Advanced Project Management Assessment

Advanced Project Management Assessment.

Advanced Project Management Assessment
Upload 2 paper . The first is Advanced project Management in 3000words ?The second is Management of risk in 3000words.
The First one
The purpose of this individual assessment is to highlight both your theortical and practical knowledge of Advanced Project Management. The assignment has six distinctive sections (see Appendix A – Assignment Structure). Moreover, the initial four sections are aligned with the module learning outcomes (see Advanced Project Management handbook). The student is encouraged to undertake a critical literature review through the book chapters and papers that are identified in the workshops. Furthermore, students are expected to employ harvard style referencing. Reading around the topic areas is also encouraged for it demonstates scholarly initiative. Findings and conceptual models from your group project work can be used to further support your views with respect to relevant sections of the assignment. The final two sections requires the student to reflect upon the findings of the practical session findings, and use of methodologies or methods during the group project work. Additionally, the student is expected to generate some lessons leant which may lead to possible future project management learning and development actions. The style guide of the assignment is given in Applendix B, and marking scheme is given in Appendix C.
Some possible areas to consider for each six sections
• The Limitations of the Traditional Approach to Project Management (20 marks)
– Characteristics of traditional project management;
– Identify relevant methods and tools associated with traditional project management;
– Connectivity with technical core (level 1 of Management of Projects);
– Symptoms (factors and measures) of project failure;
– Traditional life-cycle models, product creation, and earned value;
– Factors and measures connected with efficiency;
– Doing the project right (‘the what’, ‘the how’);
– Emerging factors associated with project success;
– Projects as a given, hard systems thinking, analytical thinking;
– Project management success factors;
– Projects as temporary organisations;
– Mechanical metaphor, Taylorism, instrumental lifecycle image of projects;
– Role of the traditional project manager.
• The Broader Factors, Besides the Technical Ones, to Enhance Project Performance (20 marks)
– Characteristics associated with strategic envelope (level 2 of Management of Projects);
– Connectivity of strategic envelope with the technical core;
– Projects as social processes, alternative process models to deal with complex situations;
– Value creation as the prime focus;
– Emerging new relationships with business customer;
– Factors and measures connected with effectiveness;
– Choosing the right project (‘the why’);
– Project front-ending, project strategy and business strategy;
– Project success factors;
– Value and benefits;
– Value creation as a project image;
– Broadening the role of the project manager;
– Systems thinking, soft systems thinking and soft systems methodology;
• The Evolution of a Project Management System within Organisations with the Aim of Improving it (20 marks)
– Characteristics associated with institutional context (level 3 of Management of Projects);
– Institutional context connectivity with strategic envelop and technical core;
– Project Management Office (PMO);
– Project Management Maturity Model;
– Sponsorship and Governance;
– Connectivity between business strategy and PMO;
– Features associated with project management system;
– Consistent project success;
– Learning organisation;
– Strategic resource and procurement.
• The Importance of Context for, and its Effects on, the Management of Projects (20 marks)
– Management of projects characteristics – institutional context is ‘outward looking’;
– Environmental changes, new methodologies, methods and standards for project management;
– Emerging methodologies and methods from different disciplines (e.g. operational research) used in Management of Projects – an emerging interdisciplinary approach to project management;
– Importance of the Project Management office (PMO);
– Evolutions in the Business environmental , awareness of business changes, new innovations e.g. technology, competitive advantage;
– Importance of value creation – working with external customers (and theirs strategies and values);
– business strategy influencing innovative projects and vice-a-versa;
– Images of the Organisation;
– Business organisations influencing the environment through innovative projects.
• Reflections and Lessons Learnt (15 marks)
– Project managers as reflective practitioners;
– Applicability of systems thinking, soft systems methodology for management of projects;
– Applicability of analytical thinking, mind maps and fishbone diagrams for management of projects;
– Highlight appropriate learning models such as the learning cycle of soft systems methodology, Kolb’s experiential learning model, single and double loop learning;
– Learning and development at individual, group, project and organisational levels;
– Lessons learnt with regards findings from practical workshop sessions, and use of methodologies and/or methods.
