Unit description

This unit focuses on the principles of project management, methodologies, tools and techniques that can be used in any industry; this includes the professional and public sector.  Throughout the unit the students are introduced to resource management, which includes organisational and human resource factors.  The student will be lectured on how to efficiently manage the selected resources to ensure that a project will result in great success.  Students will develop an understanding of what signifies a project and what the role of a project manager is within a project.  Students will be able to analyse and plan the activities needed to carry out the project, including how to set up a project, determine estimates, identify possible risks involved, how to control and execute a project, and how to carry out project reviews.  Students will also develop an understanding of how a project fits into the company or other organisational environment, and why it is crucial that all projects should undergo proper planning in advance, as well as determine the crucial path which will help to highlight possible problem areas in the project.  Students will develop the skill to provide suitable action plans for the problem areas identified that will help to:

• Understand the concepts used in project management.
• Understand and use different project management techniques and planning tools to plan a project.
• Understand and demonstrate the principles of scope management, work breakdown structure, estimating techniques, critical path method, Gantt charts, and procurement schedules.
• Plan a project.