BUSM1269

Introduction to Project Management

Week 1
Topic: a) Introduction & Course Admin

Arthur Pitsas
School of Property, Construction and Project
Management

RMIT University©2023
 Welcome
and
Introduction

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Welcome and Introduction
• Your Subject Lecturer and Coordinator: Arthur Pitsas
• A little about me…
– Consultations:
arthur.pitsas@rmit.edu.au

• A little about you…(Please Introduce Yourself Online)

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Week 1 – Introduction and Course Admin
• Course Description
• Intended Learning Outcomes
• Assessments & Feedback
• House Rules: RMIT Policies and
Regulations

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Course Description

Essentials of Project Management (PM):

o PM Life cycle
o Functions essential to successful PM
o Developing a PM plan
o Verifying and controlling the project scope
o Defining, scheduling and allocating resources
o Monitoring project quality

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Course Description

You will be able to:

o Scope, develop and manage a project utilising
appropriate PM techniques
o Prepare project plan to meet project objectives and
requirements
o Reflect on the experience of working in a team to
improve team function
o Recommend appropriate management tools

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Course Details
• How does this course fit with other courses:
– The unit is worth 12 credit point
– We cover most of the general areas involved in PM because
this is an Introductory Course
– Many of the topics covered in this course are also covered in
details in other courses such as:

Cost  Project Management Techniques

Time  Project Management Techniques
Risk  Evaluating and Managing Project Risk
HR  Managing Project Teams
Procurement  Project Procurement and Ethics
Leadership  Project Management Leadership

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Course Structure
Week Content Assessment
1 Course Introduction and Admin:
• How this course should be undertaken
• How you will be assessed
• What is required from you to successfully complete
this course
• How vital your role as a project manager is to the
successful completion of a project

2 Project Management Basics, Organisational Structure

and Culture:
• The history of Project Management
• The stages of a Project Life Cycle
• The different types of organisational structures
• How organisational culture can affect the
completion of a project

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Course Structure
Week Content Assessment
3 Scope Management and WBS:
• Reasons for planning a Project
• Processes for Defining the Scope of a Project
• Scope Checklist and Work Breakdown Structure

4 Time Management: Assignment 1-

• Why time is critical Project Failure
• Processes for time management Investigation
• Relationships and Dependencies
• Bar and Gantt charts
• Critical Path
• Schedule Compression and Delays

5 Cost Management:
• How to Plan, Estimate, and Control Budget
• Estimating Approaches
• Life Cycle Costing

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Course Structure
Week Content Assessment
6 Stakeholders and Communication:
• Identify Stakeholders
• Plan Stakeholders and Communication
Management
• Manage Stakeholders and Communication
• Control Stakeholders and Communication

Mid-Semester Break
7 Procurement Management: the overall
content of this week includes:
Manage Procurement
Control Procurement
Evaluate Procurement

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Course Structure
Week Content Assessment

8 Human Resources and Leadership: Assignment 2a-

• How to develop a HR plan Project Management Plan: Scope,
• How to acquire project team members Time and Cost
• How to develop a successful team
• How to manage a team

9 Risk Management:
• Some of the concepts related to Risk
• The processes involved in managing risks
including identifying risks, assessing and
analyzing risks, as well as responding to
risks

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Course Structure
Week Content Assessment
10 Integration and Change Control:
• Integration Management, and how the
life cycle stages relate to various
document requirements and other PM
concepts
• Change control processes and
requirements

11 Other Methodologies: Waterfall, Agile,

PRINCE2, Change Management, Process
Driven, Post Disaster Project Management

12 Presentations (Presentation) Assignment 3- Risks and Change

Control Group Presentation
Assignment 2b-
PMP: Stakeholders
and Communication, Procurement
, Resourcing

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Assessments
Assignment 1- Project Failure Investigation (25%)
– Individual
– 1000-1200words limit
– Due 11:59 PM Sunday 26 March 2023 (end of week
4)
 You will prepare and submit a report on a case study of
your selection. The case study should investigate a ‘failed’
project.
 The report should include a brief overview of the project,
as well as the reasons for failure (The “WHAT, HOW and
WHY” of the project failure) and the lessons learnt.

