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Unit outline_

INFS2040: Project Management Foundations

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Projects are a common way of managing organisational transformation and change, the development of new products and the implementation of Information Technology (IT) in business. Information Systems (IS) business analysts will work in projects and need an understanding of both project management and the project environment. This unit will introduce you to the end-to-end project management lifecycle as described in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). You will learn how to successfully manage projects from initiation through execution to completion. The focus of this unit will be on the management, execution, and coordination of project activities. To this end, you will learn hands-on project management techniques and gain first-hand experience with a modern online project management platform, including an introduction to agile project management methodologies.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Business Information Systems
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
INFO3402 or ENGG1850
Assumed knowledge
? 

INFS1000 or INFO1000 or INFO1003 or INFO1903

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Mike Seymour, mike.seymour@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Take-home extended release) Type E final exam Final exam
n/a
50% Formal exam period 48 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment Mid-semester assignment
n/a
20% Week 07 2-day assignment
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment group assignment Group assignment
n/a
30% Week 11 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
group assignment = group assignment ?
Type E final exam = Type E final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Group assignment: Utilising an online project management platform, groups are required to organise their work and develop a report relating to specific information systems (IS) project management issue or trend. Students will be provided a list of contemporary IS project management trends/issues in week 2. Each group must select one of these topics and submit their nominated topic for approval to the unit coordinator by week 4. No more than three groups may select the same issue/trend.

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

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

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
Week 01 Introduction to project management and teams Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 02 The project management lifecycles and knowledge areas: I have to do what exactly? Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 03 Project integration management and the role of the project manager : so you want to run this thing? Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 04 The triple constraint and scope management: we are doing what exactly? Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 05 Cost and resource management: how much is this going to be? Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 06 Adaptive and agile management: a different way of working Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 07 Time and people management: how to plan and how to motivate Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 08 Scheduling teams and resolving disputes: hard and soft PM skills (guest lecturer) Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 09 Quality and communications management: getting it right internally and externally Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 10 Group poster sessions: contemporary issues in IS projects Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 11 Risk management: do you feel lucky? Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 12 Unit review. Best way to pass the exam! Lecture (3 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings: All lectures and seminars are recorded and will be available on Canvas for student use. Please note the Business School does not own the system and cannot guarantee that the system will operate or that every class will be recorded. Students should ensure they attend and participate in all classes.

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.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

  • Schwalbe, K. (2014). Information Technology Project Management. Cengage. 9th Edition (Revised). ISBN: 9781285847092.

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. describe the key phases of the project management life cycle including the tools and methods used in each of those phases
  • LO2. describe and explain the need for project management in the context of information systems (IS)
  • LO3. recognise the key attributes of alternative IS project management methodologies including Agile methods
  • LO4. analyse critically past Information Systems projects, explaining and justifying key themes that contributed to the success or failure of those projects
  • LO5. set up and manage a project using an online project management platform
  • LO6. describe and explain contemporary IS trends and issues that impact IS project management
  • LO7. learn about design thinking and how to manage ideas in a team setting, both hard and soft skills.

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.

This course is now 2 hour lecture and 1 hour tutorial

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.