BMP 2315 Project Management

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

BMP 2315 Project Management

Responsible for the course
Anne Live Vaagaasar

Department
Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
30

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
The course will give an introduction to project management. The students will be given an understanding of what a project is and a foundation for planning, organizing and controlling projects. The course will further give an understanding of the problems of project work and will by the help of theory and practical examples show how to manage a project to achieve the goals.

Learning outcome
Knowledge outcomes
By the end of course the student will have developed the following knowledge outcomes:
  • have good knowledge of vital topics and problems within project management, concerning management, planning, organizing, execution, control, and termination of project
  • have knowledge of basic concepts within the subject
  • have basic knowledge on human cooperation in all phases of project work
  • have basic knowledge on quality assurance of a project
  • understand that there are many different types of projects, which may be treated differently
  • have basic knowledge of economic analysis of a project
  • have basic knowledge of uncertainty attached to a single project and the project portfolio
  • have basic knowledge of management of a project portfolio
  • have insight into research and development work within the field of project management
  • have the ability to keep oneself updated on vital knowledge within the subject

Skills outcomes
By the end of the course the student should have developed the following skill outcomes:
  • be able to draw up mission and goals for a project
  • be able to conduct and use a stakeholder analysis
  • be able to use a milestone plan to plan a project
  • be able to do detail planning of a project
  • be able to organize a project by the help of responsibility charts and the assignment of roles, responsibilities and authorities
  • be able to conduct an economic analysis of a project
  • be able to conduct an uncertainty analysis of a project
  • be able to analyze a professional text on project management and draw own conclusions
  • be able to utilize knowledge from project mnanagement theory on practical and theoretical problems
  • be able to utilize results from research and development work
  • be able to search for and evaluate information about project management in critical and ethical ways
  • be able to write a discursive text on a project

Value/attitudes outcomes
By the end of the course the student should have developed the following value/attitudes outcomes:
  • be able to communicate with others on professional matters withing the subject of project management
  • be able to contribute to the development of good practice within the field by exchanging viewpoints and experiences
  • be able to contribute to the development of a project organizational culture within own enterprise through exchange of viewpoints and experiences
  • have an understanding of the role that could be played by projects in developing public or private enterprises and the society

Prerequisites
There are no specific prerequisites needed to be accepted to the program. The target group for the program is people from industry with working experiences.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Andersen, Erling, S., Kristoffer Grude og Tor Haug. 2009. Målrettet prosjektstyring. 6. utg. NKI-forlaget
Briner, Wendy, Colin Hastings og Michael Geddes. 2000. Prosjektledelse. Gyldendal akademisk
Husby, Otto ... [et al.]. 1999. Usikkerhet som gevinst : styring av usikkerhet i prosjekter : mulighet - risiko, beslutning, handling. Norsk senter for prosjektledelse
Mikkelsen, Hans og Jens O.Riis. 2011. Grundbog i projektledelse. 10. udg. Prodevo


Recommended reading
Books:
Andersen, Erling S. og Eva Schwenke. 2012. Prosjektarbeid : en veiledning for studenter. 4. utg. NKI-forlaget
Jessen, Svein Arne. 2002. Prosjektadministrative metoder. 5. utg. Gyldendal akademisk


Course outline
Session 1 - Project concept and overview of project work
Session 2 - Project planning and uncertainty
Session 3 - Project organizing
Session 4 - Project execution and control
Session 5 - Project management
For a more detailed description, see "Free text" below.

The project paper will be a practical assignment, where the students by the help of theory and methodological tools shall solve a practical problem associated with project work in an organization (private company, governmental agency, organization etc.). The paper should not exceed 30 pages of text.

Computer-based tools
itslearning. Demonstration of computer-tools might take place.

Learning process and workload
The course consists of 150 hours of instruction over two semesters. For administrative reasons the program is organized as two courses. In the first semester the students are registered as students on BMP 2316, in the second semester BMP 2317.


Examination
The students must hand in a project paper at the end of the course, which counts for 60% of the total grade. A written exam counts for 40%.
More detailed instructions will be given about the requirements for the project paper. The paper can be written individually or in a group of maximum three students.


Examination code(s)
BMP 23151 - 5 hours written exam, taken individually, counts for 40% of the grade of BMP 2315, 30 credits
BMP 23152 - project paper, counts for 60% of the grade of BMP 2315, 30 credits
Both exams must be passed in order to get a passing grade for the course.


Examination support materials
BI-approved exam calculator TEXAS INSTRUMENTS BA II PlusTM.

Re-sit examination
Re-sit at the next ordinary exam.

Additional information
          Session 1: Project concept and overview of project work
          Objective: The students should be given an understanding of what a project is and how a good starting point for project work is established.
          Topics:
          • Project concept (characteristics of project, pitfalls of project work, daily project work)
          • Objectives and scope of project
          • Different types of project
          • Project lifecycle
          • Stakeholder analysis
          • Project program and project portfolio

          Session 2: Project planning and uncertainty
          Objective: The students should be learned how to plan a project, both on an overall level and on activity level. They should learn how to treat project uncertainties.
          Topics:
          • Project planning, milestone planning and network planning
          • Uncertainty and project work

          Session 3: Project organizing
          Objective: The students should learn how to organize a project. Emphsis should be placed on the importance of human cooperation during all phases of project work. The importance of creating a specific organizational culture will also be emphasized.
          Topics:
          • Different organizational models
          • Actors and responsibilities, responsibility charts
          • Project culture

          Session 4: Project execution and control
          Objective: The students should get an understanding of the importance of good project execution and continous control and evaluation. Quality assurance of projects will also be discussed.
          Topics:
          • Daily project work
          • Control of project activities by the base organization
          • Project monitoring
          • Quality assurance

          Session 5: Project management
          Objective: The students should be given an understanding of what is required of a project manager and the challenges confronting the project manager.
          Topics:
          • The tasks of the project manager
          • The qualities of the project manager

          The project paper
          On all sessions there will be time allocated to discuss different aspects of the project paper. On sessins 1 and 2 the students will be given help to select a topic for their project paper. On sessions 3 and 4 we will discuss how to get information about the topic and get literatur that may be of help in writing the paper. On session 5 there will be an opportunity for the students to present a preliminary draft of the project paper to their fellow students.