595.660.81 - Planning and Managing Projects

Course Structure

The course content is divided into modules. Modules can be accessed by clicking “Modules” on the left menu. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. Students are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Modules run for a period of seven days; exceptions are noted on the Course Outline page. Students should regularly check the Announcements for any updates to assignments or due dates.

Course Topics

Instructor Introductions
Introduction to the Course
Project Management Overview
Honesty and Integrity in Project Management
Project Lifecycle
Project Initiation
Overview of Planning
Overview of PickPOCIT scenario
Staffing the Organization
Statement of Work (aka Scope & Objectives)
Work Breakdown Structure
Schedule
PjM IT Tools
Estimation, Resources, and Budget
Finance and Contracts
Overview of Execution
Risk and Opportunity Management
Conflict Management
Critical Path
Design Reviews
Configuration Management 
Directing and Work Authorization
Monitoring and Control
Communications
Quality Management
How to Work with Executives
Project Management Reviews
Audits
EVM System Introduction                                                                                                                                   
NEAR: Journey to an Asteroid
NEAR Spacecraft Case Study
Leadership and Management
Portfolio and Multi-Project Management
Negotiation
Project Management and Marketing
Project Closeout
Agile Project Management                                                                                                        

Course Goals

To develop management and technical management skills needed to successfully lead high technology projects and organizations.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Develop management and technical management skills needed to successfully lead high technology projects and organizations.
• Develop a program plan designed to facilitate the execution of a project. Articulate the project plan to audiences that have an array of interests. For example: the customer; the organization's top management and functional management membership; and the project group assigned to carry out the work of the project.
• Develop an agenda of the interests of the various audiences and address those interests via in-person presentations and other communication media.
• Make decisions regarding the strategies and tactics required to plan and implement the work of a project

Textbooks

Larson, Erik W. and Gray, Clifford F; Project Management, The Managerial Process (8th ed.); McGraw Hill Education.

Hardcover and Kindle Hardcover: 682 pages

ISBN 13: 978-1260238860 MHID: 1-260-23886-5

Required Software

Links to MS Project and other IT tools are available in Module 1.

Student Coursework Requirements

Each module will take approximately 5–10 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned sections of the texts (approximately 2–4 hours per week) as well as some outside reading, listening to the audio annotated slide presentations and videos (approximately 1–2 hours per week), and writing assignments (approximately 2–4 hours per week).

This course will consist of four basic student requirements:

Preparation and Participation (Class Discussions) (Individual Work / Individual Grade)

Each student is responsible for carefully reading all assigned material and being prepared for discussion. Most readings are from the course text. Additional reading may be assigned to supplement text readings.

Post your initial response to discussion questions by Thursday evening of that module week. Posting a response to the discussion question is part one of your grade for class discussions (i.e., Timeliness).  This is worth 10 points out of a total of 20 for the module discussions.

Part two of your grade for class discussion is your interaction (i.e., responding to classmate postings with thoughtful responses) with at least one classmate (i.e., Critical Thinking). After completing your initial post, you will be able to view your classmates’ post. In this way, we get your original thoughts about the discussion question. Again, your initial post should be completed by day four of the module. We then want you to respond to at least one other classmate's post (preferably more) in the 3CQ format:

Compliment - I like that....

Comment - I agree with that. I disagree because....

Connection - I also thought....

Question - I wonder why....

We expect the initial discussion poster to reply to at least the question posed by the commenter.  Following this format will lead to greater interaction with each other which is a major goal of the discussion assignments. This is worth 6 points out of a total of 20 for the module discussions. 

Part three of your grade will consist of an email to the instructors from those who did not attend the weekly Office Hours live summarizing the key points of the session after listening to the Office Hours recording. The link to the recording will be provided as an announcement Tuesday  evening. This is worth 4 points out of a total of 20 for the module discussions. Those who attend Office Hours live will automatically receive the 4 points towards their discussion grade. No discussion submittal for a module will result in a grade of zero.

Your instructors will monitor class discussions and will respond to some of the discussions as discussions are posted. In some instances, your instructors will summarize the overall discussions and post the summary for the class.

