This unit introduces students to the many concepts, tools and techniques for managing information technology projects. Exploring traditional and agile approaches for managing projects, topics include project lifecycles, project planning, project scheduling, team building, risk management, time and quality management. A case study approach will be used to provide learning opportunities, with an emphasis on the unique aspects of information technology projects.
Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:
(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:
(b.) Study schedule for off-campus students:
(c.) Additional requirements (all students):
See also Unit timetable information
AFW3043, BEW3640, BUS2176, CIV3205, CPE2006, CSE2203, GCO3807, GEG3104, GSE3003, FIT3086, MGW2700, MMS2203
Completion of at least 24 points of level one study or equivalent.
Margot Schuhmacher
Johann Smith
Tam Leong Hing
Karan Pedramrazi
Milad Sayad
Edwin Mochsin
Silva Wei
Tuyen Nguyen
Monica Vojjala
Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) survey. The University’s student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.
For more information on Monash’s educational strategy, see:
www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/ and on student evaluations, see: www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html
In response to student feedback, the unit has been revised with an IT project management focus and less accounting. Assignments have been redesigned to develop project management aspects.
If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp
| Week | Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0 | |
| 1 | Introduction to project management | |
| 2 | Project/product lifecycles and organisational structures | |
| 3 | Project selection and intitiation | Confirm business problem/solution; Quiz |
| 4 | Project scope and human resources | |
| 5 | Project risk management; guest speaker | Quiz |
| 6 | Project time management | Project Plan - Part 1 due |
| 7 | Project cost/effort management | |
| 8 | Project quality management | Quiz |
| 9 | Project communication and procurement management | |
| 10 | Project execution, monitoring and control | |
| 11 | Project closure | Project plan presentations; Quiz |
| 12 | Wrap up; Guest speaker | Project Plan - Part 2 due |
| SWOT VAC | No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC | |
| Examination period | LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/ academic/education/assessment/ assessment-in-coursework-policy.html |
*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.
Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%
| Assessment Task | Value | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Project Plan - Part 1 | 10% | Week 6 |
| Project Plan - Part 2 | 20% (15% Plan - Part 2, 5% presentation) | Presentation - Week 11; Plan - Week 12 |
| Quizzes | 10% | Weeks 3, 5, 8, 11 |
| Examination 1 | 60% | To be advised |
Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/assessment-hurdles.html)
Academic Integrity - Please see resources and tutorials at http://www.monash.edu/library/skills/resources/tutorials/academic-integrity/
It is expected that students will participate in Peer Instruction activities in lectures. You will be able to provide responses to questions using a response system such as a Clicker or ResponseWare - check with your Campus Lecturer. See http://www.keepad.com/Products/TurningPoint/Devices/ResponseWare/ for downloading and installing an app to your Smart Device.
You can create a Turning Point account using your Monash Student email at: https://account.turningtechnologies.com/account/
User Guides:
Team members will be awarded the same mark with adjustments made for each team member based on individual contribution, tutor evaluation and peer assessment.
Team members will be awarded the same mark with adjustments made for each team member based on individual contribution, tutor evaluation and peer assessment.
Accuracy of answers
Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling, by Harold Kerzner, 2013, 11th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Australia
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMBOK 5th Edition. 2013. Project Management Institute. (Available as an e-book)
ICT project management: ICT projects demand human skills. (2014, Dec 07). Sunday Business Post
Almgren, K. (2014). Information technology project management processes and practices: A comprehensive study for successful implementation of IT projects. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 5(11)
Project management; studies in the area of project management reported from monash university. (2014). Technology & Business Journal, , 1802.
Patanakul, P. (2014). Managing large-scale IS/IT projects in the public sector: Problems and causes leading to poor performance. The Journal of High Technology Management Research. 25(1)
Peslak, A.R. (2012). Information Technology Project Management and Project Success. International Journal of Information Technology and Project Success. 3(3)
Thomas, G., & Fernandez, W. (2008). Success in IT projects: A matter of definition?26(7)
Katzen, B. (2001). Project mismanagement. Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. 72(7)
Monash Library Unit Reading List (if applicable to the unit)
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html
Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
Submission must be made by the due date otherwise penalties will be enforced.
You must negotiate any extensions formally with your campus unit leader via the in-semester special consideration process: http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html
It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/student-academic-integrity-managing-plagiarism-collusion-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an electronic submission). Please note that it is your responsibility to retain copies of your assessments.
If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.
Please check with your lecturer before purchasing any Required Resources. Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library, and prescribed software is available in student labs.
You can purchase the prescribed text by:
The prescribed text is also available to borrow as an eBook in the library.
Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library.
Brewer, J.L., & Dittman, K.C.,. (2013). Methods of IT project management. (2nd Edition) Purdue University Press.
Project management tool:
Other project management tool of your choice
Schwalbe, K.. (2013). Information Technolody Project Management. (7th) Cengage Learning.
Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash’s Education Policies at: www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html
Important student resources including Faculty policies are located at http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/
The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at http://www.monash.edu.au/students. For Malaysia see http://www.monash.edu.my/Student-services, and for South Africa see http://www.monash.ac.za/current/.
The Monash University Library provides a range of services, resources and programs that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Malaysia, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.
This unit is a core unit in the Bachelor of Software Engineering accredited by Engineers Australia. Engineers Australia Accreditation Policy of Professional Engineering Programs requires that programs demonstrate how engineering graduates are prepared for entry to the profession and achieve Stage 1 competencies. The following information describes how this unit contributes to the development of these competencies for the Bachelor of Software Engineering. (Note: not all competencies may be emphasised in this unit).
| Stage 1 competency | How the compency is developed in this unit |
| 1. Knowledge and Skills base | |
| 1.1. Comprehension, theory based understanding of the underpinning natural and physical sciences and the engineering fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline. | Not covered in this unit |
| 1.2. Conceptual understanding of the mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, and computer and information sciences, which underpin the engineering discipline. | Some aspects on statistical evaluation and decision making techniques and tools for project management are covered and applied. |
| 1.3. In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline. | Not covered in this unit. |
| 1.4. Discernment of knowledge development and research directions within th engineering discipline. | Not covered in this unit. |
|
1.5. Knowledge of engineering design practice and contextual factors impacting the engineering discipline. |
Lecture and tutorial cover aspects of contextual factors that impact on the projects and on decision making. |
| 1.6. Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of sustainable engineering practice in the specific discipline. | Materials cover fundamental principles of project management, including planning and organising resources, as well as risk management. |
| 2. Engineering application ability | |
| 2.1. Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering problem solving. | Some aspects are covered by the unit - in terms of the application of project management principles to problem solving. |
| 2.2 Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources. | Not covered in this unit. |
| 2.3. Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes. | Not covered in this unit. |
| 2.4. Application of systematic approaches to the conduct and management of engineering projects. | Not covered in this unit. |
| 3. Professional and personal attributes | |
| 3.1. Ethical conduct and professional accountability. | The unit addresses issues on risk management and professional accountability in IT projects. |
| 3.2. Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains. | Students are expected to communicate effectively when developing solutions to projects. This includes oral and written communication in the form of stakeholder presentation and project documentation. |
| 3.3. Creative, innovative and proactive demeanour. | Students will develop creative and innovative information technology solutions for business problems. |
| 3.4. Professional use and management of information. | Not covered in this unit. |
| 3.5. Orderly management of self, and professional conduct. | Students will need to prepare a professional presentation for their business information technology solution. To achieve this they will need to manage their self. |
| 3.6. Effective team membership and team leadership. | Students will work in teams, and study team management and leadership skills in relation to leading information technology projects. |
| No. | CO 1 | CO 2 | CO 3 | CO 4 | CO 5 | CO 6 | CO 7 | C0 8 | CO 9 | CO 10 | CO 11 | CO 12 | CO 13 |
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| 2 | X | X | |||||||||||
| 3 | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| 4 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| 5 | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| 6 | X | X | |||||||||||
| 7 | X | X | X |
| No. | Assignments | Quizzes | Practical Exercises | Exam |
| 1 | X | X | ||
| 2 | X | X | ||
| 3 | X | X | X | |
| 4 | X | X | ||
| 5 | X | X | X | |
| 6 | X | X | ||
| 7 | X |