PPMP20009 - Project Management Methodologies
Term 1 - 2017
Profile information current as at 15-May-2017 16:24
All details in this unit profile for PPMP20009 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning
partnership between the University and you (our student). The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary
and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
This information will not be available until 8 weeks before term. To see alignment of learning outcomes,
assessment and graduate attributes in a previous term, see previous unit profile.
Assessment Tasks
1 Presentation and Written Assessment
Assessment Title Presentation with accompanying script (Group Assignment)
Task Description
Assignment Overview
This assessment item requires you to work in a group of 2 or 3 and to consider:-
strategies for continuous professional development,
evolution of project management,
project management practice, frameworks and standards,
allocation of responsibilities within the project management life cycle, and
outputs within the life cycle
…you must then undertake a presentation and submit a written script that explains and justifies project management
methodologies for the following range of project domains:-
Engineering and construction domain,
IT Telecom Software domain,
Financial and business services domain,
Welfare domain.
You must submit a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and then make a presentation to your peers that discusses and
explains your insights to the above (flex student will answer questions over the telephone).
You must also submit a written set of presentation notes or script that matches your presentation. The notes can be
either part of your PowerPoint presentation or written and submitted separately in Microsoft Word.
You are encouraged to use assignment output and ideas that you may have developed from previous units as supporting
evidence for your presentation.
Task
Your task is to consider the three learning outcomes listed below in the context of this unit. You must then make a
presentation of 15 minutes length that summarises the learning outcomes below and how they relate to the spectrum of
the major project domains discussed during the unit (flex students will answer questions over the telephone). Once your
15 minute presentation has been made you must be prepared to answer questions for 10 minutes from unit participants.
You will be graded based on how well you have made your presentation and described, discussed, explained and
critically analysed the project management theories and principles according to these assignment instructions.
Purpose1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
The primary purpose of this assessment item is to help you to develop and demonstrate your skills in the use of project
management concepts, principles, theories and arguments about the application of organisational project management
methodologies. You are particularly required to demonstrate your ability to differentiate methodological aspects as they
relate to different projects and different project domains.
The secondary purpose of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to enhance your analysis, critical thinking and
written communication skills; particularly in the areas of argument development and oral presentation.
Structure
Your presentation should be a properly constructed academic presentation. Please contact the Academic Learning and
Teaching Services for assistance if you require. It should contain an effective introduction, body, and conclusion. The
introduction should introduce the presentation and include your major arguments. The body should present the evidence
you have collected to support your arguments, and the conclusion should restate your arguments, summarise the
evidence and make a conclusion regarding your arguments.
The presentation should contain a coherent, but necessarily restricted review of the academic literature on the project
management topics in question. Your literature review should be integrated into the presentation, not a separate section.
Do not include an executive summary or an abstract. A reference list formatted in the prescribed Harvard style is
compulsory. Do not include a bibliography.
This assessment item involves researching your assigned topic to enhance your understanding of project management
concepts and utilisation of academic literature. Whilst you should use the recommended textbooks you may also refer to
relevant peer reviewed, academic journal articles.
You will be expected to present information and evidence from, and cite, at least twenty (20) times from the peer
reviewed material used in the unit. You are also encouraged to cite other material that is peer reviewed.
Assessment Due Date Week 12 Friday (02-Jun-2017) 11:45 PM AEST
Presentation will be arranged during the unit in Weeks 11 and 12
Return Date to Students Exam Week Friday (16-Jun-2017)
Weighting 20%
Assessment Criteria
Your assignment will be assessed on the extent and quality to which it meets each of the following criteria.
Critical analysis of strategies for continuous professional development? (5%)
Critical analysis of the evolution of project management? (5%)
Critical analysis of the project management practice, frameworks and standards as reflected in different project
domains? (15%)
Critical analysis of the allocation of responsibilities within the project management life cycle as reflected in
different project domains? (15%)
Critical analysis of the project management outputs within the life cycle as reflected in different project domains?
(15%)
A demonstration of a thorough knowledge and application of relevant project management principles, concepts,
methods and theories as reflected in different project domains? (15%)
Appropriate and well structured, concise and clear expression of project management arguments in response to
the assessment task? (5%)
A clear flow of thought throughout the presentation with a clear purpose described in the introduction and a
comprehensive conclusion? (5%)
A critical review and integration of relevant academic and professional literature (cited at least twenty (20) times)?
(5%)
Clarity of expression, grammar and spelling? (5%)
Strict conformity to CQUniversity Australia Harvard Referencing Guide? (5%)
Appropriate presentation format and presented within slide and note/script limit: 10 to 20 slides & notes/script?
(5%)
Referencing Style Harvard (author-date)Submission Online
To be submitted as a PowerPoint document file and optionally a Microsoft Word
document file
Learning Outcomes Assessed 1. Explain strategies for continuous professional development within an evolving
project management discipline.
2. Critically analyse project management practice, frameworks and standards as
might be applied to different project domains.
3. Compare and contrast how different domains of project management allocate
responsibilities and the outputs that are used within stages of their life cycle.
Graduate Attributes 1. Knowledge
2. Communication
3. Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4. Research
5. Self-management
6. Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7. Leadership
1.
2.
3.
4.
2 Portfolio
Assessment Title Consolidated Portfolio (Individual Assignment)
Task Description
Assignment Overview
In this unit you are required to complete a weekly portfolio. A portfolio provides evidence of previous and current
experience and presents a dynamic record of your growth and professional learning over the duration of this unit. Your
portfolio will provide an account of your learning based on your practise and your critical reflection.
Task
Your task is to write a weekly portfolio reflecting upon your learnings from the prior week. In your portfolio you will identify:
the learning outcomes and module/topic of the unit,
a description of your experience, including reading samples or records,
your learning from your experiences, and
any supporting documentation of prior or current learning.
Purpose
The primary purpose of this assessment item is to help you to develop skills for undertaking research and translating, via
your technical and creative skills, underpinning concepts about project management methodologies. The secondary
purpose of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to enhance your analysis, critical thinking and written
communication skills; particularly in the areas of thinking about and reflecting on different project domains and project
management methodologies. Developing a portfolio, as a result, makes your learning more explicit as you translate your
workplace and personal experiences into documented evidence. You can then learn to critically examine the nature of
your learning on this unit in relation to specific experiences in your project management practice and demonstrate that
you have learned from those experiences and how you have achieved or maintained your professional competence as a
result.The assignment will also give you the opportunity to enhance your analysis and written communication skills; particularly
in the areas of rigorous structured assignment writing.
Structure
You will be provided on the Moodle web site with a portfolio template. You should use this template and upload a weekly
portfolio to the Moodle web site. At the end of this unit you will consolidate your portfolio into a single document and
upload an overall consolidated portfolio submission.
Your portfolio should contain a coherent, but necessarily restricted review of the academic literature related to the project
management topics for each week. You should also include a weekly reference list formatted in the prescribed Harvard
style. You are also encouraged to include a bibliography.
This assessment item involves researching the topics to enhance your understanding of each concept through an
utilisation of academic literature and secondary sources. Whilst you must use the recommended textbooks and web links,
you should also refer to other sources on the Moodle web site and additional relevant peer reviewed academic journal
articles of your choosing.
Weekly Portfolio
Your weekly portfolio can be as long or as short as you want it to be. It is your portfolio and shows your development of
understanding during the unit. Naturally, this will make the portfolio different for everyone. Each student’s background,
education, current and past work experiences is what makes it different. Each student’s personal researches will be
different.
What you need to do is to give yourself enough time to reflect and show how you have thought and come to grips with the
ideas that address the learning outcomes of the unit. The amount of time you should be allocating to the unit is 12 to 16
hours per week (which includes writing the portfolio). So there should be a fair bit of time for you to make the reflections
and reach a depth of insight that will make the portfolio meaningful.
With each weeks portfolio that you submit you do not include the writing that you made for a prior week. Instead you use
the same portfolio template using only the section for the week you are writing about. In other words each week’s
portfolio is a reflection upon that week. You should however, revisit the whole of the unit learning outcomes each week.
The portfolio for any previous week is a reflection of your insights and thoughts for that week. Once you upload the
portfolio then leave it for that week. Over the duration of the unit you will find that there is a development and change of
your ideas as you study the material. You will then have opportunity at the end of the unit to consolidate everything and
show how you have gained the insights that the unit is seeking to provide. At the end of the unit you should review your
weekly portfolios and consolidate them into a single submission. You should make a personal reflection in this
submission. This is the assessment that gets marked.
It is to your benefit to have the personal discipline to make sure that you do not get behind. If you are allocating 12 or 16
hours per week for the unit then there is plenty of time for the portfolio. If you find that one week you slip then ok, but the
unit is fundamentally planned so that you need to allocate 12 to 16 hours each week. Two hours lost in one week means
that you need to do 14 to 18 hours the next!
