Postgraduate Course: Project Management in Business Analysis (CMSE11213)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 15 |
ECTS Credits | 7.5 |
| Summary | In this course, in line with the Project Management Body Of Knowledge guidelines issued by the Project Management Institute, we introduce the project management life cycle and we compare selected state-of-the-art life cycle models for effective project management, such as traditional, agile and extreme project management.
Students will engage in a small sized project and develop hands-on experience of managing a project life cycle. In addition, they will develop team management and leadership skills. |
| Course description |
Project management and business analysis represent two elements that are key to the success of any business endeavour. Project managers are in charge of ensuring that a project is completed on time and within the planned budget. Business analysts must focus on the product of the project ensuring that it meets the needs of the key stakeholders.
In this course, we introduce the project management life cycle and we compare selected state-of-the-art life cycle models for effective project management, such as traditional, agile and extreme project management; we also introduce selected state-of-the-art tools for effective project management, such as PERT and CPM.
We also provide an overview of business analysis activities throughout the life of a project such as stakeholder analysis, requirement analysis, risk analysis, business process and data analysis, implementation, validation, deployment and assessment. For these, we introduce a toolbox of selected state-of-the-art business analysis tools such as mind maps, use case diagrams, business process diagrams etc.
Operating within a given budget necessarily imposes choices in terms of which stakeholder requests should be given priority. Project managers and business analysts must therefore coordinate their plans to ensure that budget is not exceeded and key stakeholders are satisfied. Furthermore, as the project progresses, delays and other unforeseen events may impose a sudden re-planning of on-going activities. The exact nature of this re-planning should also be defined in concert. In some cases, reaching a consensus in the project team may constitute an extremely challenging task. To deal with these issues, we illustrate the basics of group dynamics and strategies that a team can adopt to work together effectively.
The objective of this course is then to:
- provide an introduction to established project management and business analysis techniques, such as traditional, agile and extreme project management;
- illustrate selected state-of-the-art tools typically adopted in the context of project management and business analysis;
- illustrate group dynamics issues typically encountered in the context of project management. Introduce a number of established techniques and inventories that can be used to analyse and deal with these issues;
- let students familiarize with the above project management and business analysis tools and techniques in the context of a relatively small-scale project that will be developed by teams of 4 to 5 people in a short time frame of 6 weeks. The topic of the project is open and it must be agreed at the beginning of the course. Lecturers will provide a portfolio of possible projects, but students may decide to develop their own project independently. It should be emphasized that group work in this course represents an 'end'. The outcome of the project is not important per se - in principle the project may even not succeed - what will be assessed is the ability of a team to manage a project life cycle.
- let students individually analyse group dynamics that emerged during the project and strategies put in place to avoid or manage conflicts.
Syllabus:
1. Group dynamics
2. (a) Introduction to Project Management; (b) Scoping a Project
3. (a) Project Management Life Cycle Models; (b) Planning a Project
4. The Critical Path Method
5. (a) Launching, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing a Project; (b) Group activity: dealing with a simple project in a 'Traditional' way.
6. Agile Project Management (guest lecture)
7. Extreme Project Management
8. Group presentations
9. Risk Management
10. Risk Management Lab
Student Learning Experience:
In this course, students will
- participate in lectures
- engage in discussion inside and outside of the classroom
- complete tutorial exercises
- manage an actual project in small groups
- perform independent reading and research
- critically reflect on their own learning experiences
Beside the 20 hours of lectures illustrated below, students will spend approximately 80 hours working on a project in groups of 4/5 people; a lecturer will supervise up to 6 of these 80 hours. During these supervised hours, which may take the form of short coaching sessions of 20 or 30 minutes, one of the lecturers will join the group and will provide feedback on specific issues raised or on group activities.
Learning outcomes: C.1, C.2, C.3, D.1, D.3
We expect students to spend approximately 20 hours on preparatory readings before their lectures. They will also have to spend 20 hours preparing for a written exam.
Learning outcomes: D.4
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Students MUST have passed:
Economic and Operational Decision Making (CMSE11292) OR
Business Statistics (CMSE11206)
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Available to Business School students only.
Students with previous project management experience (both theoretical and practical) are advised not to take this course, as it is an introductory course, not an advanced one.
|
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
150
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 3,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
127 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
40 %,
Coursework
60 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
By the end of the course, each group must submit a group work report (40% of the total mark) which will consist of:
1. an executive summary outlining the scope and the outcomes of the project. Length: one A4 page.
2. a report outlining project management and business analysis activities conducted during the development of the project. The report will include, as an appendix, a portfolio of artefacts generated during the project (e.g. project overview statement, work breakdown structure, etc). Length: 3000 words (excluding appendices).
This group report is meant to equip students with graduate attributes A.1-3, B.1-3, C.2-3, D.1-3 and assess learning outcome 2 and 4.
