Unit Outline Template June 2003

300260

IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT

UNIT OUTLINE

UNIT OFFERED AT

PARRAMATTACAMPUS

LEVEL 700

10 CREDIT POINTS

Autumn 2006

© University of Western Sydney

School of Computing & Mathematics

IT Project Management 300260Unit Outline

1Pre-requisites & Co-requisites

There are no pre-requisites for this unit.

There are no co-requisites for this unit.

Students are advised that they are responsible for ensuring they have met all relevant pre-requisites and/or co-requisites for any unit(s) in which they are currently enrolled.

2Exclusions

Students undertaking ANY undergraduate degree programs such as BIT, BcompSc, are not permitted to undertake this unit even as an open elective. Furthermore, any unit with very similar learning outcomes MAY not be counted for credit. It is strongly advised that you seek the assistance of your course coordinator if you have any queries regarding exclusions.

3Assumed Knowledge

The following knowledge is assumed:

• Understanding of systems analysis and design principles
• Ability to express oneself clearly and correctly, both orally and in writing.

4Introduction

This unit is designed to provide students with an opportunity to research and discuss the knowledge, values and skills required of project management and consultancy in the area of Information Technologies (IT). The subject matter in this unit deals with learning and discussing the various significant topics in project management such as understanding the scope of project management, preparing and presenting project proposals, managing resources and time, use of communication skills, team motivation and morale, and issues involving legal, ethical, and social responsibilities of IT professionals. The lectures and discussions in these topics, and the artefacts resulting from them, will equip the students with practical skills that can be applied by them as real IT project managers in real IT projects.

As a part of this study, students are expected to work both individually and as teams. With relevant help and supervision, students will plan and investigate a project, preferably for a client, and create a substantial project proposal that encompasses all aforementioned aspect of IT project management. Towards the end of the semester, students will present their project proposals to a public forum. Approved project proposals may be further pursued as part of the units IT Project Implementation or Computing Research Project A in the ensuing semesters.

5Student Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of IT Project Management, students will be able to:

• Develop proposals in an IT area, including Web Engineering and Design and E-Business.
• Demonstrate understanding of issues in innovation management.
• Understand the importance of project management tools and techniques and demonstrate their application.
• Demonstrate competence in project, resource and time management, in consultancy or researching, planning, carrying out and evaluating a computer-related project.
• Work with people, in a small project team, managing their own time.
• Write, produce and present review reports of their progress.
• Demonstrate professional commitment and understanding of legal, ethical and social issues.

6Content

• Project methodologies for IT, Web Engineering and E-Business
• Technologies, tools and techniques for IT, Web Engineering and E-Business projects

• Testing methods for IT, Web Engineering and E-Business projects
• Developing project proposals

• Issues in innovation management and their relevance to Web Engineering and Design and E-Business
• Project management
• Time management
• Budgeting and return on investment
• Developing consultancy and research skills
• Presentation skills and inter-personal skills

7 Presentation

This unit consists of:

One 3-hour classroom workshop each week which includes lectures and tutorials, with a total of 13 such workshops during the session.

Attendance at classes is mandatory, although formal attendance may not be marked. Furthermore, students are advised specifically that:

i.participation in classroom activities will contribute to 15% of each student’s overall assessment mark;

ii.material presented in classes may not be readily available elsewhere;

iii.students will be responsible for informing themselves of, and getting access to, any assessment items announced and/or distributed during classes they choose not to attend;

iv.records of class attendance may be taken into account when requests for special consideration etc. are considered.

It is expected that, for this unit, students will spend reasonableadditional classhours per week outside formal classes studying the subject material, preparing for group and individual assignments, presentations and practical exercises necessary to understand and master the content of the unit.

Please check the current timetable for the correct lecture times.

8Practices of the School Concerning Assessment

The total mark that the student achieves in the unit will form the basis for the determination of the grade the student will receive in the unit. Marks may be subject to scaling according to School guidelines before final grades are awarded.

In order to qualify for a passing grade in the unit a student must satisfy the School that they have appropriately completed all mandatory components of the unit. Failure to do so will result in a FAIL grade, regardless of the total mark achieved in the unit by the student. Appropriate completion of a mandatory component includes a full attempt at the work designated and the demonstration of an appropriate level of knowledge of the component content.

The mandatory components of this unit are:

a)Workshop participation

b)Appropriate forms of activity by the student within classes such that the learning process of all students in the class is assisted, or at least not impaired.

c)Individual and Group Assignments.

d)Final presentation and reports of student project proposals.

Where indicated, a mandatory component of the unit must be completed and submitted by the student, and have been received by the School, prior to a due date indicated by the unit coordinator. Unless an extension to a further date is granted to the student by the Head of School (or nominee), any marks received for the component will be reduced by 10% of the total mark that could have been achievable for the component, for each day (including weekends & public holidays) after the due date. An extension of time may be granted only under exceptional circumstances. With the exception of the final examination, the School will not normally accept submissions of mandatory components of a unit subsequent to the final day of the session. A student who has failed to submit a mandatory component will be deemed to have not completed the unit successfully and will receive a FAIL grade. Students who do not attend the final examination without grounds acceptableto the University should expect to FAIL the unit.

Students who miss assessment deadlines through illness or any other documented misadventure should contact the University as soon as it is practically possible – see section 13 under Special Consideration.

9Method of Assessment

This unit has the following assessment component(s):

• Continuous Assessment100%

Students should note, that final marks and grades are subject to confirmation by the School and College Assessment Committee, who may scale, modify or otherwise amend the marks and grades for the units as maybe required by University Policies.

9.1Continuous Assessment

One hundred percent (100%) of the unit will be in the form of continuous assessment, which will consist of the following:

To achieve a passing grade in this unit you must achieve a minimum of 50% of the total mark.

Details of Assessment Tasks will be provided separately during the workshops.

9.2Submissionof Assessment Tasks

The specific requirements for each assignment will be detailed on the respective assignment description distributed during session. All assignments must be submitted in hardcopy at the beginning of the class in the week due as nominated above.

Students must ensure that they are aware of submission procedures since ignorance of such procedures is not an acceptable reason for submitting an assignment after the due date and time.

It is the responsibility of each student to confirm that their assignment has been received by the unit coordinator. This can be done by formal submissions during class room. Please note that it is essential that a soft copy and a photocopy of each assignment are kept by the student for future verification if needed.

An extension of time for the submission of an assignment will be granted only for serious documented medical or serious personal reasons. Pressure of other/external work does not constitute sufficient grounds for the granting of an extension. An application for an extension must be made in writing (using the "Application for Extension" form available on the units web site) to the unit coordinator prior to the due date if possible, or as soon after the due date as practicable, if not. Any request submitted after the due date must justify not only the need for an extension, but also why the request was not submitted prior to the due date, and that it has been submitted at the earliest possible date. Simple production of a medical certificate is not generally sufficient evidence. The onus is on the student to fully justify his/her request for an extension.

9.3Resubmission of Assessment Tasks

Generally resubmission of assessment tasks is not allowed. In special circumstances the unit coordinator may invite a student to resubmit an assessment item for marking. The highest possible mark for a resubmitted assessment will be no greater than the lowest passing mark awarded for that assessment.

9.4Referencing Style

The preferred referencing style is APA. Please consult orfor further details.

9.5Final Examination

There is no final examination in this unit.

10Academic Malpractice (Plagiarism)

All work handed in by students (assignments, exercises, final exam etc.) must be the students own work. Plagiarism involves the use of another's ideas as though they were one's own, and presenting them without acknowledgment as part of academic work. As such, plagiarism is contrary to the academic principles of originality and scholarship, and is regarded very seriously by UWS. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will incur an appropriate penalty, up to and including expulsion from the unit and suspension from the University.

It must be emphasised that it is each student's responsibility to ensure that no other student has access to their work, either in soft or hard copy. Similar action may be taken against both parties in the case of plagiarised assignments, whether permission was granted or not by the original author to copy the work.