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Assessments
Assignment 2a: Project Management Plan (Part 1)- 25%
Scope, Time, Cost
– Group of 3 to 4
– Maximum 1800-2000 words per person, excluding appendices
– 5% of the total weight will be allocated to the project charter
– Due 11:59pm, Sunday 30 April 2023 (end of week 8)

 You are a group of project managers on a major project and are required to
prepare the relevant documentation for the project general overview and
goals, scope and time. This will include:
 Develop a project charter to get approval for the project execution
 Develop a scope statement including an acceptance criteria
 Identify appropriate goals and a well-supported decision-making process
for selecting goals
 Communicate logical sequencing of activities using a WBS and a
network diagram, and describe activity duration through a clear and
readable Gantt chart.
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Assessments
Assignment 2b: Project Management Plan (Part 2)- 25%
Procurement, Resourcing, Stakeholders and Communication
– Group of 3 to 4
– 1800-2000 words per person
– Due 11:59pm, Sunday 28 May 2023 (end of week 12)
 You are a project manager on a major project, and are now
required to prepare the relevant documentation for the project
procurement, human resources and risk management. This will
include:
 Identify the key stakeholders who will affect and will be affected by the
project and establish a communication method between them
 Develop an appropriate procurement strategy for the case study
project.
 Estimate the resources required for successful completion of the
project.
 Determine the procurement techniques and methods
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Assessments
• Assignment 3- Class Presentation (Risk and
Change Control) and Class Discussion,
Participation, Contributions.
• Total for both Components (10% Group
Presentation, 15% Class discussions,
contributions, insights, participation)
– You will be required to undertake a group presentation
– The presentation will take approx. 5-7 minutes (+/-10%) and this
will be inserted in a PowerPoint slides, which will be submitted
electronically on Canvas
– The presentation will be based on some of the risks and change
control addressing the requirements from an “Urgent News” that
you will receive in Week 11
– Assignment 2 (Part 1 and 2 must be completed and submitted
first)
– Due 11:59pm, Monday 22 May 2023 (week 12)
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Assessments and Feedback
• Assignment 3- Class Presentation (Risk and Change
Control) and Class Discussion, participation,
contributions, insights.
• Total for both Components (10% Group presentation,
15% Weekly individual contributions)
 Part A: Risk Management
Identify all the risks that might occur and could potentially affect the successful
completion of the project. While identifying the risks, rate their likelihood and
potential impacts on the project, as well as the mitigation strategies to overcome
them.
 Part B: Change control (what will you do?)
You will respond to your client who is also your senior manager.
Reassure your client that you can still achieve the project goals within time, scope,
budget and resources. Your will be assessed on:
• Your demonstrated understanding of the issues raised,
• The problem areas (which you identified, evaluated and selected)
• How effectively this information is communicated.
• You should also make sure you keep within the constraints of the project, with
any impacts identified and communicated clearly, succinctly and convincingly.
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Assessments and Feedback
• Assignment 3- Class Presentation (Risk and Change
Control) and Class Discussion, contributions,
insights, participation.
• Total for Both Components (10% Group presentation,
15% Class contributions, discussions)
Class Discussion
The 25% assessment will be based on the following:
• Week 12 Group Presentation on Urgent News
• Class discussion on dedicated class activities – to be advised prior to class
• Class discussion on dedicated case studies – to be advised prior to class
• General class discussions and engagement

The above mentioned areas will be assessed based on 5 levels:

1. Fail (Poor): 0 – 49%
2. Pass (Acceptable): 50 – 59%
3. Credit (Good): 60 – 69%
4. Distinction (Very good): 70 – 79%
5. High Distinction (Excellent): 80 – 100%
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Assessments and Feedback
ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK SUMMARY

Assessment Tasks: Due Date SILOs % Words limits

Assessment 1: Project Failure Week 4 1, 2 25 1000-1200 words

Investigation

Assessment 2a: Project scope, Week 8 2, 3 25 1800-2000 words per

time, budget person

Assessment 2b: Project Week 12 2, 3, 4 25 1800-2000 words per

procurement, resourcing, and person
stakeholders and communication

Assessment 3: Urgent News Week 12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 25 Group presentation

Group Presentation on Urgent News and
and Individual weekly discussions
and class participation during Class discussions. 2-
class activities, case studies 3 slides per person.

