Dear Graduate Students

Dear Graduate Students,

Below is the syllabus for ISQS 5359 – Project Management. The good news is that there are no exams in the course. Instead I have assigned you several books to read that cover several critical things that you will need to know if you are going to work in any type of organization. I have also assigned one project and three case analyses.

I will let you order the books and movies yourself and would suggest that you order them ASAP (i.e., I will not place an order for books through the bookstore, however, you are more than welcome to place your own personal order with one of the bookstores or order the books online). In order to receive a grade of B in the course you will also need to complete the class project described below on the syllabus. If you have any questions about the course feel free to contact me at 742- 2170 or at [email protected] (I check my e-mail several times per day).

Sincerely,

Ronald Bremer

P.S. Please note that there are no lectures in the course as opposed to the usual 40 plus hours of lecture. My hope is that you will use the 40 hours of time that you will not be in lecture to do the extra assignments that are required to receive a grade of A in the course. ISQS 5359 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Fall 2010

Ron Bremer, Ph.D. Area of ISQS Office: BA 611 Phone: 806-742-2170 Email: [email protected]

CONTACT INFORMATION

My office hours will be Wednesday and Thursday afternoon (1-5PM). During these times I can be reached at 806-742-2170. At other times I may be in my office or working from home. It is best to first email me to arrange a phone call and I will indicate which number to call and when I will be available. I am routinely monitoring my email so if I am available you should get a quick response. If I am not available when you email I will respond as soon as I am available.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides an overview of theoretical and practical concepts in the management of projects. The primary objective of the course is to develop the analytical and managerial skills necessary to work successfully throughout the project lifecycle. Class material covers the management of project resources and the management of project personnel.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this course students will be able to:

 Understand what is a project;  Distinguish projects from operations;  Understand the project lifecycle;  Understand how to initiate a project;  Understand how to plan the project scope;  Understand project management knowledge areas;  Understand project closure.

Disability Accommodation: The University is committed to the principle that in no aspect of its programs, shall there be differences in the treatment of persons because of race, creed, national origin, age, sex, or disability, and that equal opportunity and access to facilities shall be available to all. If you require special accommodations in order to participate, please contact me at [email protected] or contact me to arrange a personal meeting. Students should present appropriate verification from the AccessTECH office. No requirement exists that accommodations be made prior to completion of this approved university process. COURSE MATERIALS:

Books Fundamentals of Project Management by James Lewis ($10.17)

Scrappy Project Management: The 12 Predictable and Avoidable Pitfalls Every Project Faces by Kimberly Wiefling ($17.96)

CAPM In Depth: Project Management Professional Study Guide for CAPM Exam by Paul Sanghera.

Human Factors in Project Management: Concepts, Tools, and Techniques for Inspiring Teamwork and Motivation by Zachary Wong ($35.82).

Other books that are not assigned for this course but are good CAPM Study Guides

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Third Edition (PMBOK Guides) (Paperback) ISBN 193069945-X by Project Management Institute (price: $32.97)

PMP Flashcard Quicklet: Flashcards in a Book for Passing the PMP and CAPM Exams (Paperback) ISBN 978-0-9791797-3-0 by Paul Sanghera (price $34)

Assigned Cases (available from HBS Online Publishing at: http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/case_studies.jsp ) The links below get you to the cases more directly. http://hbsp.harvard.edu/discipline/management-information-systems http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/search_results.seam?Ntt=Harley %2BDavidson&conversationId=313795

F. Warren McFarlan , Robert D. Austin (2005). “CareGroup.” Harvard Business School Case No. 9-303-097 (price $6.95).

Robert D. Austin , Deborah Sole , Mark Cotteleer (2003). “Harley-Davidson Motor Co.: Enterprise Software Selection.” Harvard Business School Case No. 9-600-006 (price $6.95).

Robert D. Austin , Richard L. Nolan , Mark Cotteleer (2002). “Cisco Systems, Inc.: Implementing ERP.” Harvard Business School Case No. 9-699-022 (price $6.95).

