Syllabus

IT Resource Planning: IT443, Section 1

Fall 2005

Professor James Moody email jmoody@gmu.edu Office Wednesdays, Fairfax: Science & Technology 1, Room 2C Tuesdays, Prince William: Bull Run Hall, Room 122A Office Hours Wednesdays: 12:00 to 1:00 PM Tuesdays: 4:30 to 5:30 PM

Text:

Course Objectives:

1. Understand the importance of project management in improving the success of information technology projects.
2. Understand the constraints of project management.
3. Learn the project lifecycle, project management knowledge areas and process groups.
4. Learn tools and techniques of project management, such as:
   • Project selection methods,
   • Work breakdown structures,
   • Network diagrams, critical path analysis and critical chain scheduling
   • Cost estimation
   • Earned value management
   • Team building
5. Appreciate the importance of good project management and share examples of good and bad project management

Course Structure:

The course will be conducted as a mixture of lecture and discussion. Students are expected to actively participate. Students are expected to research a project management process and present their findings to the class. Students are expected to write a research paper on a project as a whole.

Assignments:

Assigned exercises from the textbook are due as specified below. Late assignments will not be accepted. In some cases the exercise calls for a short paper to be written; length suggestions in the book notwithstanding, such papers should not exceed 700 words.

Research Paper:

Students will research a completed project (not necessarily an IT project) and write a paper (between 1500 and 2500 words) describing the project in PMI terms.

Presentations:

Developing presentation skills is important for everyone, plus it's a good way to share information. Each student will prepare and present a presentation on one of the PMI-defined processes. Students should sign up for their preferred process as soon as possible: first come, first served. Presentations should be intended to run 10 to 15 minutes. Deliver your presentation notes, including a bibliography. Presentations will be evaluated based on content, delivery, and audience response.

Exams:

There will be two exams: a Midterm and a Final. All will be closed book, in-class. There will be no makeup exams for any reason.

Grades:

The numerical score is then translated into a letter grade using the following scale:
A: 94-100
A-: 90-93
B+: 86-89
B: 83-85
B-: 80-82
C+: 75-79
C: 70-74
D: 60-69
F: 0-59

Academic Honesty:

Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on an exam or assignment or failure in the course. They are also violations of the GMU Honor Code and may be reported to the Honor Committee.

Schedule: