Project Management in GI Projects (eLearning, 3 resp. 3,5 CP)

Contact

Lecturer: Dr. Christoph Brox, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Technical Support: Sidi Mohamed Benmoh, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Goal

Project management is a required key qualification for the future professional careers of GI students in research and industry. Therefore, the course will mediate in the first theoretical know-how in

• acquisition,
• planning,
• budgeting,
• controlling,
• documentation, and
• evaluation

of projects. Then, the students will learn how to apply the theoretical know-how in a simulated project environment (development of a tourist information system) in the second part of the course.

Contents

Part 1: Theory (50 hours of students’ workload) – based on online teaching materials and textbook)

Module 1: Introduction

• Synchronous session
• Motivation for learning project management
• Projects and project management
• Project acquisition

Module 2: Scoping the project

• Project mission and objectives
• User requirements analysis
• Requirements specification and system specification

Module 3: Project planning

• Work Breakdown Structure
• Estimation of resources (duration, personnel, other resources, cost)
• Project Network Diagram
• Finalizing schedule, cost, and personnel

Module 4: Controlling and Communication

• Project meetings
• Project teams
• Monitoring/controlling

Module 5: Closing out a project

• Addressing customers
• Customer relationship management
• Internal evaluation
• Online exam

Part 2: Application on simulated project: Development of a tourist information system (40 hours of students’ workload)

Module 6: Project overview statement

Module 7: Requirements specification and system specification

Module 8: Work Breakdown Structure

Module 9: Project schedule and budget

Part 3: Additional exercise (only for ISEGI-UNL students, 15 hours of students’ workload)

Module 10

• To be defined

Style

Part I (Theory) will mainly be done by self-learning. It starts with in introductory online session, which clarifies organizational issues and students’ questions. Then, students will work with the online materials, which

• Base on the textbook
• Provide additional information and links in the online text
• Include self-tests at the end of each module.

At the end of part I, students will have the theoretical know-how to pass the online exam (in the computer labs of the local institutions).

Part II (Practice) will start with outlining a GI project according to the students’ background and requirements. In this setting, working groups of 3-4 students form GI companies, trying to “sell” a project to a client. Step by step, the GI companies will develop a project plan, consisting of:

1. Project overview statement (POS),
2. Requirements/system specification,
3. Work breakdown structure (WBS),
4. Project schedule,
5. Project budget.

Based on their theoretical background, the working groups (or GI companies) prepare the respective parts as homework. The teacher provides written feedback to each homework,
which will be summarized and discussed in the online sessions of part II.

The final task (final report) will be to make a consistent document from the pieces developed so far: a project proposal to the client.

Students’ workload:

• regular: 90 hours, equivalent to 3 ECTS credit points
• ISEGI-UNL students: 105 hours, equivalent to 3.5 ECTS credit points (additional exercise only for ISEGI students).

Participants

• Students from eduGI partners: ISEGI-UNL, Lisbon; UniBw Munich, U Harokopio, Athens, TU Vienna
• Required or recommended level and previous know-how of the students: Advanced Bachelor-level or Master-level; basic know-how in GI required.

Organization

• Start and end of the course: to be announced for each specific course
• Final reports by students (including extra tasks for ISEGI students): deadline to be announced
• Number of participants: max. 30
• Student online activity will be tracked by the platform, completion of self-tests will NOT be used for grading the course.

Successful participation

• Attend synchronous sessions - required
• Do self-tests (at the end of each module of part I) – not graded
• Pass (intermediate) exam at the end of part I
• Do homework (at the end of each module of part II) – not graded
• Write final report (end of part II)
• Extended final report for ISEGI-UNL students, 0,5 credit points more.

Course preparation

• Enrollment at local teachers (Lisbon, Munich, Vienna, Athens)
• Access to e-Learning platform
• Access to reading materials, which are not provided online (textbook)

Literature

Required readings: Robert K. Wysocki (2009): Effective Project Management (fifth edition), Wiley Publishing

• Introduction
• Part I (chapters 1-7)

Further required readings: see online materials