The group work report and the individual report must be submitted during the last week of lectures (Week 10, Wednesday the 23rd of March 2016, 12noon).
In addition, each participant must submit an individual report (20% of the mark), which should take approx. 8 hours, outlining one's own contribution to the project, as well as a personal reflection on leadership and group dynamics issues faced throughout the project, in light of the inventories presented during the lectures: Thematic Apperception Test, Least Preferred Co-worker test, a Leary's rose test, and Kolb's learning inventory. Length: 1500 words.
This individual report is meant to equip students with graduate attributes A.4-5,B.4-5,D.4 and to assess learning outcome 5.
A written exam will assess student proficiency in quantitative modelling techniques presented during the course. The exam lasts 2 hours and comprises TWO questions, both of which must be answered. (40% of the mark)
The exam will equip students with graduate attributes C.1, D.3 and assess learning outcomes 1, 3 and 4.
The exam will be scheduled according to the relevant diet. No exemptions are offered, since the course runs in Semester 2. There will not be any re-sit or resubmissions. The external examiner will peer assess a sample of the reports and of the exams. |
| Feedback |
Formative feedback will be provided:
- during group activities performed in the lectures
- during project group meetings with the lecturer (1 to 6 hours per group depending on group progress) in weeks 2 to 10
- during a formal group presentation to the class in week 8
- during a supervised computer laboratory tutorial in week 10
Summative feedback will be provided at the end of the courses for the individual and group reports and for the final exam. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Define what a project is and critically discuss the project management life cycle;
- Identify key trade-offs faced by project managers and business analysts: cost, time, quality, scope, resources;
- Classify project management life cycle models in terms of clarity of goals and solutions: traditional, agile, extreme and emertxe;
- Apply state-of-the-art techniques for managing the project management life cycle of small/medium sized projects;
- Describe and critically discuss the rationale behind frameworks such as Leary's rose and Kolb's learning cycle, as well as their potential applications in the context of team management.
|
Reading List
Required texts
Robert K. Wysocki, Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Wiley, 6th ed., 2012, ISBN-13: 978-1-118-01619-0; Chap 1-12
Jeff Butterfield, Illustrated Course Guides: Problem-Solving and Decision Making - Soft Skills for a Digital Workplace, Cencage, 2009, ISBN-13: 978-1439041147; Unit D: Group Decision Making and Problem Solving
Before attending the first lecture of the course students should read Butterfield's Unit D: Group Decision Making and Problem Solving; they should also read Chap. 1 of Wysocki's textbook.
Further readings
Kottler & Englar-Carlson, 'Learning Group Leadership: An experiential approach,' Sage, 2009, ISBN-13: 978-1412953719 - Chap 3-4
Harold R. Kerzner, 'Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling,' 11th Edition, 2013 ISBN-13: 978-1118022276
Howard Podeswa, 'The Business Analyst's Handbook,' Delmar, 2009 ISBN-13: 978-1598635652
Perdita Stevens, 'Using UML,' Second Edition, Addison Wesley, 2006 ISBN-13: 978-0321269676 |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
After completing this course, students should be able to:
A. Knowledge and Understanding
1. define what a project is and describe the project management life cycle;
2. describe key trade-offs faced by project managers and business analysts: cost, time, quality, scope, resources;
3. describe possible project management life cycle models in terms of clarity of goals and solutions: traditional, agile, extreme;
4. describe the rationale behind frameworks such as Leary¿s rose and Kolb¿s learning cycle, as well as their potential applications in the context of team management;
5. describe possible leadership styles;
B. Practice: applied knowledge, skills and understanding:
1. discuss relevant activities that should be executed at each stage of the project management life cycle, i.e. scoping, planning, launching, monitoring & controlling, closing;
2. select the most appropriate project management life cycle models for a given project;
3. discuss advantages and drawbacks for each of the project management life cycle models presented
4. apply existing inventories, such as Kolb¿s learning cycle model, to identify what members of the group are the most suitable for a given activity, or to determine how to deal with a specific behavioural pattern;
5. recognize different stages of group development: forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning;
C. Communication, ICT and numeracy skills
1. apply state-of-the-art tools in the context of project management and business analysis, such as mind maps, use case diagrams, business process diagrams, CPM, PERT etc;
2. scope, plan, launch, monitor & control and close a small project;
3. develop appropriate documentation at each stage of the project life cycle
D. Generic Cognitive Skills
1. demonstrate report writing skills
2. demonstrate presentation skills
3. demonstrate problem analysis and problem solving skills
4. demonstrate awareness of group dynamics and group leadership styles |
| Keywords | Mark-PMBA |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Roberto Rossi
Tel: (0131 6)51 5239
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Ashley Harper
Tel: (0131 6)51 5671
Email: |
|
© Copyright 2017 The University of Edinburgh - 6 February 2017 6:45 pm
|
University Homepage