Movie The Pentagon Wars ($6.99)

You can order the books (including the two CAPM study guides) and the movie from Amazon.com. Use the links above to purchase the Harvard Business School cases. I have attempted to keep the cost of class materials down as much as possible. The total cost of current reference materials should be around $160.00. I advise you to obtain these items as soon as possible. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING (All assignments need to be emailed to me at [email protected] in Word 2003 or 2007 format).

In order to receive a grade of “C” in the course the student will need to do “C” or above quality work on each of the following assignments:

Assignment #1 Turn in a three page critique of the book Fundamentals of Project Management by James Lewis. In your critique of the book identify how concepts from the book were applied or not applied to projects in which you have been involved. You should use at least one page of your critique identifying key points from the book you think will be valuable to you in the years to come. In addition, identify what parts of the book, if any, you feel were a waste of your time to read. Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being best) give an overall assessment of the book.

Assignment #2 Turn in a three page critique of the book Scrappy Project Management: The 12 Predictable and Avoidable Pitfalls Every Project Faces by Kimberly Wiefling. In your critique of the book identify how concepts from the book were applied or not applied to projects in which you have been involved. You should use at least one page of your critique identifying key points from the book you think will be valuable to you in the years to come. In addition, identify what parts of the book, if any, you feel were a waste of your time to read. Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being best) give an overall assessment of the book.

Assignment #3 Turn in a three page critique of the book CAPM In Depth: Project Management Professional Study Guide for CAPM Exam by Paul Sanghera. In your critique of the book identify how concepts from the book were applied or not applied to projects in which you have been involved. You should use at least one page of your critique identifying key points from the book you think will be valuable to you in the years to come. In addition, identify what parts of the book, if any, you feel were a waste of your time to read. Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being best) give an overall assessment of the book.

Assignment #4 Turn in a three page critique of the book Human Factors in Project Management: Concepts, Tools, and Techniques for Inspiring Teamwork and Motivation. In your critique of the book identify how concepts from the book were applied or not applied to projects in which you have been involved. You should use at least one page of your critique identifying key points from the book you think will be valuable to you in the years to come. In addition, identify what parts of the book, if any, you feel were a waste of your time to read. Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being best) give an overall assessment of the book. In order to receive a grade of “B” in the course the student will need to do “B” or above quality work on Assignments 1-4 and on Assignment 5 below:

Assignment #5

Course Project – A Project Retrospective

This project will provide the opportunity for students to implement many of the concepts learned in the course. Students will take on the role of consultants and will conduct a project retrospective on the project depicted in the movie Pentagon Wars. In the role of a consultant, the student will be expected to provide a thorough analysis of the project based on ideas discussed in the books assigned to read for the course. As part of the analysis, students should evaluate the overall success or failure of the project, discuss its success or failure on various project management dimensions, and make recommendations for improvements on future projects. Students will prepare a written report.

Students are expected to prepare a written report that integrates concepts learned throughout the course within the context of the project presented in the movie. The report should contain the following sections in the order listed:

Introduction (3-5 pages) Introduce your project by describing the organization, the type of business in which it is engaged, and the nature of the organizational project analyzed. Please note that the introduction is critical, since it should provide the foundation for the reader to understand the remainder of the report. Thus, considerable care should be taken in developing a logical story that the reader can follow easily.

Factors you may consider in developing the foundation of the project include:

. What was the initial overall vision of the project? . Why was the project undertaken? What were the driving reasons, either business or emotional? . What external competitive or environmental factors were significant and why? . What key business, technical and institutional/organizational issues best describe the original situation? What priorities shaped the approach and the timeframe? . What problems were to be solved? What was to be the desired state at the end? . What business metrics were supposed to be affected as a result? . What role was envisioned for technology in the overall solution? . What were the other components in the initiative in addition to the technology? . Who was funding the project? Developing it? Managing it? Using it? Ultimately accountable? Analysis (5 – 10 pages)

Describe the organization’s processes in the project – Did the organization follow a formal methodology for completing the project? If so, describe the methodology. If not, describe the informal structure of the project. Analyze how well the methodology (whether formal or informal) was followed during the project.

