This course aims to provide a broad understanding of the Waterfall, Agile and Lean approaches to project management, how they differ, where they are used, examples of their use and how to implement them. The coursework is designed to allow you to demonstrate your ability to apply the course content in practice.
Project Management is a critical element of the delivery of the majority of organisational initiatives in order to deliver outcomes or change for the future. This course is designed to provide a broad-based understanding of concepts and development of skills for the management of projects in a variety of settings, comparing and contrasting agile and traditional waterfall project management mindsets. Hence, by the end of the course students will have an understanding of the benefits and limitations of different project management approaches, and be able to select tools, techniques, theories and practices best suited to a project context and goals.
The course content is structured into several key themes, delivered in a modular basis. Some of the key themes explored include (but not limited to):- Planning, scope and scheduling- Cost and budgeting- Leadership, teams and resources- Project risk management systems- Agile management systems- Change management- projects at scale and procurement- Communications- Quality and testing- Project integration and close
Note that one of the major assignments is team-based and as such students are expected to make time to meet online with their team members at mutually convenient time. In addition, there is a final online presentation of the group project in the final week of the course which will typically be arranged in week 12. The length of the presentation depends on the number of course participants but is likely to be 1 - 3 hours in duration, and all students are expected to actively participate. Students are expected to undertake considerable additional work per week reading, contributing to discussions, and completing assignments.