• Project Management Actions (5 marks)
– Highlight future learning and development actions (based on your lessons learnt) which may improve the student’s future project management skills.
Other information
• Module is 100% assignment (individual work)
• Word count 3000 ( ±10%) words
Appendix A – Assignment Structure
1.0 The Limitations of the Traditional Approach to Project Management.
2.0 The Broader Factors, Besides the Technical Ones, to Enhance Project Performance.
3.0 The Evolution of a Project Management System within Organisations with the Aim of Improving it.
4.0 The Importance of Context for, and its Effects on, the Management of Projects.
5.0 Reflections and Lessons Learnt
6.0 Project Management Actions
Appendix A – Further Supporting Materials
Appendix B – Assignment Style Guide
The assignment should be in Times New Roman 12-points font size, and line spacing at 1.5. Furthermore, the assignment should be fully justified before submission.
Advanced Project Management (960N1)
Credits
15 credits
Term
Spring Term
Workshops
Wednesday 9.00 – 12.00, Thursday 3.00 to 6.00
Teaching team
Assessment
Essay 100%
Please note: it is your responsibility to follow timetables and attend lectures and seminars.
Introduction
The traditional ‘planning & control’ approach to project management—to a large extent—assumes a simple and predictable project environment devoid of intricacies such as significant uncertainties, unexpected environmental and market changes, leadership challenges, and hidden agendas. The objective of this module is to go beyond such an approach by addressing advanced topics and taking critical perspectives on project management. At the end of this module, students will learn about the limitations of the traditional approach. They will also learn to consider broader factors (including organisational, behavioural and political-economic ones) which may affect and influence project performance in a variety of contexts.
It is expected that students who wish to take this module will have a basic knowledge of project management.
Learning Outcomes
• To critically discuss the limitations of the traditional approach to project management.
• To develop and employ a critical perspective on broader factors, besides the technical ones, to enhance project performance.
• To appraise the evolution of a project management system within organisations with the aim of improving it.
• To assess the importance of context for, and its effects on, the management of projects.
Reading and Resources
The module offers some current thinking in Advanced Project Management, and so there is no single core text to support all of the workshops. The workshops will draw upon various resources which are aligned with module outcomes and inform the assignment. Therefore, key reading materials and resources will be available on Sussex Direct. However, there are some important text books that are highly recommended and assist with specific workshops.
Main Text:
Bradley, G. (2010) Benefit Realisation Management: A Practical Guide To Achieving Benefits Though Change, 2nd Edit, Gower Publishing Limited, Farnham, UK (chapters 3,4,9)
Checkland, P., and Poulter, J. (2006) Learning For Action, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK. (chapter 1 and 2)
Lock, D. (2007) Project Management, (9th edit), Gower Publishing Press, Aldershot, UK.
(chapter 2)
Morris, P. (2013) Reconstructing Project Management, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK. (appendix A – critical success factors)
Winter, M. (2009) Images of Projects, Gower Publishing Company, Farnham, UK.
Supporting Texts:
Burke, R. (2011). Advanced Project Management – Fusion Method XYZ – A project methodology systems approach for the project sponsor to implement corporate strategy. Burke Publishing.
Harrison, F. and Lock, D. (2004). Advanced Project Management: A Structured Approach. Fourth Edition. Gower Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-566-07822-8.
Williams,T., Sunnevåg, K., and Samset, K. (Eds.) (2009), Making Essential Choices with Scant Information: Front-End Decision-Making. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.
Readings will be posted on Study Direct and these will make up the core materials for the workshop.