Describe the factual and motivational timelines of the project. First, show the organization’s planned timeline for the project (i.e., if the organization did not have a formal planned timeline, use whatever informal timeline was specified in advance.) Second, show the actual chronological timeline for the project. What were the project’s actual phases, critical events, and times at which major turning points in the project occurred? Then compare and contrast the planned and actual timelines. Third, what happened to the organizational project team in terms of motivation? What would a trend line of the team’s energy level, motivation, and commitment level look like if superimposed over the actual timeline?

Describe the requirements or needs for the project identified by the organization. How were the requirements identified? Describe the decisions made concerning time, costs, and scope of the project. Describe the project’s implementation. Describe any monitoring and control functions put in place by the organization and any measures used to aid in these functions.

Describe the decision-making processes used by the organization during the project. Were there formal decision-making procedures (and if so, were they followed?) or were the procedures heuristic and ad hoc (or both)? Did you detect or do you suspect any biases in the decision- making processes? If so, describe these biases.

What were the major problems and/or challenges that the project team encountered during the performance of the project? How were those problems and challenges addressed? What was their impact on the project performance and outcome?

Was the project a “success” (that is, how is it regarded at this point in time)? Was it completed on schedule and within budget? Did it meet the original requirements? Were the goals achieved? Was value added for the organization? Are the individual stakeholders satisfied? In addressing this last question, consider especially the people who are directly affected by the project, such as the users or people who will perform the processes. If the answer to any of the previous questions in this paragraph was “no,” describe the cause or source of the failure. Was the cause or source foreseeable in advance? Why or why not?

Conclusion (2-3 pages) Summarize the major conclusions from your analyses and provide recommendations for changes (if any) the organization could implement to improve the likelihood of success in future projects. Were there any “lessons learned” for the organization? What would you recommend to company executives if you could have a candid conversation with them? In order to receive a grade of “A” in the course the student will need to do “A” or above quality work on Assignments 1-5 and either pass the CAPM exam (see information about the CAPM exam option at the end of the syllabus) or DO “A” or above quality work on Assignments 6, 7, & 8 (three written case analyses):

Assignment #6

This case is about the CareGroup. Since this is the first case you are doing, I’ll provide a little extra guidance for you. Please focus most of your attention on the following two questions:

1. What was the underlying cause of the collapse of the system? 2. Evaluate carefully the 10 lessons that CIO John Halamka learned from the experience. Are these the right 10 lessons? Are there other lessons that might be gleaned from the situation?

I would recommend the following plan in doing your case write-up. Begin by giving me a brief overview of the organization and the “problem” in the case. Then, identify the causes of the problem (#1 above). After that, discuss the response/solution to the problem. Then evaluate the lessons learned (#2 above). If you need to create tables/graphs/charts/etc., feel free (they’re not required, but if they help you make your case, use them).

Assignment #7

This case is about Cisco’s ERP implementation in the early 1990s. Here are my suggestions for organizing your case write-up. I would do the following:

1. Describe the organization and the project undertaken.

2. What are the scope, time, and cost for the project that is mentioned in the case. Did any of these change during the course of the project? If so, were these changes good or bad ideas?

3. Describe the team that Cisco assembled for implementation (including Cisco management, IT employees, and partners/vendors). Is this a good way to build a team? Why or why not?

4. What factors made the difference between success and failure of the Cisco ERP project? Where had the ERP team been “smart”? Where had the ERP team been just plain lucky?

Assignment #8:

This case is about Harley Davidson. Below are my suggestions for organizing your case write- up. I would do the following:

1. Describe the organization and the problem/issue/decision in the case. 2. Look at Exhibit 10 on p. 22 of the case. Does it contain the factors you consider most important in the selection process? Which factors should be weighted differently, in your opinion?

