FIT3086 Project management - Semester 1, 2010 (Information Technology)

Introduction

Welcome to FIT3086 Project Management for First Semester 2010. This 6 point unit is core to all undergraduate degree programs in the Faculty of IT. The unit has been designed to provide you with an understanding of modern project management. It will provide you with the knowledge to plan and manage projects, understand project accounting calculations and take part in the business activities of your organization.

Unit synopsis

The unit provides both a theoretical and practical overview of processes involved in managing large projects, with particular emphasis on projects common to the information technology industry. Topics include the project life cycle, problem definition, project evaluation, high and low level planning, team building and people management, monitoring and control, reporting and communication, termination and assessment.

Learning outcomes

At the completion of this unit students will be able to:

describe the characteristics and phases of a project and its life cycle and explain the role played by the project manager;
explain the need for and develop specific goals, detailed plans and control strategies in large scale projects and relate this to the major reasons for the failure of IT projects;
explain and use standard project management techniques including Project Networks, Critical Path Analysis and Management, Gantt Charts and Time-Phased Budgets for high and low level project planning;
discuss the communication, people handling and team management skills required of a project manager and explain some of the techniques that may be employed;
explain the processes involved in selecting and initiating a project and prepare various critical documents required for these processes, including financial justification;
explain the importance of resource availability on project plans and develop and manage resource constrained project plans;
describe the need for Quality Management in projects and explain, compare and use various techniques currently employed by professional project managers;
describe the impact of risk on a project managers decision process, explain how that risk may be managed and/or mitigated and develop an appropriate risk management plan;
develop relevant, achievable and measurable project goals;
identify and critically discuss the impact on a project of external influences, including organisational structure, and stakeholders;
monitor the progress of a project, determine performance against the plan, develop strategies to manage any variation and discuss formal change control processes;
produce useful, informative progress reports for various project stakeholders and conduct stage and post project reviews.

Contact hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs laboratories/wk

Workload

For on campus students, workload commitments are:

two-hour lecture
two-hour tutorial (or laboratory) requiring advance preparation
a minimum of 2-3 hours of personal study per one hour of contact time in order to satisfy the reading and assignment expectations.

Unit relationships

Prerequisites

Completion of at least 24 points of IT study.

Prohibitions

FIT2002, BUS2176,CSE2203, GCO3807, MMS2203, CPE2006

Teaching and learning method

Teaching approach

The unit will be conducted as one 2 hour lecture and one 2 hour tutorial or laboratory per session.

Copies of lecture slides and tutorial exercises will be made available to all students through the unit website.

Lectures will provide students with the knowledge of fundamental theories and concepts. The tutorials will providestudents with an opportunity to discuss and apply the concepts throughcase studies and problem solving exercises

Timetable information

For information on timetabling for on-campus classes please refer to MUTTS, http://mutts.monash.edu.au/MUTTS/

Tutorial allocation

On-campus students should register for tutorials/laboratories using the Allocate+ system: http://allocate.its.monash.edu.au/

Unit Schedule

Week	Date*	Topic	References/Readings	Key dates
1	01/03/10	Introduction to Project Management	Schwalbe: Chapters 1 and 2
2	08/03/10	Project initiation	Schwalbe: Chapters 2 and 4
3	15/03/10	Project activity planning	Will be provided
4	22/03/10	Project selection	Schwalbe: Chapter 4
5	29/03/10	Project work breakdown structure	Schwalbe: Chapter 5
Mid semester break
6	12/04/10	Project activity scheduling	Schwalbe: Chapter 6	Assignment 1A
7	19/04/10	Project cost management	Schwalbe: Chapter 7
8	26/04/10	Project quality and risk management	Schwalbe: Chapters 8 and 11
9	03/05/10	Project HR and communication management	Schwalbe: Chapters 9 and 10
10	10/05/10	Project procurement management	Schwalbe: Chapter 12	Assignments 1B
11	17/05/10	Project monitoring and control	Will be provided
12	24/05/10	Project closure management	Marchewka: Chapter 14,	Assignment 2 (Project Failure Due
13	31/05/10	Summary and Revision

*Please note that these dates may only apply to Australian campuses of Monash University. Off-shore students need to check the dates with their unit leader.

