Study Guide

Objective

The student knows Basic Project Management terminology and knowledge areas. Furthermore the student is familiar with central documents and elements required in project management, such as a project plan, time schedule, budget and a risk assessment matrix. The student understands the basic principles and steps of project management. The student has also a basic knowledge about new challenges in and modern approaches to project management due to uncertainty, globalization and diversity.

Content

Basic terminology in PM, PM knowledge areas (PMBoK), basic documentation for a project. The role of PMO’s, understanding success and failures, value driven PM, problem solving and decision making.

Location and time

Time: See course calendar (in Peppi) for course schedule
Place: Novia-Vasa-Engineering or online (Moodle)

Materials

We do not actually use a course book, but instead pick up resources from there and from there - but if you learn best by reading a proper book from A to Ö then I recommend (from Tritonia):

Heagney, J. (2012). Fundamentals of project management (4th ed.). Nev York: American Management Association.


And maybe:

(2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® guide) (5th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

Kerzner, H. (2015). Project management 2.0: Leveraging tools, distributed collaboration, and metrics for project success. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Teaching methods

Project-based learning, lectures, exercises, feedback-sessions and self-studies.
Team-project.

Employer connections

One excursion or guest lecture during the course.
During the course, a Team project is made (a development project for an organization or company).

Exam schedules

By performing weekly project works and by participating in feedback sessions (with discussion) or self-development activities and excursion or guest lecture you collect points that lead to the final grade.
The first return box closes automatically the evening before the week's lecture. The report submitted here is assessed and scored within one week. The second submission box will remain open until the course starts again next year (if you have no grade by then you start again from zero points). These "late" submissions are graded within one month.
Course grade within one week after the last project, or within one month after the last submission.

During the course, a Team project is made (a development project for an organization or company that is not usually chosen as a thesis work place for Industrial Management engineering students), worth 1 ECTS. If you do the obligatory smaller projects (Theory Presentation, Prototype and Feedback, Stakeholder feedback, Final presentation of the solution) you automatically get an Approved grade in the Team-project course part.

Completion alternatives

Kursen går att göra utan närvaro i klass - man gör projekten på egen hand och kan utföra självutvecklingsaktiviteter istället för feedbacktillfällen (se mer om dessa i Moodle).

Student workload

Students receive 4 ECTS for the course, 3 ECTS for course work, 1 ECTS for the Team Project

The student is expected to spend a total of 10 hours of work per week on the course in order to reach the European goals of 25-30 hours of work per credits obtained. 3 hours of local education (or equivalent amount of time spent on studying online material and doing self-development activities) and 7 hours of work on own time.

Content scheduling

Week Project
1 SCRUM and Agile Project Management
2 Project Mission/Goals/Stakeholders
3 Work Breakdown Structure
4 Scheduling, Gantt Charts, etc.
5 Theory Presentation*
6 Prototype and Feedback*
7 Risk Management
8 Leading a Team
9 Stakeholder Feedback*
10 Final Presentation*
11 Excursion/Guest Lecture
12 Conclusion

*Obligatory project, must be done to complete the course and gain the full 4 credits.

Further information

To get a final grade in the course one must
1) collect enough points to get a grade in the course part Project Management (3 ECTS) AND
2) get an Approved grade in the course part Team Project (1 ECTS)(by completing all of the four obligatory projects)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student is able, with guidance, to utilize the methods learnt during the study unit.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student is able to utilize the methods learnt during the study unit independently.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student is able to utilize the methods learnt during the study unit independently and is able apply the learnt knowledge in new contexts.

Assessment methods and criteria

By performing project works and by participating in feedback sessions (with discussion) or self-development activities and excursion or guest lecture you collect points that lead to the final grade.
.
For participation in project work, the following points are awarded:
Failed = 0p (The work is obviously deficient, parts are left unfinished)
Accepted = 1p (A good work)
Excellent = 2p (Demands that you show significant initiative, creativity, enthusiasm)
.
For participation in a feedback-session (constructive, detailed feedback) = 1p
For completion of a self-development activity (serious, analytical) = 1p
For active participation in an excursion/guest lecture (discussing, writing) = 1p
.
Points Results
24->31 = 5
22->23 = 4
20->21 = 3
17->19 = 2
15->16 = 1

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

Insufficient knowledge and/or course effort to achieve a grade of 1

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Knows about the importance of project management in the industry
Can on request comment on a made project plan
Knows the connection between time, cost and project results
Knows some of the area's central concepts in a foreign language
Can participate in a discussion about project management

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Can make a plan for how the project will be implemented
Can analyze and improve a premade plan
Understands the relationship between time, cost and project results
Can understand texts in a foreign language that deals with the current theme
Can give a presentation on project management

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Can argue for and against different strategies and models for project management
Can produce a good project plan
Can suggest solutions that can reduce the project's need for time, cost and results
Can read literature in a foreign language about project management
Can describe and explain the role of project management to outsiders

Qualifications

No prerequisites.