3. Based on the information in the case, which provider would you select and why? How would you summarize the reasons for your choice if you were presenting them to senior management?

4. What is your overall assessment of Harley’s approach to enterprise software selection? What (if anything) would you have done differently?

Instructions for How to Prepare a Case Analysis

1. Case write-ups should be at most 1500 words and five pages of exhibits (if needed). This is a firm constraint. Exhibits should contain specific types of analyses, such as financial analysis, break-even charts, cost analysis, process-flow analysis, etc. They should contain any relevant information that is too detailed for the body of the paper. Exhibits must not simply be an extension of the text.

2. The questions in the course reader are only general guidelines to consider when preparing a write-up. Under no circumstances should a write-up simply consist of answers to these questions!

The case write-ups will be graded using the following criteria: Analysis 1. Does the paper contain analysis of the major issues? 2. Does the analysis incorporate the relevant tools properly? 3. Are assumptions made in the analysis stated explicitly? 4. Does the analysis isolate the fundamental causes of problems in the case? Recommended Actions 1. Are the criteria for choosing among alternative recommendations stated? 2. Are the criteria appropriate? 3. Is the plan of action integrated in a logical way and linked to the analysis? 4. Is the action plan specific, complete, and practical? 5. Is it likely that the recommendations will achieve their intended results? Exhibits 1. Are the analyses in the exhibits done correctly? 2. Do the exhibits support and add to the text on key points? Presentation 1. Is the paper too long? 2. Is the presentation of professional quality? Is the paper logically consistent and effectively structured to sell its recommendations? General Guidelines for Written Work

All written work prepared outside of class should be typewritten and contain a cover page with your name, course number, date, and title. Where page lengths are noted for particular assignments, the page lengths assume 12 pitch (12 characters per inch) type, 8 1/2 by 11 paper, double spaced type, and one inch margins on all sides. Please include a cover sheet for all work which includes your name along with the date and subject of the case or project.

Written work will be graded for both content and quality. That is, grammar, punctuation, spelling, coherence, style, and organization will be considered. A concise style is essential. Corporate executives repeatedly emphasize the need for business schools to do a better job of preparing MBAs to write in an organizational context. The standards applied to writing quality will approximate those applied to major corporate documents that have been prepared for broad distribution among senior executives.

Statement Regarding Academic Dishonesty

Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to students is dishonest whether or not the effort successful. The academic community regards academic dishonesty as an extremely serious matter, with consequences that range from probation to expulsion. When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, consult the course instructor.

The general description of academic dishonesty is presented in Texas Tech Operating Policy 34.12 and in the Texas Tech Student Handbook, Code of Student Conduc t. In general the description of “Scholastic Dishonesty" includes, but is not limited to, "cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, misrepresenting facts, and any act designed to give unfair academic advantage to the student (such as, but not limited to, submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor) or the attempt to commit such an act.”

All acts of academic misconduct will be reported and adjudicated as prescribed by the Student Code of Texas Tech University.

More specifically, for this course it will be considered academic dishonesty to engage in the following activities:

1. Misrepresenting the written work of others as your own work. 2. Reading, viewing or discussing information developed by other current or prior students or groups participating in graded group or individual case studies or projects, whether in or outside of class time. 3. Obtaining by any means the ideas, concepts, answers, or actual written material developed by another individual or group and presenting it as your own, either in writing or as discussion materials.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Class Introduction. Feel free to email me or call me any time if you would like to meet in person or stop by my office during my office hours.

Please note that the due dates below are not set in stone. Instead they are dates that I am suggesting you turn your assignments in by so that you stay on schedule to complete all of the course assignments by the final due date of December 5th, 2010.