Module website:
A specific website for the module, which contains copies of workshop notes, reading materials and other resources, will be available on Study Direct: www.studydirect.sussex.ac.uk
Assessment
There is one individual assessment for the module:
An Essay (100% of the final mark) to be submitted after the end of term. The submission date will be available on Sussex Direct. You are responsible for submitting the assignment by the deadline given on Sussex Direct.
Module Delivery: a User’s Guide
1. Workshops are three hours, with one 15-minute break. Please arrive promptly. They are supported by:
i. One 1-hour lecture per workshop, during which a relevant topic is introduced. Additionally, a methodology or method is highlighted through practical examples;
ii. One 2-hour practical seminar per workshop, during which student project groups will work though a worksheet.
2. Students will form project groups which contain 3 or 4 members. Students are encouraged to have conversations with other project members and the lecturer during the seminars.
3. The project groups will need to communicate outside the scheduled workshops. Therefore, social technologies, such as Dropbox, Google Docs, should be explored. One of these technologies should be selected by the team as a space to manage group work documents and to communicate within the project group.
4. Every workshop is aligned with the appropriate module learning outcome. Moreover, the group work materials produced from the workshop can inform individual assignments.
5. Every student is expected to have a reflective diary (note book) which is used for weekly assignment notes, highlighting your advanced project management critical thoughts, and reflect upon each workshop. This may generate lessons learnt which informs future actions (learning for advanced project management actions).
6. Students are required to bring their laptops to the workshops. Moreover, the students are expected to download MindView from the university website, for it will be used in some of the seminars.
MindView URL:
https://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/services/software/owncomputer
7. Critical thinking is encouraged with regards to the topic concepts (e.g. management of projects) and identified methodologies (e.g. Soft Systems Methodology) are applied in practice (‘learn-by-doing’) in order to gain practical advanced project management skills.
8. If you wish to see me – please attend an office hour (details are given on the Study Direct site) or send an email to make an appointment.
Programme
1.Factors for Project Success or Failure
Workshop lecture
An overview of the traditional ‘planning and control’ approach to project management is undertaken. The three factors (time, cost, quality) which are usually applied to measure success or failure is discussed. However, project failure has become quite prevalent over the decades, which has led to the identification of other factors that impact upon the project success. These factors have facilitated the broadening of the discipline and led to the Management of Projects concept.
Workshop Seminar
Students will develop a fishbone diagram that highlights critical factors that influences project success. Furthermore, analytical thinking is discussed in this workshop.
2. Management of Projects
Workshop lecture
An outline of the Management of Projects concept is provided. The three different levels, namely, the technical core (level 1) – that is, operational and delivery-oriented, strategic envelop (level 2) – managing projects as organisational holistic entities, expanding the domain to include their front-end development and definition and with a concern for value and effectiveness, and institutional context (level 3) – managing the institutional context, creating the context and support for projects to succeed, are explored.
Workshop Seminar
The students will form project groups and produce mind maps, using MindView, in order to highlight the different characteristics associated with each Management of Project level. Additionally, systems thinking is introduced to the students.
3. Value Creation
Workshop lecture
An important new direction for project management is the value creation concept, which is based on the scholarly work of Richard Normann. This is explored through new thinking about relationships with business customers, which emphasises their values and benefits. This value creation research direction has emerged from the traditional product creation position of traditional project management.
Workshop Seminar
The rich picture method employed within Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is introduced, which is used to explore a perceived problem situation, e.g. sports facility, which has been experienced by students (or business customers). The project team will discuss their individual rich pictures of identified problem situation which has implications for advanced project management.
4. Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) content
Workshop lecture
A detailed overview of SSM is undertaken following its introduction in the Workshop seminar of Week 3. The inquiry/ learning cycle of SSM, and its key parts (rich picture building, building purposeful activity models, exploring the situation, and taking action) are discussed. Furthermore, the PQR, CATWOE and 3Es concepts that are used here to produce purposeful activity models are examined through examples. The use of SSM is linked with the broader conceptualisation of project management (another important research direction), that has evolved from the narrow conceptualisation of projects (i.e. a well-defined project as a given) which is associated with traditional project management.
