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Unit outline_

ENGG5205: Professional Practice in Project Management

Semester 2, 2020 [Online] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit of study teaches the fundamental knowledge on the importance, organisational context and professional practice in project management. It serves as an introduction to project management practices for non-PM students. For PM students, this unit lays the foundation to progress to advanced PM subjects. Although serving as a general introduction unit, the focus has been placed on scope, time, cost, and integration related issues. Specifically, the unit aims to: Introduce students to the institutional, organisational and professional environment for today's project management practitioners as well as typical challenges and issues facing them; Demonstrate the importance of project management to engineering and organisations; Demonstrate the progression from strategy formulation to execution of the project; Provide a set of tools and techniques at different stages of a project's lifecycle with emphasis on scope, time, cost and integration related issues; Highlight examples of project success/failures in project management and to take lessons from these; Consider the roles of project manager in the organization and management of people; Provide a path for students seeking improvements in their project management expertise.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Project Management
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Louis Taborda, louis.taborda@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Louis Taborda, louis.taborda@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Open book) Type C final exam Final Exam
Questions require written short or essay answers.
30% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Small continuous assessment group assignment In-class/workshop assessments
Quizzes, reflections, group activities and peer-reviews.
30% Multiple weeks Up to 15 minutes per workshop
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Assignment 1
20% Week 07 Minimum 7 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment group assignment Assignment 2
Technical report
20% Week 12 Minimum 20 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
group assignment = group assignment ?
Type C final exam = Type C final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Assignment 1: written essay format assessment in the style of a business or technical report.
  • Assignment 2: written essay format assessment in the style of a business or technical report.
  • Final Exam: There will be an individual written examination
  • In-class/workshop assessments: these will include individual quizzes and short assignments, as well as group work with oral presentations as part of class activities during semester.

 

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks Independent study guided by the online content & lectures. You are expected to undertake 8 - 10 hours per week of independent study in addition to the workshops. Independent study (100 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 01 Introduction and project management: 1. Project management history; 2. Project manager roles and responsibilities; 3. Project complexity and uncertainty; 4. Project typologies, structures and frameworks Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO7
Week 02 Project engagement and initiation: 1. Project definition and charter; 2. Organisational context; 3. Project selection; 4. The engagement process Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO7
Week 03 Stakeholder management: understand the stakeholder and the sponsor Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO7
Week 04 Scope and requirements development: 1. Building a business case; 2. Understand how to do a feasibility study; 3. The importance of the charter and the initiation stage Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO7
Week 05 Project planning: 1. Network diagrams and their variants; 2. Scheduling/ time planning including Gantt charts; 3. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO7
Week 06 Procurement and ethics: 1. Procurement planning and control; 2. Why does ethics matter? Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 07 Cost estimating: 1. Cost estimating; 2. Cost planning Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO7
Week 08 Resource estimation: 1. Resource estimating; 2. Resource planning Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO7
Week 09 Risk and quality issues at the initiation and planning stage: 1. Risk identification, analysis and response; 2. Quality control and assurance Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 10 The project manager - leadership and teamwork: 1. Team acquisition; 2. Team motivation; 3. Project reviews Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 11 Introduction to project implementation and control processes: 1. Work delegation; 2. Project governance; 3. Progress monitoring and reporting Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 12 Introduction to project communication and project closure: 1. Project success and evaluation; 2. Project completion and handover activities Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand the major roles and responsibilities of project managers and recognize the core competencies required of each role
  • LO2. define a project and apply the differences between projects or programs and “business as usual” activities in organisations and their major risks and critical success factors
  • LO3. understand and identify ethical issues facing project management professionals in projects
  • LO4. understand the project context within organisations, including project selection methods and life cycles, and the organisational constraints which affect the choice of project management methods/approaches, and how these approaches are implemented in practice
  • LO5. understand the tasks involved in scope, time and cost planning and control, and demonstrate the capacity to carry out the plan, and control project performance
  • LO6. demonstrate a broad understanding of the other requirements/components of project plans and performance monitoring, such as quality and risk management, procurement, communications and team leadership
  • LO7. understand the usefulness and limitations existing within bodies of knowledge on project management (PMBOKs) from various project management institutions, and integrate (PMBOKs) into studies and projects.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Delivery has been adapted for a 12 teaching-week semester and the in-class assessments will be revamped with exercises to re-cap online content and offer greater peer-to-peer engagement between students.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.