PPMP20014 - Complex Project Management

General Information

Unit Synopsis

This unit provides an introduction and overview of the field of practice known as complex project management. Complex project management is when a project has three characteristics. Firstly, complex projects are very complicated with lots of parts and interconnections. Secondly, there is a great deal of uncertainty. Finally, they are heavily time-constrained so there is little time to make decisions. In this unit you will explore these characteristics and how to manage them by undertaking assessments for complexity through analysis and systematic inquiry. You will investigate approaches to complexity by forecasting impacts and modelling outcomes. You will analyse the complexities of causes and effects, such as the role played by leaders, setting objectives, environmental and technological limitations and factors, and other constraints that increase complexity. In the unit you will be introduced to a number of examples of complex projects through case studies. You will be able to investigate and discuss the case studies with your peers and lecturers to increase your understanding and proficiency with the management of complex projects.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 9
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 4
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Students must have completed the CQUniversity Graduate Diploma of Project Management or equivalent Project Management qualification from another Institution in order to do this unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

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Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2024

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Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Group Discussion 40%
2. Online Quiz(zes) 10%
3. Written Assessment 50%

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 2 - 2022 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 66.67% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 33.33% response rate.

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: Student evaluation
Feedback
Develop more student-engaging lecture materials.
Recommendation
The lecture and tutorial materials will be updated with content that improves student engagement and interactions. Interactive pedagogic tools will be introduced.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: Student evaluation
Feedback
More real-life problems and contemporary content can be presented.
Recommendation
More relevant and recent real-life problems will be included in the lectures and tutorial sessions. Case studies will be expanded.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: Student evaluation
Feedback
Assessments and feedback were very effective for learning and further improvement.
Recommendation
The lecturer/tutor will continue providing comprehensive and immediate feedback. The assessments will continuously be enhanced for effective learning and further improvement of knowledge and skills within the unit domain.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: Student evaluation Teaching team
Feedback
The teaching team was very supportive, and the additional drop-in session were highly appreciated in explaining the content, assignment tasks, and the informal discussion.
Recommendation
Continue the informal drop-in sessions and other forms of support to students.
Action Taken
Online support was continued, but as classes returned to campus more focus was put on in-class engagement with lecturers and tutors.
Source: Student evaluation
Feedback
The students believe they were able to develop valuable knowledge and experience with great practical applications that will benefit their career.
Recommendation
Maintain the integration between the theory and the practice by explaining the complexity aspects and concepts with real examples.
Action Taken
New and recent case studies were added to the content for contextualization of the theory. More time was spent in lectures on elaboration of concepts.
Source: Student evaluation
Feedback
More real-life problems and contemporary content can be presented.
Recommendation
More relevant and recent real-life problems will be included in the lectures and tutorial sessions. Case studies will be expanded.
Action Taken
New and recent case studies were added to the content for contextualization of the theory.
Source: Results analysis
Feedback
The results in this term are skewed towards the high end and it may indicate a misalignment of assessments ans structure.
Recommendation
Review assessments and rubrics to determine if there is misalignment, and if found, the modify assessments and rubrics to improve alignment.
Action Taken
In Progress
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Explain the causes, environments, and properties of complex projects.
  2. Identify different tools and techniques to aid a project manager manage complex projects.
  3. Critically analyse whether different projects cases are complex projects.
  4. Formulate, argue and defend a strategy that a project manager can apply to a complex project case study.
  5. In a team analyse the root causes of failure with a number of sample complex project cases.

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Group Discussion • • • •
2 - Online Quiz(zes) • •
3 - Written Assessment • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Knowledge • • • • •
2 - Communication • • • • •
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills • • • • •
4 - Research • • • • •
5 - Self-management • •
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility • • • •
7 - Leadership • • • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 - Group Discussion • • • • • • •
2 - Online Quiz(zes) • • •
3 - Written Assessment • • • • •