Outline

Overview

Projects are inherently uncertain as they require planning in the present for action to be taken in the future. Such uncertainty gives rise to both risk and opportunity. This unit of study provides a broad and contemporary coverage of the dynamic nature of risk and the need for project and organisational resilience to deal with risk and benefit from opportunity. Against a background of risk management theory, industry standards and practice, students will be provided with opportunities to reflect upon and share their experiences as a basis for developing their skills in identifying and dealing with project risk and making informed decisions aligned with organisational strategy and risk appetite. Integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches for identification, analysis, prioritisation, mitigation, monitoring and response to risk will be covered. Assessment will include opportunities to draw upon work based examples.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Project Management
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	PMGT5891
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Nader Naderpajouh, nader.naderpajouh@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Harold Ainsworth, harold.ainsworth@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Discussion forums - 3 case study based discussion contributions	12%	Multiple weeks	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 1 Develop a risk register and recommended contingency reserve	25%	Week 07	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 2 sections: schedule contingency, techniques, risk allocation, risk reporting	25%	Week 13	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 3 reflections on learning, plus 2 essays on topics provided	38%	Week 13	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assignment 1: team based, and designed to provide you with experience in developing contingency reserves for the budget utilising a case study provided.
Assignment 2: team based and utilises a case study to develop schedule contingency and also consider responses to different types of risk, and monitoring and reporting on them throughout the life cycle.
Assignment 3: individual work and is part reflection on the course and part your assessment of one of your own cases and in depth analysis of how risk and opportunities were managed and how this could be improved or replicated.
Discussion forums – 3: Based on cases provided or your own case groups will present their finding about how risk and opportunities were managed and suggested lessons to be learned. There will also be a number of group class presentations (not assessable) on various topics such as risk allocation between parties, use of risk tools and techniques etc.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

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.

Text-matching software for Assignment Submission:
As part of the assessment process, text matching software such as Turnitin will be used to identify plagiarism and/or be used for providing feedback.

Confidential Peer Evaluation:
As part of the group contribution assessment process, collaborative & self-peer evaluation tools (e.g. SparkPlus, CATME, etc.) may be used, either on a confidential or non-confidential basis, to understand contributions and interactions amongst group members. Marks may be adjusted for an individual team member, following on from the peer evaluation process.

Mark Moderation:
Mark moderation: There may be statistically defensible moderation when combining the marks from each component to ensure consistency of marking between markers, and alignment of final grades with unit outcomes.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date, a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. The penalty will be calculated by first marking the work, and then subtracting 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date.

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.

Learning support

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.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Risk overview & processes	Independent study (12 hr)
Week 03	Risk tools & techniques overview	Block teaching (12 hr)
Week 04	Risk tools & techniques continued	Online class (12 hr)
Week 05	Risk responses	Independent study (12 hr)
Week 06	Risk reserves	Online class (12 hr)
Week 07	Bias in risk decision making	Independent study (12 hr)
Week 08	Risk scoring models	Independent study (12 hr)
Week 09	Modelling tools and techniques	Independent study (12 hr)
Week 11	Risk allocation & tolerance	Online class (12 hr)
Week 12	Risk reporting	Independent study (12 hr)
Week 13	Uncertainty and unknowns	Independent study (12 hr)
Week 14 (STUVAC)	Risk frameworks and tools	Independent study (12 hr)

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

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.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

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

LO1. simulate the potential effects of risks on schedule, cost and other performance dimensions using various techniques
LO2. track, monitor & control risks & actions to achieve project objectives & the business case
LO3. close risks for an optimal outcome
LO4. establish risk management plans, policies & integrate them with other project plans, organisation & align them to the business case
LO5. understand the sources of potential risks (including but not limited to political, organisational, psychological and technical risks) and use risk management tools & techniques to identify, assess, evaluate, & prioritise risks.

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
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

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

no changes since unit last offered

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.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PMGT6891: Risk Dynamics and Resilience

Semester 2, 2021 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect