MIS 419 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MGT
Course
Information
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Phone:
Email:
Time:
Dr. Jeff Cummings
CIS 2051
9:00 – 10:00 MW and 9:00 – 11:30/1:00 – 2:30 TTH (or by appointment)
962-3032 (office)
cummingsj@uncw.edu
Section 001 - MWF 1:00 -1:50 (CIS1007)
Course Overview
The IT Project Management course introduces the fundamentals of project management, beginning with project
definition through the post-project review. There will be emphasis placed on applying project management
concepts and techniques to IT projects. This includes consideration of project planning, scheduling, budgeting,
human resources and the consideration of change management required to implement projects. Upon completion
of this course, you will understand:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The importance of project planning for information technology projects
How to incorporate company strategic needs when selecting IT projects
Justifying IT projects on tangible and intangible benefits and building a business case
Build ‘change management’ into the life cycle of projects
Tools and techniques for monitoring quality control of IT projects
The importance of defining and anticipating potential risks
Communicating progress to all stakeholders
Update participants on current IT trends and projects
Textbook and Materials
Textbook and Articles
 Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measurable Organizational Value 4e
(Marchewka - ISBN 9781118057636) – Available through Books 24 x 7
 Additional Articles from PM Network will be provided for reading through Entropy
 Case Studies from Harvard Business Review as assigned
Software
MS Project 2013 will be used during the semester. This can be obtained through the MS Academic Alliance web site.
Web-based course systems: Entropy
We use Entropy to manage class content, assignments, quizzes, and grades. It is essential that you are familiar with this
system. It is also your responsibility to make sure that you can access your Entropy account at any time.
Entropy is available at https://csbapp.uncw.edu/entropy/. This system requires a separate account registration. Log on
with your 85-number and self-selected password. If you already have an Entropy account, you will be able to log in
using your e-mail address the first time.
You MUST have an Entropy account for this class.
Grading
Exams
Two exams will be given consisting of multiple choice, True/False, hands-on Application and short answer
problems/questions. Any exam grading disputes must be submitted in writing within 1 week of the results.
No make-up tests will be offered unless you have a proof that you had a legal or medical emergency (regular
medical appointments do not constitute an emergency). Dates for the exams are listed on the course schedule. The
schedule is tentative and as such these dates are subject to changes. The exams are not cumulative.
Exercises
The course requires work on a computer outside of the scheduled classes on three (3) exercises with different
degrees of difficulty. The actual amount of time required will vary from student to student. The student is
responsible for arranging his/her individual schedule so that the student can spend the required time on the
computer. Computer assignments can be completed using the facilities in the UNCW Computer Information
Systems Building and Cameron Hall School computer labs or other computers. Students enrolled should
download Microsoft Project 2013 from the MS Academic Alliance.
Late assignments will be accepted with a 10% per day deduction. (No assignments will be graded after 3 days
beyond the due date). Instructor reserves the right to verbally review submitted assignments with the student and
to modify the grade after the review.
Case Presentations
A presentation of a Harvard Business Review Case (assigned by instructor) will be required by each team (10% of
grade). These cases provide insights into the various concepts covered in class surrounding project management.
Each team will be assigned a different Harvard Business Review Case. Teams are only required to buy the HBR
Case they are specifically presenting to the class.
Semester Project
To practice the skills being covered in class, each student will be responsible for a semester long project.
Students will create project charters, stakeholder analysis, WBS, Gantt Charts, etc. This project will account for
30% of the final grade. More details will be provided in class.
Attendance and Participation
Given the amount of material to be covered in this course and the rather fast pace, it is important that students
attend and participate in class regularly. Attendance in combination with active participation during sessions will
account for 5% of the overall grade. To receive full credit, students must come to class prepared, on time,
participate actively, and not leave before class ends. Attendance will be randomly assessed, unannounced.
Note: Emails sent before 5 pm (Monday through Friday) will usually be answered by the end of the same
day. E-mails sent after 5 pm (Monday through Friday) or on the weekend will not necessarily be answered
the same day.
MIS 419 – Syllabus – Page 2 of 5
Grading
Policy
The distribution of the grades will be as follows.
Exam I
20%
Exam II
20%
Exercises
15%
Case Presentation
10%
Project
30%
Participation
5%
Grading will be based on the following grading scheme.
93-100 A
73-76 C
90-92 A70-72 C87-89 B+
67-69 D+
83-86 B
63-66 D
80-82 B60-62 D77-79 C+
Below 60 F
Student Responsibilities
The student is responsible for doing all assigned readings and grasping all the material presented in class which
may or may not originate from the textbook. The student will be responsible for the material covered in the
lectures, assigned textbook readings and other reading assignments whether or not covered in the class lectures. IF
YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND A SUBJECT OR WOULD LIKE A FURTHER EXPLANATION, DON'T BE
AFRAID TO ASK. . . YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO NEEDS HELP.
