Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit discusses the processes, methods, techniques and tools that organisations use to manage their information systems projects. It covers a systematic methodology for initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing projects. The unit works from the assumption that project management in a modern organisation is a complex team-based activity, where various types of technologies (including project management software as well as software to support group collaboration) are an inherent part of the project management process.

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.

Prerequisites

Nil

Incompatible

MGMT627 Project Management , ISYS625 Information Systems Project Management

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Demonstrate the need for project management in mod...

Learning Outcome 01

Demonstrate the need for project management in modern organisations, phases of the project management life-cycle, and methods of determining project scope and feasibility.

Manage project quality, discover threats to techni...

Learning Outcome 02

Manage project quality, discover threats to techniques, evaluate and mitigate project risks.

Manage project schedules and resources with approp...

Learning Outcome 03

Manage project schedules and resources with appropriate techniques and tools to ensure responsible planning and management of resources.

Collaborate effectively within a team to produce a...

Learning Outcome 04

Collaborate effectively within a team to produce a coherent and consistent set of project management documents

Design a project management plan including project...

Learning Outcome 05

Design a project management plan including project scopes, business process, budget and risk management

Content

Topics covered:

  • Project definition and scoping
  • Project failures and successes
  • Unique features of IT project management
  • Project management life-cycle
  • Project scope management 
  • Project time management 
  • Project cost management 
  • Project quality management 
  • Project human resource management 
  • Project communications management 
  • Project risk management 
  • Project procurement management

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment strategy for this unit is based on the need to determine authentic student achievement of the learning outcomes. In the first assessment task, the students will be submitting a report based on the discussion and collaboration in the discussion forum. The aim of the assessment is to investigate and analyse complex concepts through reflection and collaboration. The second assessment includes submitting a comprehensive project management plan that aims to develop professional skills and apply those skills to solve real world problems. The final assessment assesses students’ knowledge, understanding and skills of the studied concepts through a final examination.



Overview of assessments

Task1: Written Report based on Discussion Forum T...

Task1: Written Report based on Discussion Forum

The student will participate in online discussion forum to understand complex concepts through reflection and collaboration. The aim is to assess the personalised understanding of complex concepts through reflection and collaboration, to promote learning from each other, to create an online community.

Weighting

20%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2

Task2: Develop a Project Management Plan    The s...

Task2: Develop a Project Management Plan   

The students have to submit a project report explaining how the various Project Management concepts could be applied to a provided case study; reflecting on the Project Management concepts addressed throughout the semester. The aim of this assessment is to develop professional skills through the application of theoretical knowledge and understanding.

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

Task 3: Final Exam  The final exam will be design...

Task 3: Final Exam 

The final exam will be designed to assess all stated learning outcomes.  This is a 2-hour invigilated examination covering all unit contents. The purpose of this assessment is to test the students’ grasp of both theoretical and practical aspects of the unit.

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Mode: Attendance mode

Duration: 12-week semester or equivalent. Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit, including class attendance, readings, exams, and assessment preparation.


and summative assessments, all of which will be available online, to provide a learning experience beyond the classroom.  While there are no formal classroom lectures for this unit, students will be required to attend weekly three-hour workshops, which will include lecture and specific tasks related to achievement of the unit learning outcomes.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Schwalbe, K 2018, Information technology project management, 9th edn, Cengage Learning, USA

Haynes E 2012, Project management: get from the idea to implementation successfully, 5th edn, Axzo Press, New York.

McLeod R jnr, Jordan E & McLeod R 2010, Systems development: a project management approach, Wiley, Brisbane.

Pham A & Pham P 2011, Scrum in action, Course Technology PTR, Boston, MA.

Simon P 2010, Why new systems fail: an insider's guide to successful IT projects, Course Technology PTR, Boston, MA.

Winston WL & Albright SC 2011, Practical management science, 4th edn, South-Western College, Mason, OH.

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