The unit is straight forward, but there are lots of web sites to visit and material to download. The text books are only part
of the story and you won’t be able to do the unit with just the text books. Unfortunately, much of the material is written
from a North American perspective. You will need to consider other industry sectors and also to be able to translate the
learning outcomes into an Australian or other cultural perspective. Therefore, you will need to download other files and
visit web sites to be able to gather the material you need in your portfolio.
There are no bonus points for getting the portfolio perfect from the first week! In fact the portfolio for the first week is
much more likely to be an amateurish attempt. It is unlikely that you’ll really know what you’re doing in the first and
second week, and if you pretended you do then it would be hard to believe you anyway! Understanding and familiarity will
only develop over time. As you do the portfolios’ each week and keep revisiting the learning outcomes and adding the
unit material then you will gain insights required. Unless you do that on a weekly basis you won’t have the appropriate
perspective to make the journey and reach the destination by the end of the unit.
Consolidated Portfolio
Since you’ll have made your own journey studying during the unit then the material that you will want to include in this
portfolio will be unique for you. Your final portfolio will explain how you have developed your understanding of the
learning outcomes and the topics with each week’s study.
There are a number of ways you can provide a consolidated portfolio. It is up to you to decide which way work the best
for you. You final portfolio MUST be made as a single submission. For example:-1.
2.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
You could merge all your submissions into one and provide a single big file.
You could alternatively zip all of the previous portfolios into one and use a single ‘master’ portfolio to refer back to
each week.
You must NOT use an index and numbering system to identify material from prior week’s leaving each portfolio on the
unit web site.
Whatever way that you do it; the final portfolio is the important one! It’s important that you make it clear to the marker
what your consolidated portfolio refers to otherwise you may not get the marks you expect.
An analogy for the final portfolio is that you can imagine that you are going before an examination board at the end of the
unit and presenting to them a complete portfolio of your journey through the unit. You will hand each board member a
package that they should then be able to read and from it appreciate everything that you have done and learned during
your work life and the unit.
Referencing
Ensuring you have accurate references is important and will allow the marker to easily identify where your portfolio maps
to the unit or other peer reviewed material. Also you need to show how you have made critical reflection on the material
and added your own unique insights.
Referencing should be made according to CQU’s Harvard referencing guide. To locate the guide then Google “CQU
Harvard referencing” and download the PDF file for the current year.
It is as a consequence of your references and academic proficiency with critical analysis that you will be able to gain
MAXIMUM MARKS.
Assessment Due Date Portfolio's must be submitted weekly with a final consolidated portfolio submitted in
the review/exam week.
Return Date to Students Feedback on each weekly portfolio will be provided in the week following
submission.
Weighting 30%
Assessment Criteria
Your assignment will be assessed on the extent and quality to which it meets each of the following criteria.
Evidence in regular weekly portfolios of meeting the graduate attributes? (20%)
Qualitative reflections of each of the unit learning outcomes? (40%)
Quantitative achievement of the unit topics? (20%)
Clarity of expression, grammar and spelling? (5%)
Strict conformity to CQUniversity Australia Harvard Referencing Guide (author-date)? (5%)
Document clarity and presentation format? (10%)
Referencing Style Harvard (author-date)
Submission Online
To be submitted as weekly Microsoft WORD document files then a final
consolidated Microsoft WORD or ZIP file in the review/exam week.
Learning Outcomes Assessed 1. Explain strategies for continuous professional development within an evolving
project management discipline.
2. Critically analyse project management practice, frameworks and standards as
might be applied to different project domains.
3. Compare and contrast how different domains of project management allocate
responsibilities and the outputs that are used within stages of their life cycle.
1. KnowledgeGraduate Attributes
2. Communication
3. Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4. Research
5. Self-management
3 Practical Assessment
Assessment Title Methodology (Group Assignment)
Task Description
Assignment Overview
This assessment item requires you to work in a group of 2 or 3 and to consider:-
a project management methodology
…you must then write a 2,000 word ESSAY describing and justifying a high-level project management methodology that
could be applied to a project from a selected case study.
The case study will be supplied for a range of project domains:-
Engineering and construction domain,
IT Telecom Software domain,
Financial and business services domain,
Welfare domain.
You are encouraged to use assignment outputs that you may have developed from previous assignments and units, as
examples in the appendix of your essay.