Assignments/projects must be each student's individual work. Joint work is unacceptable in this unit unless the assignment requires you to work in groups.

11Recommended Text

Due to the rapidly changing nature of this subject, there is no formal textbook. Heavy emphasis is placed on current journal articles, reference books and websites. These will be discussed during the classroom workshops.

12References

Brooks, F., The Mythical Man-Month, Addison-Wesley, 1995

Burdman, J. (1999) Collaborative Web Development, Addison-Wesley

Cantor, M (1998) Object-Oriented Project Management with UML, John Wiley

Cornford, A. and Avgerou, C. (1996) Project Research in Information Systems.McMillan, London

Culp, G. and Smith, A. (1992) Managing people (including yourself) for project success, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York

Goldratt, E (1997) Critical Chain,

Humphrey, W.S. (1990) Managing The Software Process, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA

Humphrey, W.S. (1997) Managing Technical People, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA

Meyer, B., Object Success

Murugesan, S. and Y. Deshpande (eds) (2001) Web Engineering, LNCS Hot Topics, vol 2016, Springer, Berlin

Phillips, J. (2002) IT Project Management, Osborne McGraw Hill, New York

Schwalbe, K., (2002), Information Technology Project Management, (2nd edition), Course Technology (Thomson Learning), Boston, MA.

Shelford, T.J. and Remillard, G.A. (2003) Real Web Project Management

Simon, A. (1994) How to be a Successful Computer Consultant, (3rd edition) McGraw Hill, New York

Unhelkar, B., Process Quality Assurance for UML-based Projects, Addison-Wesley, Boston, 2003.

Unhelkar, B., Verification and Validation for Quality of UML 2.0 Models, John Wiley and Sons, 2005

13General

University policy requires that all students should read and understand the implications of the following information:

Students should be familiar with all University and College/School rules, policies and processes, related to their studies and time at UWS. Students should also be aware that they are required to abide by the University's Codes, Occupational Health and Safety and Social Justice policies.

Information on University, student rules, policies, procedures and codes can be found in the UWS Student Handbook, and online at on the Student Administration web page and the UWS Policy and Procedures web page.

Students should regularly check the Student Administration web page for updates, enrolment, timetabling and other related information. The above information can be found online at:

and

Students with a disability are advised to discuss requirements for accommodation (including for examinations) at the commencement of the teaching session with their Unit Coordinator in conjunction with the Counselling & Disabilities Unit within the Office of the Dean of Students. This is a free and confidential service, telephone 02 4620 3191 or refer URL:

UWS has a web page for students which contains links to the library, student support, including the free services offered by Office of the Dean of Students and other relevant information refer URL:

Special Consideration

Students should notify the University when they have suffered misadventure, or have extenuating circumstances which means they have:

• been prevented from meeting an assessment deadline;
• performed below their usual standard during an assessment, including formal examinations;
• been unable to attend a compulsory component of their course;
• been unable to attend a formal (end-of-session) examination.

The University has specific criteria, requirements (eg supporting documentation) and set deadlines for applying for special consideration and students are strongly encouraged to read the relevant sections of the Assessment and Examinations Policy refer URL:

and in particular the sections relating to: Matters Affecting Assessment and Inability to Attend an Examination.

Academic Misconduct

The University takes any form of academic misconduct seriously. Academic misconduct is conduct on the part of a student, which involves amongst other forms of misconduct:

Cheating, Plagiarism and Collusion

For the full definition of academic misconduct and the consequences of such behaviour, students are advised to read the Academic Misconduct policy in its entirety, refer URL:

Disclaimer:

The material in this unit outline is accurate at the time of writing. Since variations may be necessary as the session progresses, students must ensure that they are aware of any announcements made in lectures and tute/prac sessions. The web and e-mail will be used extensively as a means of broadcasting information to students as well, so it is suggested that students check the web and their electronic mailboxes at least twice a week. Any changes will not be allowed as grounds of appeal for examination review etc.

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