preparation for Class Due for Grading 6 10/6 Scope Management PMBOK: #5 Case #4: Reson -Making Development Case #4 Teams Accountable for Short Project Cycles 7 10/13 Time Management PMBOK #6 Case #5: An ERP Story: Choosing a Case #5 Project Leader (B) 10/20 No Class – Fall Break 8 10/27 Cost Management PMBOK #7
Orientation to Simulation Will O’Brien 9 11/3 PMI Overview Steve Forde, PMI President Central MA MS Project Install MS Project (60 day trial) Upload MS Project on your laptop / PC Exercises #1-5 to Exercises # 1-5 w/ MS Project Cicada 10 11/10 Quality Management PMBOK #8 PM Simulation – Scenario A Check-in re: PM Simulation Start Project Management (review questions) Simulation Will O’Brien
11 11/17 Human Resource PMBOK #9 PM Simulation – Management Scenario B PMBOK #10 Communications Management
11/24 No Class - Thanksgiving
Page 8 of 9 # Date Discussion Topics Readings & Exercises in Assignments Team Preparation for Class Due for Grading Mike Nollet, PMP 12 12/1 Risk Management PMBOK #11 PM Simulation – Scenario D “ “ 12 12/1 Distressed Projects Lecture on Cicada N/A Will O’Brien 13 12/8 Procurement Management PMBOK #12
PMI Code of Conduct & PMI Code of Conduct & Complete PM Professional Responsibility; Professional Responsibility Simulation - Simulation E
Change Management “Leading Change..” John P. Kotter
Project Management Simulation – Lessons Learned Open book exam including: PMBOK, N/A N/A 14 12/15 Final Exam using Cicada PMI Code of Conduct & Professional Responsibility, “Leading Change…” article
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