Task
Your task is to consider the domains above and write an ESSAY illustrating and explaining a methodology for the project
from one case study.
Your methodology must explain and justify itself within the context of the case study using the unit and peer reviewed
material. You are encouraged to review Kerzner Chapter 21 and chapter 5 of the PMI Implementing Organizational
Project Management document for an indication of the context and content of your methodology.
You will be graded upon how complete your methodology is. The justifications that you provide and how well you argue
that it reflects the requirements of the organisation in the case study that you select.
Purpose
The primary purpose of this assessment item is to help you to develop skills in the contents and compilation of a
methodology.
The secondary purpose of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to consider the role of a methodology within the
strategic project management plans of a selected organisation.
The assignment will also give you the opportunity to enhance your analysis and written communication skills; particularly
in the areas of structured assignment writing.
Essay Structure
Your submission should be made using Microsoft Office documents and the essay submitted as a separate 2,000 word
Microsoft WORD document.
You should describe all of the required parts of your methodology in as complete manner as you deem appropriate. A
range of sample methodologies will be identified for you to study during the unit. If you wish to include examples of any1.
2.
3.
4.
parts you may do so in an appendix. You must not include pictures or diagrams in the body of the essay. You must
provide an ILLUSTRATION OR DRAWING OF YOUR METHODOLOGY in the appendix of your essay.
Your essay should be a properly constructed academic essay. It should contain an effective introduction, body and
conclusion. The introduction should introduce the essay and include your argument. The body should present the
evidence you have collected to support your argument, and the conclusion should restate your argument, summarise the
evidence and make a conclusion regarding your argument. The essay should contain a coherent, but necessarily
restricted review of the academic literature on the project management topics in question. The literature review should be
integrated into the essay, not a separate section. Do not include an executive summary or an abstract. A reference list
formatted in the prescribed Harvard style is compulsory. Do not include a bibliography.
This assessment item involves researching your assigned topic to enhance your understanding of project management
concepts and utilisation of academic literature. Whilst you use the recommended textbooks you may also refer to relevant
peer reviewed, academic journal articles. You will be expected to present information and evidence from, and cite, at
least (the minimum requirement is from the unit resources but you twenty (20) times can use other PEER REVIEWED
sources in addition).
Assessment Due Date Week 9 Friday (12-May-2017) 11:45 PM AEST
Return Date to Students Week 12 Friday (02-Jun-2017)
Weighting 25%
Assessment Criteria
Your assignment will be assessed on the extent and quality to which it meets each of the following criteria.
A pictorial illustration of the methodology is supplied? (10%)
A high-level textural overview of the methodology is provided? (20%)
Examples of procedural documentation are explained and aligned with the illustration and high-level text? (10%)
An implementation plan has been explained that is an accurate reflection of the case study? (10%)
The methodology reflects one of the following four criteria:-
The methodology meets all of the basic learning requirements of the unit, such as knowledge of fundamental
concepts and performance of basic skills; demonstrates sufficient quality of performance to be considered
satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the learning outcomes of the assignment. (10%)
The methodology reflects an ability to use and apply fundamental concepts and skills of the unit, going beyond
mere replication of content knowledge or skill to show understanding of key ideas, awareness of their relevance,
some use of analytical skills, and some originality or insight. (20%)
The methodology demonstrates awareness and understanding of deeper and less obvious aspects of the unit,
such as ability to identify and debate critical issues or problems, ability to solve non-routine problems, ability to
adapt and apply ideas to new situations, and ability to invent and evaluate new ideas. (30%)
The methodology has been presented with imagination, originality or flair, based on proficiency in all the learning
outcomes of the unit; work is interesting or surprisingly exciting, challenging, well read or scholarly. (40%)
Clarity of expression, grammar and spelling? (10%)
Referencing Style Harvard (author-date)
Submission Online
The essay must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document file.
Learning Outcomes Assessed 4. Construct and justify a project management methodology that meets the
institutional need of a supplied case study.
Graduate Attributes 1. Knowledge
2. Communication
3. Cognitive, technical and creative skills4. Research
5. Self-management
6. Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7. Leadership
4 Practical Assessment
Assessment Title Continuous improvement (Individual Assignment)
Task Description
Assignment Overview
This individual assessment item requires you to consider:-
continuous improvement
…you must then write a 2,000 word ESSAY describing and justifying a high-level approach to continuous improvement
plan for an organisation from a selected case study.
