Project Management

Module Rationale 

Organisations have been subjected to an unprecedented pace of change over the last three decades, resulting in a shift in the way they do business and a growth in managing projects at a global level. This has resulted in changes in organisational structure, business processes, roles and responsibilities, new distribution channels, greater use of IT, etc. In most cases this transformation has been achieved by treating the desired change as a project and therefore a temporary endeavour with clear, bounded timescales, resources and objectives. Hence Project Management is a crucial organisational activity concerned with the planning and management of resources (labour and materials) in such a way that collectively the resources deliver the required project outcome within defined quality, time and cost constraints. This module will enable you to systematically review and evaluate the concepts of project management and have an awareness of the key factors involved in successful project management; assess the role and skill-set required by a project manager and apply this learning to your own career ambitions; explore the concepts and techniques of project management in a variety of project scenarios and analyse their relationship to personal and organisational issues. You will be able to demonstrate business readiness by presenting your understanding of practical application of project management techniques as used in industry, applying knowledge to case study scenarios ranging from sports events to construction and technology projects, by critiquing the various implications of project planning options and being able to offer relevant and well-informed recommendations.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students should: 

• You will be able to develop understanding of the core activity areas project managers concern themselves with and how they relate to personal and organisational issues. 

• You will be able to apply the principles of project management to the planned development and delivery of business initiatives, e.g. new products, services or events

Topics 

• Introduction to Project Management 

• Structures, Teams and Leadership 

• Defining the Project – stakeholders and initial planning 

• Planning: Time, Cost and Quality 

• Managing Risk and Uncertainty 

• Project Management Methodologies 

• Implementing, Controlling and Communications

• Project Completion and Review

Assessment 

Your assignment will consist of two reports. Assignment 1: development of an Project Initiation Document (PID) and Work Breakdown Structure. Assignment 2: Production of a short report written directly to the project sponsor containing risk register, explanation of the difference between project leadership and general leadership/management and C. An analysis and critique of methodologies.