Homework Scenario Assignments (Individual Work / Individual Grade)

The homework scenario assignments are part of a semester-long simulation where you will assume the responsibilities of a project manager in simulations that are structured to stress the importance of organization and method in accomplishing the activities in setting up and maintaining a new project. In Module 2 you are given a description of what you need to know about the fictitious company in which you are working, Inventory Specialists, Inc. (ISI).

The scenarios are graded as follows (some of these scenarios require references, which are specified in the assignment):

20 to 18 = A - All parts of assignment are addressed; Writing Quality/Rationale/References/Examples are outstanding [rich in content; full of thought, insight, and analysis].

17 to 15 = B - All parts of the assignment are addressed; Writing Quality/Rationale/References/Examples are adequate [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].

14 to 12 = C - Majority of parts of the assignment are addressed; Writing Quality/Rationale/References/Examples are not sufficient [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].

11 to 9 = D – Some parts of the assignment are addressed. Writing Quality/Rationale/References/Examples are either very thin or very commonplace.

-0 = No assignment submitted. 

Detailed instructions for completing each scenario are provided in the Modules where the scenario is assigned.

Team Presentations (2) (Teamwork / Team Grade)

Two team presentations are assigned during the semester. The first is assigned in Module 2 for presentation in Module 7. The second is a follow-on to the first presentation and is presented in Module 11. An advanced draft of the first presentation for an optional non-graded review should be submitted during module 6.

The team presentation is evaluated by the following grading elements:

1. Team preparation and team member participation (as described in Team Presentation assignment) (40%).
2. Student technical understanding of the team presentation topic (as related to individual role that the student assumes and described in the Team Presentation assignment) (20%).
3. Team technical understanding of the team presentation topic (40%).

Additional presentation guidance: 

1. Definition of team collaboration = working together to accomplish a shared goal. 
2. Connect with our teammates and start team presentation preparation early. 
3. Establish team expectations, roles, meeting frequency, and times. 
4. Agree to makeup approach if a teammate cannot attend meeting(s). For example, if cannot attend team meeting, agree to review material, and provide comments within x day.

Team presentation is graded as follows:

100–90 = A - Team Preparation and Participation [individual/ team roles and responsibilities well defined and understood; individual/ team well versed in use of Zoom; individual/ team work product(s) agreed to, well prepared and available to all team members/ instructors]; Student Understanding/ Team Understanding [rich in content; full of thought, insight, and analysis].

89–80 = B - Team Preparation and Participation [individual/ team roles and responsibilities well defined and understood; individual/ team well versed in use of Zoom; individual/ team work product(s) agreed to and prepared]; Student Understanding/ Team Understanding [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].

79–70 = C - Team Preparation and Participation [individual/ team roles and responsibilities agreed to; individual/ team well versed in use of Zoom; individual/ teamwork product(s) prepared]; Student Understanding/ Team Understanding [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].

Midterm Exam (Individual Work / Individual Grade)

The midterm exam will be released in Module 7. The exam will be evaluated using the following criteria:

1. Each part of question is answered (20%).
2. Writing quality and technical accuracy (30%) (Writing is expected to meet or exceed accepted graduate-level English and scholarship standards. That is, all assignments will be graded on grammar and style as well as content).
3. Rationale for answer is provided (20%).
4. Examples are included to illustrate rationale (15%) (If a student does not have direct experience related to a particular question, then the student is to provide analogies versus examples).
5. Outside references are included (15%).

Exams are graded as follows:

100–90 = A - All parts of question are addressed; Writing Quality/ Rationale/ Examples/ Outside References [rich in content; full of thought, insight, and analysis].

89–80 = B - All parts of the question are addressed; Writing Quality/ Rationale/ Examples/ Outside References [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].

79–70 = C - Majority of parts of the question are addressed; Writing Quality/ Rationale/ Examples/ Outside References [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].