September 24th - Recommended Date to turn in Assignments 1 & 2

October 1st - Recommended Date to turn in Assignments 3 & 4

October 15th - Recommended Date to turn in Assignment 5

October 29th - Recommended Date to turn in Assignment 6

November 12th - Recommended Date to turn in Assignments 7

November 26th - Recommended Date to turn in Assignments 8 or take CAPM Exam

December 2nd - Recommended Date to retake CAPM Exam if necessary

The Final Date to turn in all Assignments is Sunday, December 12th

MISCELLANEOUS If I need to communicate with you outside of class, I will use your official Texas Tech email. You are responsible for forwarding any other email addresses if you have another account you prefer to use. You are also responsible for monitoring your email for any correspondence from me regarding the class. Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions about the class, assignments, or materials. I reserve the right to make adjustments in course requirements. Classes are somewhat organic and changes are to be anticipated. I highly recommend you not delay working on any assignments until the end of the semester and attempt to complete them in a short period of time. You can email me completed assignments at any time during the semester. CAPM Certification Option

Students who desire to earn the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) Credential that is awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI) may do so. The CAPM exam must be successfully completed on or before Friday, May 10th, 2010. Students are solely responsible for ensuring their eligibility to take the exam, paying the fee to sit for the exam (and possibly the re-testing fee), borrowing/purchasing study materials, scheduling a time to sit for the exam, locating the testing center, and attending the exam. Students who take the exam and fail will not receive any “extra credit” or additional consideration in grading for ISQS 5359. Students who do not attempt the CAPM exam will not be penalized in any way in the grading for ISQS 5359.

Requirements for the CAPM exam are listed on the PMI website at http://www.pmi.org/CareerDevelopment/Pages/Obtaining- Credential.aspx#top. Please consult this website to ensure that you meet the requirements for education and project management experience before you begin studying for the exam. I cannot guarantee that your undergraduate coursework to this point will be adequate for you to take the exam. I believe that it should meet the education requirement, but PMI has the final say in deciding who is qualified to take the exam. All of their decisions are final.

Additional information about the CAPM exam can be found at the following website: http://www.pmi.org/PDF/pdc_capmhandbook.pdf

Phil Flamm who is an instructor in the ISQS area (742-2190 Office is BA 506) recently took the CAPM exam and passed it after about 60 hours of studying. Phil recommends studying out of the books that I recommended above. Below is some information about where the CAPM exam is given in Lubbock (you can take the exam anywhere there is a Prometric office). Feel free to call me at 742-2170 if you have any questions.

If you study hard you should have no problem passing the CAPM exam. I am not 100% sure but I think once you pay to take the exam they give you three tries to pass it. I would recommend that you study some and then take the exam and if you do not pass study some more and take the exam again. Date: 27 Apr 2007 North America

Subject: Confirmation of computer-based Certified Associate in Project Management Your appointment for the computer-based Certified Associate in Project Management is confirmed. Please find the confirmation details that follow: Client Candidate Id: Confirmation: Program: Project Management Institute Exam Code: CAPM Certified Associate in Project Management Exam Date: 08 May 2007 Exam Time: 09:00 Prometric Test Center: # 0077 THOMSON PROMETRIC TEST CENTER 4601 SOUTH LOOP 289 SUITE 22 LUBBOCK TEXAS 79424 UNITED STATES

IDENTIFICATION POLICY

Candidates must present one form of un-expired, government-issued identification that contains the candidate's name, photograph and signature. The following forms of identification are acceptable only if they meet these requirements: Passport, driver's license, national identity card, military ID, other forms of un-expired, government-issued, identification that has both signature and photo. If any of the above forms of identification contain the candidate's name or photograph, but not his/her signature, the candidate can use another form of un-expired identification what provides a signature to supplement the photo-bearing, government-issued ID. Examples are: Employee ID, Bank card, Credit card

RESCHEDULE / CANCEL POLICY

If you need to reschedule or cancel your exam, you must call the registration center, or visit www.prometric.com, no later than 48 hours before your appointment date. You must apply to Project Management Institute each time you wish to retest.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Our center is located off of south loop 289 between Slide and Quaker off of the south access road. We are located between McDougal and TJMaxx in the Salem Village Shopping center on the second floor suite number 22 next to Sylvan

Sincerely, North America Prometric, a part of the Thomson Company