The Development of Project Management Techniques for MSc. Students

1
The Development of Project Management Techniques
for MSc. Students

• Martin Ball
• Elizabeth Baker
• University of Luton

2
Project Management

• The process by which a project can be delivered
  that are complex, unique and constrained by cost,
  time and quality. It will meet the clients
  requirements, which are generated from a
  strategic aim and have both quantitative and
  qualitative outcomes
• This is a generic definition and applies to all
  projects

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Project Management Techniques

• Project management is a defined discipline that
  is not unique to anyone industry or subject area
• The tools and techniques are generic and apply to
  any project irrelevant of discipline
• By definition there is a body of knowledge

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Body of Knowledge

• Covers the entire scope of project management
  techniques
• Divided into discrete modules of knowledge that
  define the processes and systems to deliver a
  project
• These are adapted and refined to suit a
  particular team and project

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MSc. Projects

• Taught MSc. Students are required to complete a
  research project
• The development of project management techniques
  was an explicit part of the Networking and
  Fundamentals of Computer Systems modules
• Students have developed these techniques in the
  production of their assignments

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Project Life Cycle

• Inception to completion of the project
• In most cases completion is when the project is
  decommissioned
• Defined phases

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Rationale

• Control uncertainty
• Provide aim/focus and structure
• Provide timescale for project
• Set milestones
• Define outcomes
• Define a natural conclusion

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Control Systems
Cost
Change
Inception
Feasibility
Design
Production
Completion
Project Strategy
Change
Cost
Time
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Clients Brief

• Broad concepts
• Based in terms of abstract nouns
• Deals with outcomes and not production and
  process methods
• Limited scope of work, if any
• Not necessarily any objectives

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Client Brief Definition

• Establish aim and scope of work
• Translate scope of work into quantifiable
  objectives
• Translate the aim and objectives into concrete
  nouns which relates to discipline specific
  activities

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Life Cycle Delivery Process

• Inception Define project brief
• Feasibility Evaluate alternative solutions
• Project strategy Establish monitoring and
  control systems. Work packages, reporting
  procedures, Pert or Gantt charts, etc
• Production Research, assignment writing, draw
  conclusions
• Commission Review and amend work
• Completion Hand in

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Life Cycle Delivery Process

• Week 1 Inception Distribute clients brief. This
  is written in broad terms
• Week 3 Students submit a maximum of 20 questions
  to develop the brief
• Week 4 Project strategy Students develop
  control systems and receive feed back from
  questions

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Life Cycle Delivery Process

• Week 5 Students define and submit clients
  brief. Clearly defined aim and scope of work.
  Brief is checked and returned
• Week 6 Conduct feasibility analysis and convert
  scope of work into quantifiable objectives
• Week 7-9 Work on assignment

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Life Cycle Delivery Process

• Week 10 Draw conclusions that relate directly to
  the aim and objectives
• Week 11 review and submit

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Conclusion

• The aim of project management is to provide a
  systematic approach in the delivery of projects.
• Project management is a proactive activity which
  is developed via a combination of theory and
  practice
• These are transferable skills that can be
  accumulated and assimilated in any unique activity

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Conclusion

• These are not easily learned skills and in the
  heat of assignment and dissertation production
  the instinct is to work in an unstructured way
• If applied, these project management techniques
  can be useful in the production of the
  dissertation and are transferable to commerce and
  industry post degree study