Project Plan (Teamwork / Team Grade)

To gain experience in creating, organizing, and implementing the processes of project management by preparing a complete plan for the PickPOCIT scenario project as a final examination. This project plan will be accomplished on a team basis. The information created and presented by the team as earlier assignments may be used for the project plan.

Approach:

The basis for the project plan is the "PickPOCIT Contract" and other relevant documentation provided and discussed at earlier sessions. You may determine at this point that there is cause for some deviation from those two earlier assignments due to the experience gained in this course, and that it is understood and acceptable.

 Each group must use the following outline for the Project Plan: 

1. Overview
2. Financial Summary
3. Contractual Aspects
4. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
5. Networks / Schedules
6. Resources
7. Organization / Key Personnel
8. Evaluation Methods
9. Risk Management
10. Estimate at Completion (EAC)

The Project Plan will be graded as the Final Examination for the course. The Project Plan, as well as the planning process presented in this course, represents a firm foundation for success in any endeavor. Therefore, each group is expected to prepare a thorough, well organized plan for the PickPOCIT project. Clarity and conciseness count!  A fifty-page response is not welcome!

Due Date: 

The Final Examination, in the form of the PickPOCIT Project Plan, is due end of Module 13. This will provide adequate time for faculty review and feedback for the final session.

Student Peer Evaluation (Individual)

Your participation and contribution to the team assignments as assessed by your student peer teammates. There will be one evaluation after the first presentation. The second one will be after the second presentation and the final project plan submittal. The inputs from the evaluation will be used to determine each student’s team participation grade.

Additional guidance: We recommend you establish peer evaluation criteria in advance. This can provide for consistent expectations. Note the peer evaluation will ask for ratings of 1=Poor to 20=Excellent for categories of Availability, Product Quality, Product Timeliness, Fair Share, and Overall Contribution. 

Grading Policy

Student assignments are due according to the dates in the course outline. Your instructors will post grades within three days after assignment due dates.

We generally do not directly grade spelling and grammar. However, egregious violations of the rules of the English language will be noted without comment. Consistently poor performance in either spelling or grammar is taken as an indication of poor written communication ability that may detract from your grade.

A grade of A indicates achievement of consistent excellence and distinction throughout the course—that is, conspicuous excellence in all aspects of assignments and discussion in every week.

A grade of B indicates work that meets all course requirements on a level appropriate for graduate academic work. These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course.

Final grades will be determined by the following weighting:

Grades that include 5 tenths or more in the calculation will be rounded up.

Course Evaluation

Mid-Term Evaluations

A mid-term course evaluation will be administered to all students at the midpoint of the term. This feedback helps guide instructors to make any adjustments that may be needed prior to the end of the course. The link to access the mid-term evaluations is emailed to all students approximately one week prior to the middle of the term.

The evaluation consists of two questions:

1. What is going well in this course?
2. How could this course be improved? 

Final Course Evaluations

Final course evaluations provide feedback to the instructors from their students. Generally, the final course evaluations are made available to students one week prior to the end of the term and remain open for twenty-eight days after the course has ended.

Student grades will be suppressed during the final course evaluations. Once students complete their evaluations, they will gain access to their grades. If a student elects not to complete the evaluation, he/she will not have access to his/her grade in SIS until the twenty-ninth day after the course has ended.

Course Policies

All assignments are released and due on Sunday evenings at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. All homework assignments except for Canvas Discussions and the Team Presentations are submitted electronically via an Assignment Submission link within the module in which it is due. A comprehensive list of assignments and due dates are provided in the Course Outline. Homework is expected to be turned in as indicated in the Assignment Submission link provided within the module; it will be considered late if it is received after that time. Special circumstances (e.g., temporary lack of internet access) can be cheerfully accommodated if the student informs us in advance. The exception is the Website Discussion Questions. These questions are intended to provide a means for students to interact with the reading and each other and are targeted for their specific modules. There is no way to make these up because the discussions are necessarily time sensitive. Any assignment that is late without notice to the instructors or unjustifiably late will have the grade reduced 5% per day.  Any assignment that is not submitted will receive a score of 0. No course work will be accepted after the end-of-course completion date (May 5, 2024).

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.