Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

A professional working within urban development practice needs to successfully manage and document projects. This unit draws together knowledge and theory to develop strategies which will enable you to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams so you can identify, scope, manage and effectively complete an urban development project. You will build on this knowledge and these skills in subsequent units in preparation for your professional career in the domain of Urban Development.

Aims

This unit aims to provide you with an introduction to theory, processes and strategies needed to plan and manage an urban development project.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit you should be able to demonstrate the following outcomes:

1. Describe the processes of project management needed to successfully manage projects from conception to completion.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of team processes and how these can be optimised to produce quality outcomes.
3. Recall and explain the typical stages involved in managing a project and explain their inter-relationship including the factors needed to work productively in a team.
4. Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively in an integrated team to complete a project.

Content

Topics covered in this unit:

• The basic principles, processes and practices of project management within the context of urban development


• Professionals and stakeholders involved in UD projects


• Common issues in Projects (strategy, stakeholder, scope, communication, integration, quality, risk, conflicts, etc.)


• Project management processes, including work break down, task analysis and activity analysis, understanding constraints and communication planning, risk assessment, research and problem solving skills at a basic level


• Strategies to scope a project and determine its viability including mind mapping, basic Gantt charting


• Project teamwork ways to manage yourself and team members successfully including resolving conflict and team formation


• Communication of ideas and proposals through project plans and reports

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching Mode:
Hours per week: 3
Lecture: 1 hr
Tutorial: 2 hrs

Material in this unit will be presented in lectures and hands-on tutorials. You will participate in a learning team of students, which will support and assist your learning and provide a support network. Some tasks will be open ended requiring you to make choices and set your own goals.

Assessment

You will be required to complete a number of pieces of assessment throughout the unit. These will develop, and enable you to demonstrate your understanding of the core content and learning outcomes.You will receive a balance of peer feedback through early response to your assessment pieces and teacher feedback that is both general to the cohort's overall performance and specific to your performance of the assessment tasks.

Assessment name: Project Scoping Presentation
Description: A brief report scoping the proposed project that you will undertake collaboratively as part of a group. The project will focus on an urban development or redevelopment issue in a local area.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 4

Assessment name: Project Submission
Description: Written Report & Oral Presentation
A project report drawing upon the report writing and citation skills developed in UDB100 AND the MS PROJECT software skills developed in Tutorials. This report will address the needs of an urban development client by providing detailed urban development planning information and a MS Project Plan. A presentation will be used to communicate the key ideas of the report.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Week 13

Assessment name: Examination (written)
Description: A multiple choice and short answer examination focusing on the major tenets of project planning and management in the urban development context.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Hartley, Stephen (2009) Project Management - Principles, Processes and Practice, 2nd ed. Pearson Education Australia, NSW.

Project Management Institute, Inc (2008) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge 4th ed. (PMBOK Guide) Pennsylvania USA

Author: Smith, Karl A.
Title: Teamwork and project management / Karl A. Smith.
Publication Details: Boston : McGraw Hill Higher Education, c2004.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. Students in this unit will undertake lectures and tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 28-May-2012