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RMIT Policies – Plagiarism
• Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in
respecting the work of others whilst having the freedom
to build new insights, new knowledge and ideas.

• Plagiarism and collusion constitute extremely serious

academic misconduct, and are forms of cheating.

 Plagiarism is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of

another person as though it is your own. Refer to the following
link:
Academic integrity - RMIT University
 Collusion is an unauthorised collaboration between two or
more students and presenting as their own original work, with
the intent to deceive.

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RMIT Policies – Plagiarism
• Whenever you refer to another person’s research or
ideas (either by directly quoting or paraphrasing them)
you must acknowledge the source by citation.
• A few examples of plagiarism
– Copying sentences or paragraphs word-for-word from
one or more sources without quotation marks and
acknowledging source(s)
– Closely paraphrasing sentences, paragraphs, ideas or
themes without proper citation;
– Copying figures, tables and diagrams and submitting
them as your original work.

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RMIT Policies – Plagiarism

• Use Turnitin to submit your assignments

• The RMIT library provides tools to assist with your
referencing http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/referencing
• If in doubt about how to properly cite a reference
– consult your lecturer
– the academic integrity website:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity
– Study and Learning Centre

• For more information on RMIT’s academic integrity and

plagiarism procedures, see
http://www1.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=sg4yfqzod48g1

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RMIT Policies – Extensions and Late
Assessments
• Extension of time for assessment tasks may be
granted for circumstances beyond your control
• Applications for extension of time must be lodged with
your lecturer as early as possible, and no later than
one working day before the due date
• Must use the Application Form –
Extensions - RMIT University
• Extensions CANNOT be given without the form
• If you seek an extension on or after the due date, or
if you’re seeking 7+ days extension, you must apply
for special consideration
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Business writing
What is “Business Writing”?
• Business writing includes memorandums, reports, proposals, emails, and other forms of writing used
in organizations to communicate with internal or external audiences.
• Business writing is informative, instructive, persuasive, and transactional.
"The main aim of business writing is that it should be understood
clearly when read quickly. The message should be well planned,
simple, clear, and direct."

Purpose of “Business Writing”

The goal of business writing is to transmit information to a reader, so clear language is
necessary to help a reader understand information easily.
Business writing must:
• Convey information
• Deliver news
• Direct action (Many professionals use their business writing skills to tell others what
to do or how to do it).
• Explain or justify (Professional writing is a suitable way to provide an explanation or
justify an action that has already been taken, particularly if the matter is a
complicated one).
• Influence someone to take action: Business communication is often used to
influence others to take a specific action, whether to use a certain tool during the
course of business or to purchase a product or service that is on offer.

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 •Take a moment to think about your own project management experience. For a previous project that you
have been involved in (in any capacity, not necessarily as a project manager), reflect on the following
questions:

• What were the problems encountered?

1.3 Discussion • How were the difficulties overcome?

• What were the lessons learnt?

•If your previous work experience has not included any project-based work, then use other work settings
or non work-based projects. The latter could include activities such as previous university group
assignments, or projects completed in volunteer or personal settings.

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House Rules
Few tips:

• Enjoy your learning journey and be curious

• Build relationships with your peers
• Project manage your time for assignments
• Ask for help if you need it
• Apply your new knowledge where possible
Remember!

• We are all learners (including me), but we may have different

priorities and pace in that process
• All constructive contributions are valid in this adult learning
environment
• This a collaborative learning environment and my role is to
facilitate your learning

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Project Failure Case Study- Reasons and
Lessons Learnt
• Let have a look at the Sydney Opera House example provided in this
video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXBCaGb0dy8&feature=emb_logo

• What could have been the reasons for failure and the lessons learnt
from them. You can use any reasoning theory to explain the causes and
lessons learnt but remember that those have to be project management
related.
(This exercise will help in the development of your assignment 1).

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