The case study will be supplied for a range of project domains:-
Engineering and construction domain,
IT Telecom Software domain,
Financial and business services domain,
Welfare domain.
You are encouraged to use assignment outputs that you may have developed from previous assignments and units, as
examples in the appendix of your essay.
Task
Your task is to consider the domains above and write an ESSAY illustrating and explaining continuous improvement plan
for one case study.
Your plan must explain and justify itself within the context of the case study using the unit and peer reviewed material.
You are encouraged to review Kerzner Chapter 21 and the PMI Managing Change in Organizations for an indication of
the context and content of your plan.
You will be graded upon how well your continuous improvement plan has been completed and how well you argue that it
reflects the requirements of the organisation in the case study that you select.
Purpose
The primary purpose of this assessment item is to help you to develop skills in the contents and compilation of a
continuous improvement plan for a project management methodology.
The secondary purpose of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to consider the role of a continuous
improvement plan within the strategic project management plans of a selected organisation.
The assignment will also give you the opportunity to enhance your analysis and written communication skills; particularly
in the areas of structured assignment writing.
Structure
Your submission should be made using Microsoft Office documents and the essay submitted as a separate 2,000 word
Microsoft WORD document.
You should describe all of the required parts of your continuous improvement plan in as complete manner as you deem
appropriate. A range of sample continuous improvement plan will be identified for you to study during the unit. If you wish
to include examples of any parts you may do so in an appendix. You must not include pictures or diagrams in the body of1.
2.
3.
4.
the essay. You must provide an ILLUSTRATION OR DRAWING OF YOUR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN in the
appendix of your essay.
Your essay should be a properly constructed academic essay. It should contain an effective introduction, body and
conclusion. The introduction should introduce the essay and include your argument. The body should present the
evidence you have collected to support your argument, and the conclusion should restate your argument, summarise the
evidence and make a conclusion regarding your argument. The essay should contain a coherent, but necessarily
restricted review of the academic literature on the project management topics in question. The literature review should be
integrated into the essay, not a separate section. Do not include an executive summary or an abstract. A reference list
formatted in the prescribed Harvard style is compulsory. Do not include a bibliography.
This assessment item involves researching your assigned topic to enhance your understanding of project management
concepts and utilisation of academic literature. Whilst you use the recommended textbooks you may also refer to relevant
peer reviewed, academic journal articles. You will be expected to present information and evidence from, and cite, at
least twenty (20) times the unit resources but you can use other PEER REVIEWED sources where you can argue that
they add greater relevance.
Assessment Due Date Week 12 Friday (02-Jun-2017) 11:45 PM AEST
Return Date to Students Exam Week Friday (16-Jun-2017)
Weighting 25%
Assessment Criteria
Your assignment will be assessed on the extent and quality to which it meets each of the following criteria.
A pictorial illustration of the continuous improvement plan is supplied? (10%)
A high-level textural overview of the continuous improvement plan is provided? (20%)
Examples of procedural documentation is provided and aligned with the illustration and high-level text? (10%)
An implementation plan has been developed that is an accurate reflection of the case study? (10%)
The continuous improvement plan reflects one of the following four criteria:-
The continuous improvement plan meets all of the basic learning requirements of the unit, such as knowledge of
fundamental concepts and performance of basic skills; demonstrates sufficient quality of performance to be
considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the learning outcomes of the
assignment. (10%)
The continuous improvement plan reflects an ability to use and apply fundamental concepts and skills of the unit,
going beyond mere replication of content knowledge or skill to show understanding of key ideas, awareness of
their relevance, some use of analytical skills, and some originality or insight. (20%)
The continuous improvement plan demonstrates awareness and understanding of deeper and less obvious
aspects of the unit, such as ability to identify and debate critical issues or problems, ability to solve non-routine
problems, ability to adapt and apply ideas to new situations, and ability to invent and evaluate new ideas. (30%)
The continuous improvement plan has been presented with imagination, originality or flair, based on proficiency in
all the learning outcomes of the unit; work is interesting or surprisingly exciting, challenging, well read or scholarly.
(40%)
Clarity of expression, grammar and spelling? (10%)
Referencing Style Harvard (author-date)
Submission Online
To be submitted as Microsoft Word document files.
Learning Outcomes Assessed 5. Formulate and propose the means of achieving continuous improvement with
the methodology.
Graduate Attributes 1. Knowledge
2. Communication3. Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4. Research
5. Self-management
6. Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7. Leadership