MGT8022 Project Management Framework

MS Project Lab Case

Dr Faisal — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 06:03:53 +0000

Dear Candidate,
Please go to this link for case exercise.

MS Tutorial Case

Dr Faisal — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:50:13 +0000

Dear Candidates,
As mentioned in class, please download and print the case file for the coming MS Tutorial Lab. Please ensure that you have installed the MS Project 2007 given by USQ. The file is password protected and was given to you in class.

MS Project Tutorial Notes

Tagged: Dr Faisal, MBA, MGT 8022, MS Project 2007, Project Management, Project Management Framework, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

Sample Assignment Structure

Dr Faisal — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:04:54 +0000

Dear Candidates,
In preparing your assignment, you should focus your effort in answering/critical evaluation of the project along the grading scheme. Below is a sample structure from one of your senior course mate, (who has given me the permission to use, so credit has to be given to him). The file is password protected and was given in class.

Sample Assignment Structure

All the best.

p/s: Thank you Emily for reminding me on this.

Protected: Lecture Notes

Dr Faisal — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:00:19 +0000

This post is password protected. You must visit the website and enter the password to continue reading.

Tagged: Dr Faisal, Lecture Notes, MBA, Project Cost Management, Project Financial Management, Project Governance, Project Management, Project Management Framework, Project Organisation and Communications Management, Project Procurement Management, Project Quality and Risk Management, Project Scope Management, Project Strategy, Project Systems, Project Termination and Integration Management, Project Time Management, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

Please visit USQStudydesk!

Dr Faisal — Sat, 09 May 2009 18:55:42 +0000

It has been brought to my attention that Subang candidates are not or shall I say do not frequently visit the USQ Study desk. As I have mentioned on numerous occasions during my lectures, this blog DOES NOT replace the studydesk. Instead, this is just amongst the few ‘value-added’ services for candidates that choose Subang as their preferred learning centre. Queries pertaining to part 3 and part 4 of your second assignment has been addressed at the studydesk (please see image below). Therefore, I urge all candidate to frequently visit the studydesk and the link has been provided for in this blog.

Tagged: Dr Faisal, MBA, Project Management, Project Management Framework, Project Management Plan, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

MS Project Tutorial

Dr Faisal — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:30:19 +0000

Intend to run a tutorial on using MS Project on Sunday 12 April 2009 for both MGT8022 and MGT8025 candidates.
Slot 1: 09:00hrs ~ 13:00hrs – Basic overview and functions (more for MGT8022 candidates).
Slot 2: 14:00hrs ~ 18:00hrs – Intermediate with Earn Value computation. (MGT8025 candidates).

For those very familiar with the package, need not attend and for those familiar with the software, slot 1 is not for you.
Please register at CCE Counter.

Tagged: Dr Faisal, Project Management

Assignment related articles

Dr Faisal — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:00:24 +0000

Dear Candidates,

Received an email alert from gantthead.com for thier newsletter. Suggest you visit the link for some interesting write up.

Managing Stakeholders: The Myth and the Reality viewed 2.Apr.09
Trust, Business Stakeholders and Your Workforce viewed 2.Apr.09
Hubris and Happenstance: Why Projects Fail (Part 2) viewed 2.Apr.09

Received an email alert by PMI for their community post today. Suggest you visit the link for some interesting write up.

Article 1 viewed 29.Mar.09
Article 2 viewed 29.Mar.09

Please visit AllPM website as their theme for this month is Aligning Project Management to Organisation, something that is related to your assignment 1 or click:

Article 1 viewed 10.Mar.2009
Article 2 viewed 10.Mar.2009
Article 3 viewed 10.Mar.2009
Article 4 viewed 10.Mar.2009
Article 5 viewed 10.Mar.2009

Also visit the Whitepapers tab!

Cheers

Tagged: ALLPM.COM, Dr Faisal, gantthead.com, MBA, PMI, Project Management, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

Assignement #1 Guide

Dr Faisal — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:15:08 +0000

Dear Candidates,

There have been a number of queries on how to prepare your first assignment for this subject. I have attached a guide for your considerations. However, please let me emphasise that, these are just my suggestionz. The file is password protected and I have shared this in class.

MGT8022 Assignment 1 Suggestions

Tagged: Assignment, Dr Faisal, MBA, Project Management, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

Project Management Plan

Dr Faisal — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:40:10 +0000

Dear Candidates,

Some of you requested for a Project Management Plan (PMP) sample during class. If you put some effort and goggle “Project Management Plan”, you will see about 110,000 pages of search result.

Below are some links that you may find helpful:

Ligo project management plan
Layola Marymount University
cia.ca.gov.
advantage West Midland
US CMS Project Management
US DOT Federal Aid Program Administration
tanrara IEEEE PMP
Project Management + Critical Chain & Six Sigma Need to purchase.

Tagged: Dr Faisal, Project Management, Project Management Framework, Project Management Plan

Module Discussion

Dr Faisal — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 08:00:41 +0000

Figure 2-0 below illustrates the tentative MGT 8022 and MGT 8025 Modules discussions’ schedule. Candidates are advised to check out with CCE for the latest update.

Figure 2-0: MGT 8022 & MGT 8025 Module Discussion Schedule

Tagged: Dr Faisal, MBA, Module Discussion Schedule, Project Management, Project Management Framework, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

References Text

Dr Faisal — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:00:46 +0000

UPDATE 2

Apparently the Kerzner latest book is out of stock in Singapore. Supplier needs to bring it in from USA and expected to arrive early April 2009. Candidates still interested in getting their copy, please call Joanne at CCE for confirmation as soon as possible. Hurry up, the longer you wait, the longer the lead time for the books to arrive!

~oo~

UPDATE 1

9 copies of Kerzner latest book arrives this afternoon. Candidates interested in getting their copy, please call Joanne at CCE for reservation. A must have for candidate majoring in Project Management or for those who wants to understand project management written by a well-renowned Project Management Guru. Hurry up while stock last!

~oo~

Dear candidates,

SEGi Subang Jaya is making arrangements for the required reference book to arrive before the class starts. USQ is recommending Gardiner P. (2005). Project Management: A Strategic Planning Approach. as the main reference.

For those who are serious in their quest for project management, Kerzner, H. (2006). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling and Cleland & King (1997). Project Management Handbook are good buy. I strongly suggest candidate to become a member of Project Management Institute where you can get access to PMBOK and other excellent text and journals.

As I need to know the number of candidates requiring the PMBOK, appreciate if you could advice me so that SEGi can make the necessary arrangements.

Cheers

Tagged: Cleland, Dr Faisal, Kerzner, King, PMBOK, PMI, Project Management, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

Overview

Dr Faisal — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:30:52 +0000

Whenever I introduced myself to others as a project management consultant, their first response skewed towards Engineering, Construction or IT industry. Wonder why such a response? I later realised that, this was due to the mis-conceptions created by many, that project management is being something ’exclusive’ for the technical or technology experts within specialised industries. My involvement in project environment for more than twenty five years, particularly in the area of change management, has proven that such discipline is not exclusively theirs but can be practiced by many in various industries with differing intensity. This session will demystify the truth about project management and illustrates how each and everyone of us is in fact a project manager by nature, and can be further developed into an excellent project manager. The framework series will provide candidates with a taste on what project management and managing project is all about.

In facilitating candidates with their assignments, I have restructured the module discussions begining with an Project Management overview, marked as module 0 at the start of the session. The schedule for MGT8022 module discussion will be changed except for the assignments’ deadline, which remains intact.

MGT8022 Module 0 Slides

Tagged: Change Management, Dr Faisal, MBA, Project Management, Project Management Framework, Project Management Research, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

Paradoxical view

Dr Faisal — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:23:45 +0000

Do managers need project management competencies?

Many at times I have met and worked with various professionals may it be architects, engineers, IT Specialist, marketers, doctors, accountants, lawyers, educationist and CEOs. Most often they undermine the need for projects to be managed effectively and efficiently. They arrogantly claim that they know how to manage the projects and it is quite easily done, such as DOPer!…

I kept emphasising that there are ‘huge’ difference between running the business operations and managing project. Marketers claim that learning up Marketing Management covers the topic of planning and implementation; likewise, IT Experts claim that their SDLC pretty much covers the planning and implementation activities. Architects sometimes think that they are god and being the project manager is their birth-right, being the person who designs a particular building. Marketers think that their new product or services will be introduced once the strategic marketing plan is completed. CEOs think that after completing the strategic planning sessions and action plans drafted out… the whole business strategy will be implemented automatically. Only in your dreams my friend!