The student is responsible for submitting the assignments when scheduled by the instructor. Absence from class
does not excuse the student from any assignments made during the class period. A student who misses a class
should check with the instructor or another student to determine if an assignment was made during the class that
was missed. For this purpose, it is strongly advised that each student gets the name and phone number of at least
two other students in the class. Each student is expected to address the assignments individually.
Students are expected to exhibit conduct that is courteous to the instructor and to the other students. Talking
during class, reading of newspapers or other materials, and doing work for other courses during this class are
examples of conduct that is considered to be unacceptable. Use of cellular phones, texting while in class or in the
lab will not be acceptable and you will be asked to leave the class. It is rude to other students and the instructor to
use your phone or instant message during scheduled class periods.
Academic Dishonesty
Cheating of any kind shall result in a grade of zero (0) on the assignment or exam in question, with a minimum
deduction of one letter grade should the assignment be worth less than 10%. Collaboration, copying of other
individual’s code, or handing in the work of others is considered cheating. Violations will follow the guidelines
in the Student Handbook and Code of Student Life.
Grades will be posted on the web. It is the student's responsibility to check the posted grade frequently.
Questions pertaining to projects MUST be made within 1 week of when the grade is posted to Entropy. No
adjustments will be made after the one week period.
MIS 419 – Syllabus – Page 3 of 5
Syllabus – Fall 2014 (Tentative Schedule)
Wk
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Date
Topic
8/20
Syllabus & Course Overview
8/22
The Nature of IT Projects
Ch 1
8/25
Conceptualizing/Initializing the IT Project
Ch 2
8/27
“
“
8/29
Assignment #1
9/1
Labor Day Holiday – No Class
9/3
Intro: Agile IT Project Management
9/5
Agile PM Discussion
9/8
The Project Infrastructure
Ch 3
9/10
“
“
9/12
Assignment #2
9/15
Human Side of Project Management
Ch 4
9/17
Career Day Discussion
“
9/19
Assignment #3
9/22
Defining/Managing Project/Product Scope
Ch 5
9/24
“
“
9/26
Develop DSC for MAA (p.151)
9/29
10/3
WBS & Project Estimation
WBS & Project Estimation
Software and Project Management
RTP Bus Trip
10/6
Midterm Review
10/8
Midterm Exam
10/10
Software and Project Management
10/13
Fall Break – No Class
10/15
Project Schedule and Budget
10/17
Assignment #4
10/20
Project Schedule and Budget
Ch 7
10/22
Managing Project Risk
Ch 8
10/24
Software and Project Management
10/27
Managing Project Risk
Ch 8
10/29
Project Communication, Tracking & Reporting
Ch 9
10/31
Assignment #5
10/1
Reading
Additional Reading/Due Dates
Sample Case Presentation
Due by midnight
Read: Agile to the Rescue
Read: At Odds?: Agile and traditional PM
Case: Binnj on the Apple iPad
Case: Pearson
Due by midnight
Case: Keda's SAP Implementation
Due by midnight
Case: Providian Trust A
Complete before Assignment #4
Ch 6
Ch 6
Bring Laptop
Exam
Exercise #1:
MS Project Tutorial #1 (pp.181-195)
Ch 7
MIS 419 – Syllabus – Page 4 of 5
Bring Laptop
Due by midnight
Case: Volkswagen of America, Managing
IT Priorities
Exercise #2:
MS Project Tutorial #2 (pp. 222-245)
Case: Reinventing the Practices of Distance
Information Systems
Due by midnight
12
13
14
15
16
17
11/3
IT Project Quality Management
Ch 10
11/5
“
“
11/7
Earned Value Analysis
11/10
Managing Org. Change, Resistance, & Conflict
Ch 11
11/12
“
“
11/14
MAA Assignment #6
11/17
Procurement Management & Outsourcing
Ch 12
11/19
“
“
11/21
Implementation, Closure & Evaluation
Ch 14
11/24
Leadership and Ethics
Ch 13
11/26
Thanksgiving Holiday – No Class
11/28
Thanksgiving Holiday – No Class
12/1
Healthcare IT PM
12/3
Final Exam Review
12/8
Dec 8, 11:30 – 2:30
Exercise #3:
Earned Value Analysis
Case:
Successfully Navigating the Turbulent Skies
a Large-Scale ERP Implementation
Due by midnight
Case:
MIS America Grupo Santander
Case: Emory Healthcare
Final
Exam
MIS 419 – Syllabus – Page 5 of 5