Module Details
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Code CKIT514
Coordinator Prof FP Coenen
Computer Science
Coenen@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2016-17 Level 7 FHEQ Whole Session 15

Aims

  1. To enable students to understand the roles, responsibilities, and management techniques of the technology project manager . 

  2. To provide students with an extensive understanding of how technology project management involves the planning, monitoring, and control of the people, process, and events that occur as a computer system evolves from preliminary concept to operational implementation. 

Learning Outcomes

A critical understanding of the role of the IT project manager within an organisation.   

 
A deep understanding of the concept of the IT project life cycles.

 
A critical understanding of the process of IT project management and the tools and techniques that can be used to support this activity.

 
An understanding of the mechanisms required to produce cost estimate of projects, including human and non-human resources, and project budgeting.

 
An understanding of risk mitigation and monitoring plans.
An ability to assess project plans for completeness and validity

 

Syllabus
1  Week 1:  Fundamentals of project management (PM)

Students will examine project management in relationship to the organisation and identify the people, processes, technologies, and products involved. Project management will be examined within the context of the SDLC.

Week 2:  Project scope management

Definition of goals and objectives, scope, general requirements, introduction to work breakdown structures (WBS), system context, use of external resources, and major constraints will be analysed. Students will develop the Goals and Objectives section of their project.

Week 3:  Project estimation

Based on the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Estimation techniques such as process-based, bottom-up estimation and COCOMO. Use of historical data, estimation of hardware, software, external resources will be addressed. Various budgeting methodologies such as top-down, bottom-up, iterative, and overburden, and budget analysis techniques such as cost/benefit analysis, break/even analysis and ROI will be analysed.

Week 4:  Project scheduling

The utility of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) as a basis for scheduling, network diagrams, PERT and Gantt charts, as well as critical path.

Week 5:  Project Risk

The different varieties of risks - e.g. business, environment, product, employee, etc.; how to apply probability to each risk, understand the impact of each risk, and ultimately learn how to devise a contingency plan for each risk.

Week 6:  Project Tracking and Control Mechanisms

Status reporting, project metrics, resource levelling, and process improvement.

Week 7:  Project Termination

The steps for project completion, the concept of change control, and the project audit report.

Week 8:  Project Critical Success Factors

Managing people, dealing with politics, managing for disaster. Two case studies will be examined.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Virtual classroom hours (for online modules) -

Number of hours per week, per student expected in the virtual classroom in discussion, dedicated to group work and individual assessment is 8.75.

Non-classroom hours (for online modules) -

Number of hours per week, per student expected for reading, research and other individual work to support engagement in the classroom is 10.

Teaching Schedule
  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours           70

80

 150
Timetable (if known)           Number of hours per week, per student expected in the virtual classroom in discussion, dedicated to group work and individual assessment is 8.75.
Number of hours per week, per student expected for reading, research and other individual work to support engagement in the classroom is 10.
  		 
Private Study 0
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment
EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Coursework  Weekly Discussion Qu  Whole session  40  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assessment 1 
Coursework  1 Week Coursework As  Whole session  10  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assessment 2 
Coursework  6 weeks Group Proje  Whole session  50  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assessment 3 Notes (applying to all assessments) 1) Due to nature of the on-line mode of instruction this work is not marked anonymously. 2) Students who fail the module have the opportunity to repeat the entire module, thus all failed assessments. 3) The "Standard UoL Penalty" for late submission that applies is the "Standard UoL Penalty" agreed with respect to online programmes offered in collaboration with Laureate Online Education. 

Recommended Texts
Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
Explanation of Reading List: