Course module - Managing Development
Project and Programmes
Code : BMAN30982
Credit rating: 10
Semester : 2
Links in this page :
Aims | Objectives | Assessment | Information | Course Content |
Course Materials | Tutors | Timetable | Teaching Methods | Keywords
Aims
This 10 credit course aims to develop students' general understanding of the life-cycle of a
development project organization from inception of an idea through its gestation and delivery to
completion of the project. The overarching aim of the course is to equip students with knowledge
and understanding of the fundamental principles, theory, conceptual framing, and basic tools and
methods essential to help them succeed in managerial roles in development project- and
programme-based environments, notably project organizations created to develop new
commercial products, as well as IT and physical infrastructure. The course objectives can be
collapsed into three main categories. First the course will provide students with conceptual and
practical knowledge and understanding essential to discuss the following questions proficiently:
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what is a development project?
why do we need development projects? Where do they come from?
who creates them? who funds them? who delivers them? who governs them?
what does project performance mean? how can we measure it?
how does the practice of project management as documented in the bodies of knowledge
of professional organizations such as the Project Management Institute (PMI) (US) or the
Association for Project Management (APM) (UK), or in processes such as the Office of
Government Commerce (OGC Gateway) fit within the development project life-cycle?
To what extent do project management practices scale up in mega development projects?
What are the cutting-edge practices and framings for managing development projects?
What is the difference between a development project, a development programme and a
portfolio of development projects/programmes?
Second, the course will develop students' knowledge and understanding of the fundamental
characteristics of the development project life-cycle and of basic tools and methods supporting
the management practice of development projects and programmes irrespectively if they unfold
in a private, public, or public-private context.
And third, the course will provide students with basic understanding of different types of
development projects and programmes, e.g., IT and physical infrastructure projects, product
development projects, R&D projects, and how the nature of the development project affects:
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the main characteristics of the project processes and of the temporary organisations set up to
promote, design, and deliver these development projects and programmes;
the nature and relationships between the key organizations party to the development project,
the so-called project stakeholders;
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the suitability of conventional tools and techniques that support the practice of managing
development projects and programmes.
Objectives (Learning Outcomes)
On completion of the course, students will have gained basic understanding and knowledge of:
* the nature of the development project life-cycle
* the key development project stages - inception, gestation, delivery, and hand-over
* the hand-offs between stages
* alternative organisation structures and roles that can be set up to develop each stage
* alternative governance structures that can be set up to support development project-and
programme-based endeavours (a programme being a set of interdependent projects)
* key processes and tools available to support the practice of managing development projects
* development projects as instruments of value creation and appropriation in business and public
sector ecosystems
Assessment
50% coursework based on groups around four students (this is an indicative number. The final
size of the teams will be a function of the number of students taking the course). The coursework
will consist of 3 submissions spread out across the semester. Coursework must be handed in to
the MBS East /D20 Undergraduate reception. The coursework collection point will close at 3pm.
We will run a peer review questionnaire through which each member of the group will
anonymously quantify the contribution of the other members of the group so as to ensure the
coursework grades are fair and proportional to the input of each member.
50% examination (one hour)
Methods of Feedback to Students
• Informal advice and discussion during the lectures and seminars
• written responses to questions and issues raised by e-mail
• face-to-face feedback in meetings during office hours and meetings scheduled outside office
hours
• Written and verbal comments on assessed group coursework
Information
Programme Restrictions:
Available as a free choice option to students who have received prior agreement from their
registering school.
Pre-requisites: None
Co-Requisite: None
Dependent courses: None
BMAN30982 is available to visiting and exchange students admitted through the University of
Manchester International Programmes Office.
Course Content
* Development project life-cycle models
* Development project organisation and governance
* Development project planning and funding
* Managing development project risk and uncertainty
* Design flexibility
* Development project and programme roles and hand-offs
* Managing stakeholders of development projects
* Monitoring and controlling execution of development projects
* Assessing development project and programme performance
* Introduction to leadership and governance for developmentprojects
The course will be fully supported by a Blackboard virtual learning environment which will
include the course materials, assignments, and the reading list.
Course Materials to be posted on Blackboard.
Course Materials
Tutor(s)
Gil, Nuno
Timetable
Friday 9am - 11am
https://ughandbook.portals.mbs.ac.uk/Non-MBSstudents/Teachingtimetables.aspx
Dr. Nuno Gil
Professor of New Infrastructure Development,
Personal webpage: https://phps.portals.mbs.ac.uk/NunoGil/
Email: nuno.gil@mbs.ac.uk
Teaching Methods
Methods of delivery: Lectures complemented by participative learning activities including small
group work, discussions, assigned reading and case study analysis.
Lecture hours: 24 (2 hours per week over 12 weeks)
Seminar hours: none
Private study: 76
Total study hours: 100
Informal Contact Methods
1. Office Hours
2. Online Learning Activities (blogs, discussions, self assessment questions)
3. Peer Assisted Study Sessions
Preliminary reading
Date of last revision of course unit specification: 05 March 2014
The above information is for academic year 2014/15
Keywords
projects
programmes
development
governance
control
flexibility
risk management
stakeholder management