Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding: At the end of the course, the student will have acquired the basic knowledge about the structure and operation of a project, as well as the knowledge of the basic project management techniques and models.
Applying knowledge and understanding: The student will be able to independently plan activities and the main processes of a project, identifying the appropriate management policies in relation to the context. For example, the student will be able to develop a project budget, assess and analyse the earned value of a project, identify resource and define the time of execution of the work, organize the project team, and so on. The student will be able to analyse and process numerical data to support decisions.
Making judgements: The student will be able to assess the impact of strategic, planning and operative decisions on the expected performances of a project.
Communication skills: The student will acquire specific project management lexicon. It is expected that, at the end of the course, the student will be able to communicate (either orally and in written form) the main contents of the course, as well as resolving numerical problems.
Learning skills: Students who have attended the course will be able to operate with profit into a project management context, as well as to deepen their knowledge in the field of project management, by means of books, scientific papers, magazines and periodical publications.
Prerequisites
There are no compulsory prerequisites.
Course unit content
The expression "project management" describes the set of activities aimed at achieving the goals/objectives of a project. A project is a temporary effort (i.e. limited in time) with the objective of delivering one or more units of a unique product or service, whose characteristics are elaborated progressively. The course aims at providing students with the tools to properly address the challenges of project management, namely: (i) achieving the project's objectives, that is timely releasing deliverables according to some pre-defined requirements, (ii) remaining within the limits of cost, time, scope/quality, and (ii) integrate the necessary inputs and optimise the allocation resources.
Full programme
1. Introduction – the Project Manager’s role
2. Project organisation, people and management
3. Project management processes
4. Project integration management
5. Project scope management
6. Project time management
7. Cost management
8. Quality management
9. People management (human resources)
10. Project communications management
11. Project risk management
12. Project procurement management
Bibliography
Reference book:
- Nokes S., Sean K., (2007), Definitive Guide to Project Management, PRENTICE-HALL INTERNATIONAL, ISBN-10: 0273710974; ISBN-13: 9780273710974.
Also, interested readers may refer to the following sources:
English sources:
- Project Management Institute, (2017), A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 6th Edition, ISBN-10: 1628251840, ISBN-13: 978-1628251845
Italian sources:
- Corini F., (2010), Il project management nelle imprese di costruzione, Dispense didattiche, V Edizione (reperibile al sito: www.corini.altervista.org)
- Amato R., Chiappi R., (2013), Tecniche di Project Management. Pianificazione e controllo dei progetti, Franco Angeli, ISBN: 978-8856802313
- Caron F., (2009), Gestione dei grandi progetti di ingegneria. Il project management in azione, ISEDI, ISBN-10: 8880083511; ISBN-13: 978-8880083511
Teaching methods
In the academic year 2020/2021, lessons will be delivered remotely, with real-time streaming and recording of lessons made available to students through the university channels (MS TEAMS and Elly Platform).
The course has a weight of 6 CFU, which corresponds to 48 hours of lessons.
The theoretical topics of the course are addressed mainly through frontal lessons, alternating with Socratic heuristic lessons (or portions of them). During the Socratic heuristic moments, dialogue with the classroom will be privileged, on basic project management topics.
In order to encourage the active participation of the students in these moments, the positive answer to questions presented during the Socratic heuristic moments will provide bonuses to improve the score obtained in the profit examination.
The final part of the course (approximately the last 16-20 hours of lessons) will focus on providing students with practical skills in using the MS Project software. Students will be given a business case study of project time, resources and costs planning, to be carried out using the MS Project application.
In carrying out the case, students will be required to apply the theoretical concepts learned and the methodological criteria illustrated in the theoretical lessons.
The slides and notes used to support the lessons will be uploaded to the Elly platform at the beginning of the course, possibly through links to other pages of the network. To download the slides from Elly you need to register for the online course.
Students not attending the course are reminded to check the teaching material available and the instructions given by the teacher via the Elly platform.
Assessment methods and criteria
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During the academic year 2020/2021, the two steps of the summative evaluation will be also (or exclusively) carried out remotely. In particular, the (former) written test will be replaced by an Elly quiz, whereas the discussion of the project will be carried out through a virtual interview with the professor through the MS TEAMS platform. If the conditions of the covid-19 pandemic allow it, the evaluation mode can return to the "normal" mode, i.e. in presence, as it is shown below.
In this case, the professor will clearly notify to students the methodology of the exam.
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The summative evaluation of the learning involves two distinct moments, to be carried out strictly in the order indicated:
1) a written test (obligatory in English), containing 1 exercise (weight of the item 15pt), and 15 closed-ended questions (weight of each question 1pt).
The duration of the written test is 90 minutes. The written test will be evaluated on a scale from 0 to 30.
2) a presentation of the project carried out by means of the MS Project application (it can be taken in Italian or in English at the student's choice). The test is individual. Each student may prepare the material he/she deems most appropriate in order to illustrate his/her project to the teacher (for example, spreadsheets, presentations, pdf, and the project can be illustrated directly on the MS Project software). During the presentation of the project, the teacher will ask the candidate unstructured questions in order to assess his/her preparation and knowledge of the project. During the presentation of the project, the student's knowledge, application, autonomy of judgement and communication skills will be assessed.
The indicative duration of this part of the test is 15-30 minutes. The oral test will be evaluated on a scale from 0 to 30. The final evaluation will be obtained, in thirtieth, by means of the arithmetic average of the scores obtained in the two single moments of evaluation, plus any bonuses obtained during the lessons. The summative test is passed if a score of at least 18 points is reached. Praise is awarded in the case of reaching the maximum score in each evaluation area, or in the case of a final score higher than 30/30. In case of evaluation below 18/30 the student will be rejected.
Online enrolment is COMPULSORY for both the written and oral tests. The grade for the written test is communicated by publication on the Elly platform, possibly on the same day of the test itself. Once the grade obtained has been reviewed, the student can freely choose whether to sit the same day as the written test, or in the three subsequent appeals. The intention to take the oral test must be communicated to the teacher by means of registration on the Elly platform. Please note that, unless there are technological problems with the platform, students who have not registered properly will not be accepted for the exam. If the student has obtained a final assessment of less than 18/30, or has not communicated in due time the willingness to take the oral test, the test must be fully taken again, or the assessment of the written test previously taken will not be taken into account.
Other information
Real-time remote attendance to coursed is not mandatory, even if it is sincerely suggested.