Workshop Seminar
The projects group will undertake a value creation task which could lead to an innovation offering that initiates a project. The project group will employ SSM to explore an agreed broad problem situation, e.g. university accommodation or student catering, which needs improvement. The group will produce purposeful activity models for sense-making which informs a proposed innovation offering and possible project. The findings from the group task should facilitate conversations about its implications for advanced project management.
5. Soft Systems Methodology process
Workshop lecture
The use of SSM, as a process model to guide the ‘finding out about the problem situation’ which assists in choosing the right project (becoming effective) is outlined. This new research direction for project management moves away from the instrumental process (life-cycle models) associated with traditional project management to social processes (flux of event, ideas which leads to project management actions).
Workshop Seminar
The students are encouraged to develop a purposeful activity model (or sense making device) that guides the ‘finding out’, and produces a rich understanding of a perceived problem situation (within the university) and identification of a potential innovation that may improve it. It would be interesting to address a student problem, which has emerged whilst studying at this university. The proposed innovation should benefit both students and Sussex University.
6. Reading Week
7. Project Front-Ending
Workshop lecture
Project front-ending is outlined. It emphasises the importance of choosing the right project, project definition within the context of business values and benefits which are important aspects associated with effectiveness. SSM is an approach which has strong connectivity with project front-ending. Additionally, the evolving synergy between business strategy and projects is explored.
Workshop Seminar
The potential impact of the innovation offering (identified by the project groups) with the business strategy of the University is investigated.
8. Benefits Realisation
Workshop lecture
Benefits realisation is an evolving topic which has connectivity with both project front-ending and back-ending. Benefits maps are highlighted as approach to assist with this important endeavour.
Workshop Seminar
The project groups will attempt to utilise the mapping approach to making sense of the benefits for the proposed innovation offering.
9. Project Success
Workshop lecture
Project success can be divided into three levels, namely, project management success (how to ensure that the project is done right?), project success (how to ensure that the right project is done?),and consistent project success (how to ensure that the projects are done right, time after time?). Key factors associated with different levels are identified. Finally, the connectivity of project success with the Management of Projects is examined.
Workshop Seminar
The students will explore the various factors associated with different levels of project success through developing mind maps. Moreover, key success factors derived from the group project task are also considered.
10. Learning for Project Management Action
Workshop lecture
An evolving research direction of the discipline is viewing the project manager as a reflective practitioner. Continuous learning through transformative models (e.g. mind maps or fishbone diagrams) are believed critical to a successful (reflective) project manager. Moreover, qualitative models externalise different worldviews which can assist learning and leads to informed project management actions. SSM’s learning cycle, Kolbs learning model and Double and Single loop model are highlighted which can inform individual, group and organisational learning.
Workshop Seminar
The SSM learning cycle and purposeful activity models are explored, and its importance to the reflective project manager.
11. Images of Projects
Workshop lecture
An important direction for the project management discipline is the notion of project images. It is believed they offer a greater understanding of project purpose. New project images such as value creation which is a shift from the instrumental lifecycle image of traditional project management are discussed. The utilisation of project images is outlined.
Workshop Seminar
Various project images with examples are discussed within the seminar.
12. Review
This session reviews previous workshops and answers student assignment questions.
Writing Well and Avoiding Academic Misconduct
Plagiarism, collusion, and cheating in exams are all forms of academic misconduct which the University takes very seriously.
Every year, some students commit academic misconduct unintentionally because they did not know what was expected of them. The consequences for committing academic misconduct can be severe, so it is important that you familiarise yourself with what it is and how to avoid it.
The University’s Skills Hub guide to study skills gives advice on writing well, including hints and tips on how to avoid making serious mistakes. You will also find helpful guides to referencing properly and improving your critical writing skills. Make use of the resources there.
