Units

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Sample subject outline - 5 Week Teaching Period - 7 2013

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

Rationale

Complex projects have complex team structures requiring advanced teamwork, team building and team management skills. This is particularly true of international collaborations involving virtual teams, which typically have diverse membership spanning national and organisational boundaries. Much of the problem solving and integration work of complex projects are handled by cross-functional teams making them critical to project success. The ability to plan, organise and manage a variety of team structures across the project lifecycle is critical to the success of a complex project manager. This unit examines the context of teams in a complex project, delivers relevant theory and highlights team challenges and paradoxes. Individuals will investigate a real-life team problem and teams will participate in a problem-based learning activity to write a team analysis and development plan accounting for the lifecycle of a project.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to help managers develop a thorough understanding of the principles of teamwork and skills in team development, team processes and team management.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Corporate Programs)

The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AOL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Program Goal 1: Understand Self and Lead Others in an International Environment (ULO)

1.1 Develop the personal attributes of action and outcome orientation, ability to influence and self-knowledge that distinguish the manager of complex projects.
1.2 Develop and demonstrate the leadership and communication skills to manage the staff involved in complex projects
1.3 Work effectively in managing people and a wide range of stakeholders through understanding of culture cognition, personality and human lifecycle.

Program Goal 2: Lead Strategic Planning, Design and Implementation (SPDI)

2.1 Understand the context of complex projects and the design and implementation of appropriate project strategy and systems to match emergent requirements
2.2 Demonstrate the capacity to design, establish and manage the organisational architecture for complex projects
2.3 Develop the understanding and skill to deliver probity and governance requirements for complex projects
2.4 Develop the capacity to design and implement innovative business planning, reporting and performance measurement systems.

Program Goal 3: Think Holistically: Innovate and Creatively Problem Solve (TH)

3.1 Develop the insights to manage people and systems subject to on-going change and constantly adapt to emergent conditions
3.2 Demonstrate the capacity to envision novel, critical and creative responses to complex and emerging problems

Program Goal 4: Develop the understanding of and skill to design, manage and lead strategic procurement practices that respond to the challenges of the complex organisational and project management environment. (SP)

4.1 Develop, plan and implement a comprehensive and effective acquisition strategy to deliver complex strategic capabilities.
4.2 Assess and implement the contractual requirements of a complex acquisition taking into account the implications of international law and conventions, intellectual property rights, and ensuring the appropriate allocation and mitigation of contractual risks.
4.3 Develop, plan and implement strategic sourcing arrangements covering the capability life-cycle.

Unit Objectives
At the completion of the unit, students will be able to:

1. Analyse and design team processes and structures in the context of complex projects
2. Create a team development plan
3. Measure team performance
4. Analyse and address team issues
5. Capitalise on team diversity
6. Motivate, discipline, mentor and coach team members

The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

Module 1: Team Development in a Complex Project Context

Module 2: Team Processes and Procedures

Module 3: Team Leadership in Complex Projects

Module 4: Team Diversity and Structure

Module 5: Managing conflict, paradox and contradiction

Module 6: Managing Virtual Teams

Leadership

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The unit is presented to students as being based on the Study Guide.

• There is a commitment to critical inquiry and intellectual debate in regard to the material covered, and students are encouraged to relate the theories and research discussed to situations known to them.


• Students are expected to have read the written material before each class meeting, to facilitate discussion.


• Students are expected to bring a real-life team problem from their workplace to form the basis of their individual assessment assignment


• A descriptive case study of a complex project will be used for discussion throughout the unit.


• A variety of resources are available online. Not least of these resources are members of the GSZ507 class, and the lecturers, all of whom are available via e-mail.

Assessment

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

• Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation


• Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary


• Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation


• Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment name: Group Simulation Debrief
Description: Lunar Rover Team Performance Analysis and Recommendations

During class will undertake a simulation exercise involving geographically dispersed teams. You will be divided up into three teams, representing an international consortium tasked with the construction of a new Mars Rover Robot. Each team will specialise in the construction of a subcomponent of the robot, working remotely to coordinate their efforts. The result of the simulation will be a fully functional robot model, controllable via the internet, using the Lego Mindstorms technology.

The aim of the simulation is to provide a shared group experience that can be used to discuss the topics covered in class. After each 2 modules taught, time will be set aside in class for your team to apply the learnings from the modules to analyse your interactions in the simulation, and consider recommendations for improvement. The teams will be asked to present these insights to the class in a formal presentation of 15 minutes duration, as well as providing an associated 2 page overview handout (of the analysis and recommendations).

During the simulation, one of the members of each group will act as a member of the press, videotaping and cataloguing the interactions of each team. These video segments will provide data for analysis. Segments of the videos should also be used in the presentations, to illustrate the key concepts identified, and to support the analysis and the recommendations for improvement.

Length:
Presentations: each group will be involved in a 15 minute presentation (followed by 10 minutes questions and answers).
Handouts: A 2 page written overview of the team analysis and recommendations which are supported by reference to the literature
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 3, 4, 5, and AOL goals: (ULO 1.1; 1.2; SPDI 2.1; TH 3.1; 3.2)
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: End of Residential

Assessment name: Analysis of Workplace Issue
Description: Analysis of Real Workplace Team Issue and Development Plan

In this assessment, you are asked to select a team issue that has arisen in your workplace (currently or in the past). Identify the key issues, analyse them in terms of best practice in high performance teams and make recommendations to improve the team performance.

You need to:
¿ describe the current team interactions, properties, and limitations with reference to the literature in the field.
¿ make a series of recommendations for improvement that are supported by reference to the theories you learnt in this unit.
¿ prepare a Team Development Plan that outlines what actions you will take to lead the team to a state of high performance.

Length: 2,000 words
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2 3, 4, 5, 6 and AOL goals: (ULO 1.1; 1.2; SPDI 2.1; TH 3.1; 3.2)
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Module 6

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

GSZ507 & GSZ508 Effective Teams Study Guides
Readings provided in the GSZ507 and GSZ508 Study Guides
GSZ507 Blackboard unit site with links to CMD
Case study: Raytheon Teamwork Case Study

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.

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: 05-Mar-2013