Target audience: Those wanting to learn the basics of project management, whether for academic or for business purposes.

Learning outcomes:

1. Develop plans with relevant people to achieve the project's goals;
2. Break work down into tasks and determine handover procedures;
3. Examine the various components of a project plan;
4. Identify links and dependencies, and schedule to achieve deliverables;
5. Estimate and cost the human and physical resources required, and make plans to obtain the necessary resources;
6. Allocate roles with clear lines of responsibility and accountability;
7. Establish appropriate and agreed meeting schedules, as well as reporting, control and communication methods.

Duration: 10 hours over 3 weeks

Module Chair: Dr. Hugo Magalhães, SPI, Portugal

Contents

1 Introduction

 1.1 Spaces & Meetings

 1.2 Assignment

2 Module Activities

 2.1 Week 1

 2.2 Week 2

 2.3 Week 3

3 Assignment Submission & Peer Assessment

4 Acknowledgements

1 Introduction

How to examine the various components of a project plan and learn about a number of tools and techniques to aid planning? This module will help you to develop the skills required when planning a project. You will examine the various components of a project plan, and be introduced to a number of tools and techniques to aid planning.

1.1 Spaces & Meetings

A. Forum for general communication: Module 3 - Project Management

B. IRC Chats over Freenode on Channel: #openEd (Dates to be announced at the forum and also at the timetable!)

C. Live sessions at UStream (Dates to be announced at the forum!)

1.2 Assignment

During week 3 of this Module you will be asked to develop a project plan. This project plan will be your assignment and should have no more than 2000 words.

Once you have completed your assignment you are asked to upload the Assignment to the Module 3 Assignment Directory.

Assignments will be "peer-assessed", so make sure that you present your results in a clear and logic way that is understandable for others! Criteria for assessing assignments is given in the Assignment Submission & Peer Assessment section below.

Please note: This module will show as completed in your "Self-Print Certificate" only when you have submitted your Assignment.

2 Module Activities  

This module is divided into 4 activities, taking in total 7 hours and 30 minutes to complete. You then need to allow a further 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete the assignment. You may also want to allow additional time for IRC chats or other live interactions, depending on how many there are, perhaps around an hour a week.

2.1 Week 1

Activity 1: Main barriers to planning (1 hour)

1. Read the Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the OpenLearn module "Planning a project". These sections present a general overview of project management and of the main barriers to planning.
2. Search the internet for an article about barriers to planning and read the article.
3. Provide a brief summary of the potential barriers that can inhibit successful planning at the  Module 3 forum and discuss with other module participants.

Activity 2: Definitions of project management (30 minutes)

The following websites contain standard definitions of project management:

1. Project Management Institute
2. UK Association for Project Management
3. Imperial College of London

1. Browse these websites and search for three more definitions of project management in the internet.
2. Compare the definitions provided against those you have found and the reason they give for the importance of project management.
3. Provide a brief summary at the Module 3 forum and discuss with other module participants.

Congratulations! You have now finished Week 1. Please complete the learning reflection form for this week.

2.2 Week 2

Activity 3: Techniques to aid planning (1 hour)

1. Read the Sections 5, 6 and 7 of the OpenLearn module "Planning a project". These sections introduce some techniques to aid planning (Gantt chart, critical path) and illustrate how to estimate costs and revenues.
2. Think of advantages and disadvantages for each of the techniques and write those down at a list.
3. Make this list available at the Module 3 forum and discuss with other module participants.

Congratulations! You have now finished Week 2. Please complete the learning reflection form for this week.

2.3 Week 3

Activity 4:  Planning a project (5 hours)

1. Plan a real or hypothetical event such as a conference or exhibition (use your imagination --- be creative!).
2. Decide what activities are involved, describe the precedence relationships of the activities and draw a logic diagram.
3. Estimate the average times required to complete the activities, draw a Gantt chart for the project and identify the critical path.
4. Estimate the human and physical resources required and the revenues.
5. Write up a final project plan. This project plan should include information such as:

1. Explain why each activity was chosen.
2. Explain the rationale behind the Gantt chart and critical path.
3. Explain the rationale behind the human and physical resources required and the revenues.
4. Mention any limitations in your project planning.

    6. Write up and submit your assignment as detailed within the Assignment section above.

Congratulations! You have now finished Week 3. Please complete the learning reflection form for this week.

3 Assignment Submission & Peer Assessment 

1. Write your Assignment as explained in the Assignment section above.

Assignments will be "peer assessed", so make sure you present your results in a clear and logic way that is understandable for others!

2. Upload your Assignment to the Module 3 Assignment Directory.

Please note: This module will show as completed in your "Self-Print Certificate" only when you have submitted your Assignment.

3. Assess others' assignments by giving marks for each of the parts of the task.

1. We kindly ask you to take the time and to provide at least one peer assessment. We can not force you to do this - but the idea of this course is to work together as peers and to help one the other!
2. Please use the Rating and Review function below each assignment for your peer review. You should rate as follows: 100% of marks = 5 Stars | 92% of marks = 4 Stars | 85% of marks = 3 Stars | 70% of marks = 2 Stars | 60% of marks = 1 Star | Less then 60% of marks = no Star. Your written review should include information on the marks you have been accredited for an assignment ***AND*** information how you have calculated such marks.
3. For each part of the task, high marks should be awarded to answers that are accurate, comprehensive, convincing, insightful and scholarly.
4. Being "scholarly" means using logical arguments; avoiding non sequiturs; substantial claims; and using accurate spelling, grammar and referencing.
5. Furthermore, each part of the task also has a specific criterion for achieving the highest marks:

4 Acknowledgements

The module links extensively to The Open University's OpenLearn module B713_2 "Planning a project", which has been made available within the Creative Commons framework under the CC Attribution – Non-commercial licence. These materials are available under the same license.

The first draft of this module was created in July 2010 by Hugo Magalhães, following an outline created by Pascale Hardy.