Managing Project Time and Scope
Curriculum guideline
Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
BUSN 3620
Descriptive
Managing Project Time and Scope
Department
Business
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
35
Contact hours
four hours per week
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning activities
Lectures, case studies, exercises and group discussions.
Course description
Managing scope is essential to all project managers. This process ensures that all the work necessary to complete the project is established at the beginning of the project so that the cost and schedule stay on track throughout the project. In this course we will look at techniques used in identifying scope, collecting requirements, creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and managing scope creep during project execution. Using the WBS we will look at each of the activities to determine a viable schedule for the project. We will look at topics such as sequencing activities, estimating activity resources and duration, and developing the project schedule. We will also look at using Critical Path Method to manage project duration and to determine the amount of flexibility in the schedule. These topics will be presented using a combination of real world examples, case studies, exercises and theory.
Course content
- Scope management planning: create a scope management plan that identifies a framework for overall scope management within each project.
- Defining scope: use a variety of tools to collect requirements: interviews; focus groups; facilitated workshops; questionnaires and surveys; and other applicable tools. Create a requirements traceability matrix. Create a WBS.
- Validating scope: identify activities that can measure and examine whether the deliverables meet the desired requirements.
- Controlling scope: establish a change control procedure that will manage scope changes. Compare the degree of scope variance with scope baseline to decide whether preventive or corrective action is required.
- Planning schedule management: determine what is required to plan the schedule.
- Tools and techniques used to plan and manage the schedule: critical chain and others.
- Schedule models: the critical path method; estimating the minimum project duration; calculating early start; early finish; late start; and late finish dates for all activities.
- Estimating activity resources and durations using various tools; optimizing resources.
- Integrating scope and schedule management into the overall project management framework to ensure overall project success.
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
- develop a scope management plan;
- manage the process of collecting requirements;
- develop a detailed description of a project;
- create a WBS;
- create a requirements traceability matrix;
- manage changes to the scope baseline;
- develop and control a project schedule;
- define, and sequence scheduled activities;
- estimate activity resources and durations;
- create a milestone list;
- create a network diagram; and
- integrate the knowledge learned in scope and schedule management into the overall management of a complex project.
Means of assessment
| Tests* | 20% - 40% |
| Assignments/Term Project(s) (min 2) | 20% - 40% |
| Participation | 5% - 10% |
| Final Examination | 20% - 30% |
| 100% |
* A combination of quizzes and/or midterms, with no single assessment in this group worth more than 25% of the final grade.
Note: Students must achieve a grade of at least 50% on the combined examination components to pass the course.
Textbook materials
Sokowski, Dietmar, Master Project Management integration and Scope: A Framework for Strategizing and Defining Project Objectives, Latest Edition (Pearson)
Or any alternative textbook approved by the Business Department.
Optional:
Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Latest Edition, (optional but recommended).