Course syllabus
Welcome to IBB137 Project Management!
Lectures and seminars are held online.
Lectures and Q&A (password: IBB137): https://chalmers.zoom.us/j/67776775768
Seminars (waiting room): https://chalmers.zoom.us/j/67487762613
Information about course content and learning goals can be read in the Course PM HERE, while an overview of schedule and preparatory work (to be completed before each lecture and seminar) can be found in the schedule below on this page. To join seminars, the preparatory work must be submitted individually beforehand.
Communication and questions in the course will be channeled via Angela Caredda, a former student of this course, in order to provide you with a cohesive response. Kindly direct all questions to her at caredda@chalmers.se.
Schedule and Preparatory work
| Week |
Date |
Time |
Course Activity |
Preparations (videos and articles are available under each module) |
| 12 | 22/3 | 15.15-17.00 | Course Introduction | |
| 13 | 29/3 | 13.15-15.00 |
Q&A Module 1: PM Basics |
1) Watch the pre-recorded videos and, if you feel it is needed, read the recommended textbooks chapters. 2) Practice the calculation exercises. |
| 13 | 1/4 | 13.00-15.00 | PM Basics Test |
Read, watch and practice the material for Module 1. |
| 14 | 5/4 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 2: No Project is an Island |
Read Engwall (2003). |
| 14 | 7/4 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 2: Agile and SAFe |
Read Takeuchi & Nonaka (1986). |
| 14 | 8/4 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 2 Seminar A: Project Methodologies |
1) Submit summary tables for Engwall (2003) and Takeuchi & Nonaka (1986). 2) Read the short case scenario. |
| 15 |
Easter Break (self-studies) |
|||
| 16 | 21/4 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 3: Project Leadership |
Read Barber & Warn (2005), Bass & Riggio (2006), and Holmberg & Tyrstrup (2010). |
| 16 | 21/4 | 15.15-17.00 | Module 3: Group Dynamics |
Watch the video with Amy Edmondson on How to turn a group of strangers into a team. |
| 16 | 22/4 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 3 Seminar B: Project Leadership |
Submit summary tables for Barber & Warn (2005), Bass & Riggio (2006), and Holmberg & Tyrstrup (2010). |
| 17 | 26/4 | 13.15-16.00 |
Module 4: The Balance between Leeway and Rigour in Managing Projects |
Read Engwall (2002) and Olin & Wickenberg (2001). |
| 17 | 28/4 | 13.15-16.00 | Module 4: The Shadow System of Project Management |
Read Argyris (1991) and Buchanan & Badham (1999). |
| 17 | 29/4 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 4 Seminar C: How to Deal with the Shadow System in Practice |
1) Read Feynman (1986) and watch The Pentagon Wars by Benjamin (1998). 2) Answer and submit the questions related to Feynman (1986) and Benjamin (1998). |
| 18 | 3/5 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 5: Managing Complex Projects in Uncertain Environments |
Read Shenhar (2001), de Meyer et al. (2002) and Olausson & Berggren (2010). |
| 18 | 5/5 | 13.15-15.00 |
Module 5 Seminar D: Managing Complex Projects in Uncertain Environments |
Submit summary tables for Shenhar (2001), de Meyer et al. (2002) and Olausson & Berggren (2010). |
| 18 | 5/5 | 15.15-17.00 | Module 5: Visualization in Projects |
1) Watch the pre-recorded videos. 2) Carry out the simple exercises on the virtual workspace Mural. |
| 19 | 10/5 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 6: ´Fuzzy Front end´ of New Product Development Projects and Knowledge integration in Projects |
Read Reid & de Bretani (2004) and Enberg (2012). |
| 19 | 12/5 | 13.00-15.00 | Re-take PM Basics Test | Read, watch and practice the material for Module 1. |
| 19 | 13/5 | 13.15-15.00 | Module 6 Seminar E: Ideas and Knowledge |
1) Read the two articles by Govindarajan & Srinivas (2013) and Ihrig & MacMillan (2015). 2) Submit the summary tables for Reid & de Bretani (2004) and Enberg (2012). |
| 20 | 17/5 | 13.15-15.00 | Closing Lecture |
Read Segrestin (2005). |
Compulsory Course Literature
Module 2: Project Methodologies
- Engwall, M. (2003). No project is an island: linking projects to history and context, Research Policy, 32, 789-808.
- Takeuchi, H., & Nonaka, I. (1986). The new new product development game. Harvard business review, 64(1), 137-146.
Module 3: Leadership and Group Dynamics
- Barber, E., & Warn, J. (2005). Leadership in project management: from firefighter to firelighter. Management Decision, 43(7/8), 1032-1039.
- Introduction chapter (only) in Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
- Holmberg, I., & Tyrstrup, M. (2010). Well then-What now? An everyday approach to managerial leadership. Leadership, 6(4), 353-372.
Module 4: Navigating in the Shadow System of Project Management
- Engwall, M. (2002). The futile dream of the perfect goal. In K. Sahlin-Andersson & A. Söderholm (Eds.), Beyond project management - New Perspectives on the Temporary-Permanent Dilemma (pp. 261-277). Malmö: Liber Ekonomi
- Olin, T., & Wickenberg, J. (2001). Rule Breaking in New Product Development - Crime or Necessity? Creativity & Innovation Management, 10(1), 15-25.
- Argyris, C. (1991). Teaching Smart People How to Learn. Harvard Business Review, 69(3), 99-109.
- Buchanan, D., & Badham, R. (1999). Politics and Organizational Change: The Lived Experience. Human Relations, 52(5), 609-629.
- Feynman, R.P. (1986) Report of the PRESIDENTAL COMMISSION on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, Volume 2 Appendix F; Personal Observations on Reliability of Shuttle. Washington D.C.: NASA.
Module 5: Managing Complex Projects in Uncertain Environments
- Shenhar, A.J., (2001). One size does not fit all projects: Exploring classical contingency domains. Management science, 47(3), 394-414.
- de Meyer, A., Loch, C., & Pich, M. (2002). Managing Project Uncertainty: From Variation to Chaos, Sloan Management Review, 43(2), 60-67.
- Olausson, D. & Berggren, C., (2010). Managing uncertain, complex product development in high‐tech firms: in search of controlled flexibility. R&D Management, 40(4), 383-399.
Module 6: Ideas and Knowledge
- Reid, E., & de Brentani, U. (2004). The fuzzy front end of new product development for discontinuous innovation: a theoretical model. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 21, 170-184.
- Enberg, C. (2012). Enabling knowledge integration in coopetitive R&D projects—The management of conflicting logics. International Journal of Project Management, 30(7), 771-780.
- Govindarajan, V., & Srinivas, S. (2013). The innovation mindset in action: 3M corporation. Harvard Business Review, 6.
- Ihrig, M., & MacMillan, I. (2015). Managing your mission-critical knowledge. Harvard business review, 93(1), 17.
Closing Lecture - Balancing between Textbook Project Management and the Unique Context of Projects
Course summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|