written assesment

PPMP 20014

Complex Project Management

Lecture 5 for Week 5

Prepared by:

Richard Egelstaff PMP, Ph.D (c), MBA (Adv), BA

Discipline Leader for Project Management,

School of Engineering & Technology

Higher Education Division

CQUniversity Rockhampton

Topics

• Where are we so far?

• Week’s Stuff

– Readings

– Study

– Reflections & Discussions

– Assignments

2

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the causes, environments, and properties of complex projects.

2. Identify different tools and techniques to aid a project manager manage complex projects.

3. Critically analyse whether different projects cases are complex projects.

4. Formulate, argue and defend a strategy that a project manager can apply to a complex project case study.

5. In a team analyse the root causes of failure with a number of sample complex project cases.

3

PPMP20014

Complex Project Management

THE WEEK’S READINGS AND STUDY

Week 5 - Topic: Fear of Flying.

• Mandatory Readings:

– Aspects of Complexity: Managing Projects in a

Complex World (2011)

• Chapter 5 Fear of Flying by Stephen Carver and Harvey

Maylor

• Optional Readings

– none

• 4th Discussion Forum

• 2nd Quiz

5

Chapter 5: Fear of Flying by Stephen Carver and Harvey

Maylor

• Introduction

• The Accidental Profession

• Rethinking Project (and Program and Portfolio) Management

• Understanding the Managerial Context

• Stage 1—Being MODeST

• Stage 2—Being Comprehensive

• Stage 3—Trying To Be Useful!

• Reflections on the Use of the Typology

• Implications of Assessment of Complexities

• The Nature of the Processes or Systems Required To Run the Task

• The Amount of Time and Effort Managing the Task Will Take

• The Requirements of the Task Manager

• Flying

• Application of the Flying Analogy

• Implications for Organizations

• Conclusions

6

Chapter 5: Fear of Flying by Stephen Carver and Harvey

Maylor

• The chapter:

– Starts with the question “what makes projects difficult

to manage?”

– Considers the structural and dynamic elements of

complexity.

– Classifies the experience and challenge of managers.

– Applies an Analogy of Flying!

7

Chapter 5: Fear of Flying by Stephen Carver and

Harvey Maylor

• The Flying Analogy

8

4th Discussion Forum

• In chapter 4 "Strategic Management: Developing Policies and Strategies" the authors, Loch and Payne spend time discussing complexity at the portfolio level (p. 49-51).

• They then apply their ideas to the project (p.51). The design structure matrix (DSM) that the authors then propose on pages 52-53 seems, at first sight, to be quite simple.

• Please comment on the value or otherwise that you think the DSM matrix provides.

• Whom would or should be, in your opinion, the recipient of the information in the DSM matrix?

9

2nd Quiz

10

Assessment 2: Written Assessment 50%

• Your task is to consider:- – the causes, environments, and properties of complex projects;

– different tools and techniques to aid a project manager manage complex projects;

– the degree and nature of the projects cases discussed in the unit in the context of the theories and ideas related to complex projects.

• Then you must write an essay describing how you consider the points above are related to:- – projects with lots of parts and interconnections;

– projects that contain a great deal of uncertainty;

– project that are heavily time-constrained.

• You should illustrate your points by identifying what are the causes, theories, tools and techniques, that might be relevant to complex projects. You should use examples taken from case studies and examples discussed during the unit.

• 5,000 words due in Week 12

11

.

Summary

• Where are we so far?

• Week’s Stuff

– Readings

– Study

– Reflections & Discussions

– Assignments

12