Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

School: Business and Law

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Starting up a Project

• Unit Code

  MAN2170

• Year

  2017

• Enrolment Period

  2

• Version

  2

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  Online

• Unit Coordinator

  Mr Richard HUGHES

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Description

Project work can be considered to fall into several sequential stages. The first of these is the start-up phase. In this stage, crucial decisions about the project's strategic impact, constraints, significant risks, desired outcomes and broad scope are made by key project stakeholders. This process requires successful inter-stakeholder communication.
This unit explains what is meant by project work, as compared to business as usual. It enables project choices that are strategically aligned with the organisations goals. Students learn how to identify the project's key stakeholders. They acquire skills in defining project scope, identifying the resources required for successful project communication, planning information distribution methods and media and managing stakeholders.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 2 units from MAN1100, MAN1600

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Create a project communication plan.
2. Demonstrate selected financial and non-financial project selection techniques.
3. Describe appropriate project constraints.
4. Describe different approaches to project management.
5. Describe inputs into the various project scope processes.
6. Describe project communications issues in various project contexts (e.g. internationally distributed project team members and cultural differences).
7. Describe the tools and techniques of project management.
8. Identify the relationship between project, program and portfolio management.
9. Perform a stakeholder analysis.
10. Prepare an appropriate statement of scope.

Unit Content

1. Aligning projects with organisational strategic goals.
2. Introduction to project, program and portfolio management.
3. Planning project communications.
4. Project constraints.
5. Project management methodologies.
6. Project scope definition.
7. Project stakeholder management.
8. The business case.

Additional Learning Experience Information

On-campus students attend a weekly three hour seminar. Learning activities and assignments will develop communication and analytical abilities of students as well as providing opportunities to discover, discuss and apply theory in a meaningful context.
Students studying in off-campus mode will access the program via Blackboard and regular on line access is required.
Students need to be actively engaged in the unit by listening to the recorded lectures, reading the required readings and other unit related material and participating in postings on the Blackboard discussion board.
Assessment methods provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate content knowledge, critical thinking, cross-cultural communication skills and to work in teams; a core skill in project management.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Core Reading(s)

• Institute., P. M. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge. Newtown Square, Pa: Project Management Institute.
• Schwalbe, K. (2015). An introduction to project management. (5th ed.). Minnesota, USA: Schwalbe Publishing.

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