Project Management – Information Technology (PMC)

An introduction to the terminology, life cycles and core processes involved in the management of IT projects. Students also learn the responsibilities that a project manager has during the development and implementation of an IT project and the required skill sets a Project Manager needs in order to successfully meet these responsibilities. Theory is supported by hands-on practice with the software, tools and techniques involved in project management. Students gain a basic understanding of scheduling tools and the processes that are part of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).

A look at the structures and processes involved in for-profit, non-profit, and government organizations and the information systems that support them.   Reporting centres, cost and profit centres, and information systems are discussed. Students get an overview of the business areas for each type of organization and look at the challenges of working with the stakeholders and emerging technologies from these areas in order to develop a useful computer-based information system.

Students learn the skills they need to lead and manage a project team working on a computer-based solution. They learn to motivate team members, delegate, tap into domain expertise, identify team strengths and weaknesses. They learn to negotiate with stakeholders, vendors and other teams; to manage conflict, problem solve, and direct project activity.

This course provides students with a comprehensive framework that includes the principles, aspects, and processes of Scrum and contrasts it to PMBOK. It looks at the six foundational Scrum principles, five Scrum aspects to be addressed throughout any project and nineteen Scrum processes involved in carrying out a Scrum project. Students learn the scrum phases including initiate, plan, and estimate, implement, review, retrospect and release and details such as inputs and outputs of each process and various tools that may be used in each process. They apply Scrum techniques demonstrating hands-on skills using popular Project Management tools.

Students learn advanced techniques of IT project management and control including managing large projects and off-shore projects, budgeting and sharing resources across multiple projects, responding to changes in plan and technologies and understanding when to shut a project down. Cost estimation, project audit and project reporting are also discussed.

Students learn the purpose and content of each type of contract that an IT project manager might encounter. They learn how to ensure legality of acquisition, outsourcing and ownership, and techniques for understanding contractual obligations involved in IT projects. Ethics and professionalism in dealing with stakeholders, staff and third parties are discussed.

The course presents projects as value delivery systems for organizations and community and sets a standard for Project Management. This includes governance systems for value delivery, functions that need to be performed to support projects, the internal and external factors that influence projects and the ways in which portfolios, programs, projects, and products relate. The scope of the sustainability efforts include UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

This course empowers students to take their most crucial next step in securing their project management career goals with support from faculty members. Students select one of the following based on their own professional development needs. 1. Participating in an actual class-led project or capstone assignment or 2. Working in a practicum/internship with an approved local business partner to gain direct experience or 3. Creating and submitting applied research project plans (NSERC or OCI) with the intention of obtaining approval. 4. Instructor-approved personal improvement projects typically involving non-trivial industry certification such as PMP