If you are dealing with difficult circumstances, such as illness or bereavement, do not try to rush your work or hand in something which may be in breach of the rules. Instead you should seek confidential advice from the Student Life Centre. The full University rules on academic misconduct are set out in the Examination and Assessment Regulations Handbook.
BMEc Seminar Change Policy
Once you have been allocated to your lecture and seminar/workshop classes you will not be permitted to change your class times. If you have exceptional circumstances which could impact on you being able to attend your classes, such as a disability, then you should contact the BMEc School who will direct you to the online change request form where you will be asked provide suitable written evidence to support your request. Otherwise, it is expected you will be available for and attend all classes for each module making up your degree which could be timetabled at any time during the week, Monday to Friday. If you attend an alternative seminar group without prior approval you will be marked on the register as ‘absent’ which will show on your official record. It is therefore important that you attend your allocated seminar groups.
Student Charter
Students agree to take responsibility for their own learning and actively engage with all their modules. This will help to ensure that students not only focus on the content of modules but also the skills elements that are integrated into all classes. What this means is set out below.
Faculty will endeavour to provide a supportive learning environment to help students engage with their modules.
If a student is unable to fulfil one of their responsibilities they must inform their teacher. If the student fails to do this, the teacher will initially try and work with the student to resolve the lack of engagement. However, if a student continues not to meet their responsibilities then a teacher can ask the student to leave a particular session, where the lack of engagement is assessed as affecting the learning environment.
Student responsibilities:
1. Students are expected to undertake independent study for all modules; (remembering that a 15 credit module is equivalent to 150 hours of study, of which a maximum of 33 hours happens in the classroom)
2. Students should not talk (unless discussion is requested) during lectures
3. Students should only use computers or mobile phones during teaching sessions for work-related purposes
4. Students should come to class prepared to listen, take notes and ask and answer questions
5. When students attend a seminar or workshop they must have done any pre-reading that is assigned
6. Students should arrive for class on time
7. If students have to miss a session, they should email their teacher to explain their absence either in advance or within 24 hours of the session
8. Students must make an appointment with their academic advisor at least once a year – otherwise s/he will not write a reference other than to confirm grades
9. Students should complete all individual assessments themselves or note any help that they have received (including proof-reading)
10. Freeriding in groups is not fair. Students should prioritize any group project work that they have, to ensure that they contribute their fair share – otherwise their peer group is entitled to identify the lack of effort of individual members
11. Students have a responsibility to check (and respond as necessary) to their University email at least once a day during term time; not reading an email is not an excuse for missing a deadline.
The second one
832N1 Management of Risk
Essay Assignment
As we have discussed in the module, risk and its management is a multifaceted topic that must be addressed by all organisations in a variety of ways. As such, your paper will allow you to demonstrate a deeper level of understanding of an area of your choice. Therefore you should choose one of the following:
1) Identify an organisation and discuss how it identifies, addresses and manages risks (on a scale of your choice) over a period of time in which the risks facing the organisation are changing. Critically discuss the organisation’s risk management processes and make recommendations for improvement.
2) Identify a project, successful or not, and discuss how project risk and uncertainty was managed by the major stakeholders. Critically discuss the tools and techniques used in the project and reflect on their suitability, particularly with reference to issues of coordination of stakeholders.
3) Choose an incident in which existing risk management measures did not prevent a failure. Analyse and critically discuss what went wrong, what alternate measures might have been used, linking your discussion to the literature on accidents.
4) Choose a contested technology and discuss how different conceptions of risk (i.e. probabilistic, psychometric, cultural etc) have shaped the public debate about adoption and diffusion of the technology.
It is expected that each paper will show excellent research and analysis skills. You are strongly advised to discuss your choice of topic with the convenor or your tutor early in the term.
Each paper should be 3000 words (+/- 10%). It should have citations following the Harvard referencing format. We are serious about plagiarism and scripts found to be engaging in academic misconduct will be reported.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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