UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA School of Business DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING & MIS MIS 424 COURSE OUTLINE Course website: http://courses.bus.ualberta.ca/mis424-mullaly/ Instructor: Mark Mullaly Term II, 2004/2005 Office: HUB Mall Class Time & Location: Office Hours: By Appointment Only MW 1530-1650; BUS B-5 Phone: 780/414.6391 E-mail: mark.mullaly@interthink.ca COURSE OVERVIEW: MIS 424 Introduction to Information Systems Project Management is designed to provide in-depth, hands-on experience in understanding project management particularly as it applies to the process of software and information systems development through a combination of class lectures and the conducting of a project case study. The project case study will be conducted within project teams, which will be established by the third workshop. In an effort to be as practical and relevant as possible, students will have an opportunity to select their project case study topic from a set of defined scenarios. This will allow them to undertake a case study that best aligns with their experience and courses taken to date, and the specific interests and abilities of their team. Students are expected to actively participate in MIS 424, in both a group projects and class lectures. Marks will be based upon both the completed project assignments, and also participation in lectures, as discussed in the Grading section, below. The objectives of MIS 424 are to: Establish a clear and relevant understanding of project management, and how project management contributes to successfully delivering information systems work. Provide a practical opportunity to integrate the results of the theoretical learnings of individual MIS courses, and begin to apply these skills to identify, address and resolve project problems and challenges. Provide students with an opportunity to apply these skills in conducting a project case study that is based upon a specific, real-world problem. COURSE PRE-REQUISITES Students are expected to have successfully completed MIS 311. COURSE MATERIALS: The text book for this course is Project Management, 3 rd Edition by Harvey Maylor. Additional handouts will be provided by the instructor during classes to illustrate points and topics being discussed. COURSE FORMAT: Lectures will be a combination of formal presentations, case studies and group discussions. The lectures will establish the framework and expectations for the course, provide the introductory information necessary to be able to manage a project successfully, and build on these basics to be able to successfully deliver the team s project. Later lectures will also allow project teams to present interim deliverables from their project case studies, as well as provide updates of project status.
While there is no scheduled lab time for the course, completion of the project case study is intended to be a significant proportion of time invested by each student, and will serve as the greatest contribution to the final grade. The instructor is available on an as-requested basis to consult regarding specific challenges or questions. GROUP PROJECTS: The project case studies will be based upon the expertise and desired direction of the student groups. Group participation is mandatory; teams for each project will consist of at least three, and no more than six, students. Individual projects are not permitted. Student teams will be formed by the third lecture. It is the responsibility of each student team to identify and select the projects that they wish to conduct, based upon the case studies provided by the instructor. The first deliverable of each project will be a project plan, in the format provided by the instructor, which will outline the objectives, scope, deliverables, resource requirements, assumptions and constraints of the project. The project plan is due no later than 5:00pm MST on 28 February 2005. The final deliverable of each project will be a group project review, in the format provided by the instructor, which will evaluate the successes, challenges and lessons learned by the team in conducting the project. The project review report is due no later than 5:00pm MDT on 13 April 2005. All project deliverables are to be completed and received by the instructor by no later than 5:00pm MDT on 13 April 2005. PEER ASSESSMENTS: A component of the grade will be based upon peer assessments, which will be completed by each student for each of the other participants on their team. Peer assessments will be completed using the forms provided by the instructor, and are due by 5:00pm MDT on 20 April 2005. INDIVIDUAL REPORTS: In addition to completing the project and the required deliverables, as identified in the Grading section, below, students are expected to complete an individual report, which is due and must be received by no later than 5:00pm MDT on 20 April 2005. FINAL EXAMINATION: There will be no final examination for MIS 424. GRADING SCHEME: The following criteria will be used in preparing the final grade: Group Deliverables Project Plan (Deadline: 5:00pm MST on 28 February 2005) 10% Project Deliverables (as identified in the project plan) 30% Final Project Review Report (Deadline: 5:00pm MDT on 13 April 2005) 20% Individual Deliverables Class Participation 10% Peer Assessment (Deadline: 5:00pm MDT on 20 April 2005) 10% Individual Report (Deadline: 5:00pm MDT on 20 April 2005) 20% All assignments are to be completed by their deadlines. Late assignments will lose 5% per day for each day past the deadline.
LECTURE SCHEDULE: The following table summarizes the schedule for class lectures: Date Topic 2005/01/10 Introductions Syllabus Review 2005/01/12 Definition of a project Defining project management Relating project management & software development Chapter 1 p. 1-17 2005/01/17 Project structures and frameworks Understanding project complexity Chapter 2 p. 25-39 *Project teams formed 2005/01/19 Project Team Structures Chapter 9 p. 220-231 2005/01/24 Impacts of personality Managing the team Chapter p. 232-242 2005/01/26 Management & leadership in project environments Chapter 10 p. 245-267 2005/01/31 Stakeholders & Customer Definition Defining Project Requirements Chapter 3 p. 50-55; 60-67 2005/02/02 Defining Project Scope Driving Priorites Assumptions & Constraints Chapter 4 p. 76-88 2005/02/07 Defining Work Work Breakdown Structures Deliverables Milestones Chapter 4 p. 88-99 2005/02/09 Estimation Standard Day Estimating Effort Validating Estimates
Chapter 6 p.136-148 2005/02/14 Project Budgetting Chapter 7 p. 154-166 2005/02/16 Developing Project Plans Change & Contingency Budget Presenting Estimates Chapter 8 p. 179-196 2005/02/21-25 Reading Week No Lectures 2005/02/28 Impacts of Methodologies Waterfall Iterative Agile 2005/03/01 Scheduling tools I Defining work Activities Dependencies Chapter 5 p.104-124 2005/03/07 Scheduling Tools II Reflecting Estimates Defining Resources Project Tracking 2005/03/09 Effort Tracking Schedule Tracking Budget Tracking Chapter 11 p. 271-286 2005/03/14 Scheduling Tools III Managing Updates 2005/03/16 Status Reporting Status Meetings Status Reports 2005/03/21 Managing Risk Chapter 5 (revisited) 2005/03/23 Managing Quality Walkthroughs Deliverable Acceptance Defect Tracking
Chapter 13 p. 318-335 2005/03/28 Project Close-out Post Implementation Review Chapter 14 p.344-361 2005/03/30 Improving Project Performance Chapter 15 p. 371-385 2005/04/04 Project Presentations 1 2005/04/06 Project Presentations 2 2005/04/11 Planning For Next Time 1 2005/04/13 Planning For Next Time 2 *Group Assignments Due 2005/04/20 *Individual Assignments Due