After being involved in project environment for more than 26 years, I have learnt that there exists a big demarcation between running daily business operations and doing something that is outside the normal operations. Being an engineer myself, there are things that are routine with all the necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in place. However, I lived to find out that, these constitute only small percentage of the workload. Believe you me, major bulk of the workload comes from ad-hoc items or planned items, not part of the job description that comes into play. Things like participating in cross functional activities, new business ventures, new product or services development, new market explorations requires a lot more time and effort.

Since the endeavour is outside the job scope with no written SOP explaining the process, majority revert to so called ‘wisdom’ and ‘favours’ (commonly gained thorough interpersonal relationships developed over time) within the company to get things done. Things are done haphazardly and not in a ‘structured manner’. Due to the lack of a proper system (processes and procedures), when things go wrong, there will always be someone or something to take the blame! There is no way for the ‘real’ concerns or issues are able to surface and be corrected or treated accordingly, as there is no SOP for such undertaking.

This is where, ladies and gentlemen, the competency of project management comes in handy.

Tagged: DOPer Syndrome, Dr Faisal, Project Management, Project Management Framework

Addtional Lecture Slots

Dr Faisal — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:00:24 +0000

Dear Candidates,

As posted at SEGi Connect, due to the good enrollment response for MGT8022 course, SEGi Subang Jaya has decided to break the lecture sessions into two(2) groups. Just like the MGT5000 last semester, I will be running the MGT8022 in two sessions - on Saturday morning (9am-1pm) and Sunday morning (9am-1pm).

For candidates taking ONLY MGT8022 subject this semester, I strongly suggest that you take up the Saturday slots, freeing the Sunday Morning slot for those candidates taking BOTH MGT8022 and MGT8025 that happened to be run on Sunday afternoon (2pm-6pm). Since the depth of MGT8025 can be challenging, it would be easier for me to discuss both subject with the same group the same day.

Your cooperation is highly appreciated.

Dr Faisal

p/s: The viability of running the Saturday Session is subject to number of attendees. If the number is less than 20, then there is a high likely that the Saturday morning session be cancelled. So for those who can make it for Satrudays… please join the group.

Tagged: Dr Faisal, MBA, MGT 8022, Project Management, Project Management Framework, SEGi College Subang Jaya, USQ

Trapped In Between – Realities of Project World

Dr Faisal — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:13:53 +0000

In this ever-changing business environment, organisations continuously try to improve their competitive position in the marketplace. In the excitement of such quests, organisations are bombarded with various change programs that have been developed, marketed, introduced, and implemented by various agencies, both locally and internationally. Program and Project Management is no exception. In fact, many times, the term project has been so loosely used to the extent that it has lost its real definition.

Rapid changes in both technology and the market place have created enormous strains on existing organisation’s make up. Traditional structures that are highly bureaucratic can no longer respond fast enough to the continuously changing environments. This must be replaced by other temporary management organisation structures that are highly organic, fluidic, and responsive.

Project Management is not new! Although unsupported, the history of project management can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian era. Coupled with the advancement in management technology, project management has evolved into a more formal and structured management approach to implementing projects effectively and efficiently.

It was observed that, the acceptance of the project management approach has never been easy. The approach departs from the traditional business form that is functional, vertical, and hierarchical with a strong emphasis on the chain of command. This represents one of the many challenges to any project manager.

However, the biggest challenge that any project manager will face is the project itself. Orchestrating the total organisational effort in managing the interplay between the technical, financial, and political realities of any project demands significant effort.

ISBN 1-4251-0904-7

TRAPPED IN BETWEEN is about the global realities in managing projects. It is about people trying to understand what makes their project works or makes it worse! Project managers discovered that, attempting to balance projects purely on technical and financial viabilities were never good enough and has often led to many disappointments. The “circus of project failures” demanded that somebody or something to take the fall. Set against a typical major global company in Malaysia, this book amplifies the underlying realities that affect projects and project management as a whole. It is about the “DOPer Syndrome” that suffered by many “fresh blood” induced into the company and the realities of project’s politics that has long rooted within many organisations. If juggling the projects basing on just technical and financial realities are project managers’ nightmares, inclusion of political realities will make any project manager delusional!

An excellent case study material for program and project management subject. Available at Amazon.com or direct from Trafford Publishing. Candidates attending this module can order a personalised autographed copy from the lecturer.

Tagged: Amazon.com, Canada, Change Management, DOPer Syndrome, Dr Faisal, Government Linked Companies, ISBN 1425109047, Malaysian GLC, Program Management, Project Delusions, Project Management, Project Management Case Study, Project Management Research, Project People Management, Trafford Publishing, Trapped In Between - Realities of Project World