7115IBA Managing Complex Projects Assignment
A1: Project for Learning – INSTRUCTIONS
Task description
- Written 2000-word report (excluding appendix)
- Individual assignment
- 4 academic references (minimum)
- Due date: 12 April 17:00 hrs.
- Weight: 40 %
- Submission: Electronic submission only
Project for Learning
This assignment (A1) has two components. First, you need to develop a Project for Learning (PfL). Second, you need to analyse your PfL.
COMPONENT 1: Development of PfL (8 marks)
Step 1: Student needs to define one ‘case’ to develop your PfL. There are two alternatives.
Alternative 1: You must use your own work experience to develop a brief account of a project with which you are familiar. You must select a particular experience in which you were either directly or indirectly involved. This case has to be suitable for analysis using some of the theories/concepts presented in this course. What is important is that the student has at least some ‘insider’ information about the project to be able to develop this assignment.
Names of people and companies might remain anonymous.
Alternative 2:
- Use the Dreamworld case (A copy of this case is available in the course site. Go To Assessments (left side menu)/A1: Assessment 1).
Note, students with work experience must select alternative 1. Students with little or no work experience must select alternative 2. Failure to comply with instructions will be penalised (**).
Step 2: You need to summarize your selected ‘case’ (alternatives 1 or 2) in a 3-page summary. Please attach this summary as an appendix of A1. Suggested structure:
- Describe the goals of the project.
-
- Describe the main characteristics of the project in terms of people, technology, resources and institutions involved.
-
- What people expected from the project in terms of cost, time and performance?
-
- What were the real outcomes?
-
- Was there too much difference between the expected and real outcomes?
- Who initiated the project, and why?
- Who were the main stakeholders of the project?
Write a short introduction containing an overview of your PfL (if you selected alternative 2), your role in the project and how you collected information (if you selected alternative 1) and what you will present in following sections. Explain why your project is suitable for this assignment (alternatives 1 and 2).
COMPONENT 2: Application of models
Step 3:
- Apply each one of the 3 models from the Screening dimension (8-feature model, Cynefin and Diamond) to your PfL. You need to retrospectively apply each model in order to explain, separately, how each model helps to understand your project. In this step you need to graphically locate your project and explain the rationale of your choice (why and how). (10 marks)
- Based on the previous application of models, select the best suitable model to understand your project. Explain and justify why and how. (10 marks)
- Provide a critical reflexion about the strengths and weaknesses (limitations) of the selected model to help you to understand your project. (12 marks)
Note, strong answers are explanatory and include a combination of empirical results (application of models), arguments drawn from quality academic references and plenty of deep thinking.
**Prescribed instructions:
- Students should not base their assignment on case studies, internet sources, web site company information.
- Students who use software to edit/improve/translate their text must disclose the name of the software used and its purpose.
- Students who use an English couch/teacher to improve the text, must disclose the name of the English teacher, and specify portions of the assignment worked out.
- Students should not use any AI-based software to draft/produce/write/re- write/translate/draw any portion of the assignment.
- Students need to keep drafts of versions of the report as well as copies of resources/material used to develop the assignment.
Failure to comply with any of the above-prescribed instructions will be heavily penalised. The course convenor might request students a meeting to clarify any aspect of the assignment.
Specifications and Format
- This is a 2000-word report (excluding appendix)
- Use Times New Roman, font 12, single space.
- References: use either Harvard or APA style.
- Pages must be numbered (top right).
- Cover page: Indicate only Full name; Student ID number; title of PfL;. Do not use Griffith University official cover page; Griffith Logo.
- Executive Summary is not necessary.
- Table of Contents is not necessary.
- File format: A1 [surname] [snumber]. Example: A1 Guzman and Gomez s999999.
Submission procedures
- A1 must be submitted electronically only.
- Electronic files must be saved in ‘pdf’ or ‘docx’ format.
- Submission points are available in course site.
Marking Criteria
For detailed marking criteria, see ‘Assessment’ tab in course site.