Improvements to this unit

Dr Rahim and Dr Joze are jointly working on the reorganisation of the contents of this unit based on the recommendations offered by the unit lectureres at the end of 2009

Unit Resources

Prescribed text(s) and readings

a) Schwalbe, K., Information Technology Project Management 6e, Thomson Course Technology, Latest edition

b) Rahel Biheller Bunin, New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Project 2007 Introductory, Cengage Learning, Latest edition

Recommended text(s) and readings

a) Information Technology project Management: Providing Mesurable Organizational Value, Jack T.Marchewka, Third edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

b) Project Management: A Managerial Approach, 6th Edition Jack R. Meredith, Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. ISBN: 978-0-471-71537-5

Required software and/or hardware

MS Project Professional 2007

or

MS Project Professional 2007 Trial Version http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/Browse.aspx?displaylang=en&productID=A1D023A3-F612-4DA2-ACB8-FDA8F850D645#

Study resources

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

Lecture notes
Tutorial or laboratory tasks and exercises
Assignment specifications and assessment guides
A sample past exam paper (partial)
Discussion groups

Assessment

Overview

Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

Faculty assessment policy

To pass a unit which includes an examination as part of the assessment a student must obtain:

40% or more in the unit's examination, and
40% or more in the unit's total non-examination assessment, and
an overall unit mark of 50% or more.

If a student does not achieve 40% or more in the unit examination or the unit non-examination total assessment, and the total mark for the unit is greater than 50% then a mark of no greater than 49-N will be recorded for the unit.

Assignment tasks

Assignment coversheets

Assignment coversheets are available via "Student Forms" on the Faculty website: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/
You MUST submit a completed coversheet with all assignments, ensuring that the plagiarism declaration section is signed.

Assignment submission and return procedures, and assessment criteria will be specified with each assignment.

Assignment task 1

Title:

Assignment 1: MicroSoft Project case study

Description:

This is an individual assignment. Use MS Project software to plan and control a medium sized project. The case description will be provided.

Weighting:

20%

Due date:

Part A (15 April, 2010 - Week 6), Parts B and C (13 May 2010 - Week 10)

Assignment task 2

Title:

Analysing IT Project Failure: An Application of the Project Management Body of Knowledge

Description:

Analytical Exercise: A case study analysis of an IT project failure. Students are required to analyse the case using Project Management Body of Knowledge as the framework.Assignment 2 too is an individual assignment.

Weighting:

20%

Due date:

27 May 2010 (Week 12)

Examination

Weighting: 60%
Length: 3 hours
Type (open/closed book): closed book
Remarks:
Normally in three sections.

Section A composed of several short discussion questions. Students are given choices. Section B includes mini-cases. Students are asked to answer all questions. Section C contains several problem solving exercises. Students are asked to answer all questions.

See Appendix for End of semester special consideration / deferred exams process.

Due dates and extensions

Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are not regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.

Students requesting an extension for any assessment during semester (eg. Assignments, tests or presentations) are required to submit a Special Consideration application form (in-semester exam/assessment task), along with original copies of supporting documentation, directly to their lecturer within two working days before the assessment submission deadline. Lecturers will provide specific outcomes directly to students via email within 2 working days. The lecturer reserves the right to refuse late applications.

A copy of the email or other written communication of an extension must be attached to the assignment submission.

Refer to the Faculty Special consideration webpage or further details and to access application forms: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/equity/special-consideration.html

Late assignment

Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 10% of the total mark for the respective assignment, as long as the solution has not been published. If an assignment is submitted after the solution has been published, then the assignment may recieve zero (0) marks.

Return dates

Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

Appendix

Please visit the following URL: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/units/appendix.html for further information about:

Continuous improvement
Unit evaluations
Communication, participation and feedback
Library access
Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)
Plagiarism, cheating and collusion
Register of counselling about plagiarism
Non-discriminatory language
Students with disability
End of semester special consideration / deferred exams