WebCampus
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
Accredited By the Project Management Institute and
the Global Accreditation Institute for Project
Management
Syllabus / Course Schedule
Spring 2015
MGT 613 - Project Portfolio Management and the Program
Management Office
Dr. Alan C. Maltz, P.E. - email: alan.maltz@stevens.edu - 561-632-4848
Overview
MGT 613 covers the concepts of Project Portfolio Management (PPM) and the
Program Management Office (PMO). The course discusses a framework of PPM,
including portfolio planning, monitoring and control. Tools and techniques of
PPM are discussed. The course also addresses different types of PMO including
their functions. Steps for implementing PPM and PMO in an organization are also
covered. Class exercises and case studies are used to help students gain a better
understanding.
Relationship of Course to Rest of Curriculum
MGT 613 is a required course for students pursuing the Master of Enterprise
Project Management. It is an elective for students pursuing an MS and MBA.
Students should take MGT 609 and MGT 610 prior to taking this course.
Learning Goals & Course Objectives
 Introduce a strategic, system perspective of organizational project
management.
 Discuss a framework of project portfolio management.
 Practice applying tools and techniques used in project portfolio management.
 Discuss different types and functions of program management offices.
Pedagogy
Team-based class exercises and case studies
1
Required Texts
1. “The Standard for Portfolio Management,” (3rd ed) (= PMI)
by Project Management Institute, 2013
ISBN 1-9-35589-69-3
2. “Portfolio Management for New Products,” (Second Edition) (=CEK)
by Robert G. Cooper, Scott J. Edgett, and Elko J. Kleinschmidt, 2001
Basic Books, ISBN-13: 978-0-7382-0514-4
3. “Case Studies for Project, Program, and Organizational Project
Management” (=DPS) by Dragan Z. Milosevic, Peerasit Patanakul, and
Sabin Srivannaboon, 2010
Wiley, ISBN: 978-0-470-18388-5
4. “The Program Management Office: Establishing, managing, and growing
the value of a PMO” (= Letavac)
by Craig J. Letavec, 2006. J. Ross Publishing, ISBN: 1-932159-59-2
All lecture notes and assignments can be found at www.stevens.edu/canvas
Assignments
Weekly assignments are team-based presentations of class exercises. Those
assignments are not graded but feedbacks are provided for continuously
developing and integrating the assignments into the midterm and final
presentations and reports.
Assignment
Class participation (individual)
Midterm: PPM presentation and report (team)
Final: PMO presentation and report (team)
Total Grade
Grade Percent
20
40
40
100%
2
Ethical Conduct
The following statement is printed in the Stevens Graduate Catalog and applies to all
students taking Stevens courses, on and off campus.
“Cheating during in-class tests or take-home examinations or homework is, of course,
illegal and immoral. A Graduate Academic Evaluation Board exists to investigate
academic improprieties, conduct hearings, and determine any necessary actions. The
term ‘academic impropriety’ is meant to include, but is not limited to, cheating on
homework, during in-class or take home examinations and plagiarism.“
Consequences of academic impropriety are severe, ranging from receiving an “F” in a
course, to a warning from the Dean of the Graduate School, which becomes a part of the
permanent student record, to expulsion.
Reference:
The Graduate Student Handbook, Academic Year 2003-2004 Stevens
Institute of Technology, page 10.
Consistent with the above statements, all homework exercises, tests and exams that are
designated as individual assignments MUST contain the following signed statement
before they can be accepted for grading.
____________________________________________________________________
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on
this assignment/examination. I further pledge that I have not copied any material from a
book, article, the Internet or any other source except where I have expressly cited the
source.
Signature ________________
Date: _____________
Please note that assignments in this class may be submitted to www.turnitin.com, a webbased anti-plagiarism system, for an evaluation of their originality.
3
Course Schedule
Project Portfolio Management (PPM)
Week
Topic Covered/Readings/Assignments
1
Th – 8/28
2
Th – 9/4
Introduction to PPM and PMO Discussion of class methods and operation.
3
Th – 9/11
Project evaluation and prioritization/ Maximizing Value
4
Th – 9/18
Portfolio risks and balancing
5
Th – 9/25
6
Th – 10/2
NO CLASS –
TEAM MEETINGS / PREPARATION TIME FOR PRESENTATIONS
7
Th – 10/9
PPM Framework
8
Th -10/16
Monitoring and Controlling the PPM framework
9
Th -10/23
PPM Implementation
Fundamentals of PPM
Readings:
PMI: Ch. 1, 2 & CEK: Ch. 1, 2
ARTICLE: Establishing a project portfolio management office (PPMO)
ARTICLE: A Cookbook for Jump-Starting Project Portfolio Management
Case study: Our portfolio stinks, DPS p. 387
Readings:
PMI: Ch. 3 & CEK: Ch. 3
ARTICLE: Management of Value as PPM Driver
ARTICLE: Where Are All the Breakthrough New Products ?
Case study: Are We Ready for Portfolio Management, DPS p. 493.
Readings:
PMI: Ch. 8 & CEK: Ch. 4
ARTICLE: Portfolio risk management aligning projects with business objectives
ARTICLE: Ten Ways to make better portfolio and project selection decisions..
Case study: Who owns this portfolio? DPS p. 385.
The link to Strategy/ Strategic Alignment
Readings:
PMI: Ch. 4 & CEK: Ch. 5, 9
ARTICLE: Portfolio Risk Management and Its Contribution to Project Portfolio Success..
Case study: LorryMer Information Technology, DPS p. 377
PMI: Ch 5 & CEK: Ch. 6, 8
ARTICLE: What is Effectiveness in Project Portfolio Management?
Case study: We do not need standard methodology, DPS p. 400
Readings:
PMI: Ch. 6 & CEK: Ch. 7
Case study: I have only three minutes a month, DPS, p. 315
PMI: Ch. 7 & CEK: Ch.10
4
Case study: Journey to Project Portfolio Management: A Case Study (on Canvas – leader
to develop questions for this case)
Course Schedule, cont/d…..
Program Management Office (PMO)
10
Th – 10/30
Fundamentals of the PMO
Readings:
Letavec: Ch. 1, 2
ARTICLE: Four steps to a stronger PMO
Case study: The Program Management Office, DPS p. 417
11
Th – 11/6
Functions of PMO 1: Consulting, knowledge, or standard center
Readings:
Letavec: Ch. 6, 7
ARTICLE: PMO as a change agent
Case study: Progress—One Step At a Time, DPS p. 425.
12
Th – 11/13
Functions of PMO 2: Business integration and governance, and resource and
career center
Readings:
Letavec: Ch. 8
ARTICLE: PMO Capability- A New Look at How High-Performing PMOs
Deliver Value
Case study: They are Business Leader at Spotlight Corporation, DPS p. 409.
Th – 11/13
13
Th – 11/20
14
Th – 12/4
Implementation of PPM and the PMO
Readings:
CEK: Ch. 11
Letavec: Ch. 3, 4, 5
ARTICLE: The PMO - something of value
NO CLASS –
TEAM MEETINGS / PREPARATION TIME FOR PRESENTATIONS
PMO presentation and report
5