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Course Syllabus

Course Information
OPRE 6376
Advanced Project Management and Simulation
Online Fall 2008

Professor Contact Information

Mr. James Szot jimszot@utdallas.edu (Instructor of Record)
Mr. James Joiner jamesj@utdallas.edu
Mr. Lothar Katz katz@utdallas.edu
Dr. Thomas Sheives tom.s@utdallas.edu

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

OPRE 6375 Project Execution and Closeout

Course Description
This course explores advanced topics in project management including maturity models, project
portfolio management, program management, PM offices, leadership and management
perspectives; power and politics in organizations, quantitative management and decision making
tools, and concludes with a simulation modeling all five of the project management process
groups.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Students will demonstrate the ability to
• Describe the processes for aligning an organization’s projects with its strategic objectives
• Describe techniques used to assure organizational processes are effective and efficient
• Describe quantitative management and decision making tools
• Plan and execute a simulated project

Required Textbooks and Materials

Articles

Cooke-Davies, Terry (2004, Summer) Consistently Doing the Right Projects and Doing
Them Right – What Metrics Do You Need? The Measured, 44-52.
Cook-Davies, Terry (2002, May) Project management maturity models: does it make
sense to adopt one? Project Manager Today, 1-4.
Cooper, Robert G., Edgett, Scott J., and Kleinschmidt, Elko J. (1997, Sept/Oct) Portfolio
Management in New Product Development: Lessons from the Leaders – I. Research
Technology Management, 16-28.

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Cooper, Robert G., Edgett, Scott J., and Kleinschmidt, Elko J. (1997, Nov/Dec) Portfolio
Management in New Product Development: Lessons from the Leaders – II. Research
Technology Management, 43-52.
Pellegrinelli, Sergio (1997) Programme management: organizing project-based change.
International Journal of Project Management (15, 3), 141-149.
Thiry, Michel (2004) “For DAD”: a programme management life-cycle process.
International Journal of Project Management (22), 245-252.

Books (purchased by student or available on http://www.pmi.org/resources):

Morris, Peter and Jamieson, Ashley (2004) Translating Corporate Strategy into Project
Strategy: Realizing Corporate Strategy Through Project Management, Project
Management Institute. ISBN 1-930699-37-9 [PMI eReads and Reference]
Project Management Institute (2003) Organizational Project Management Maturity
Model: OPM3 Knowledge Foundation, Project Management Institute, Newtown Square,
PA. ISBN 1-930699-40-9 [PMI Standards]
Project Management Institute (2003) Practice Standard for Portfolio Management,
Project Management Institute, Newtown Square, PA. ISBN 1-930699-40-9 [PMI
Standards]
Project Management Institute (2003) Practice Standard for Program Management,
Project Management Institute, Newtown Square, PA. ISBN 1-930699-40-9 [PMI
Standards]
Verma, Vijay (1997) Managing the Project Team, Newtown Square, PA: Project
Management Institute. ISBN 1-880410-42-7
Cases

Chattanooga Challenge

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Assignments & Academic Calendar

Title/Date Overview Objectives Assignments

Organizational Project
Management These modules explore the
processes for aligning an
Jim Szot organization’s projects with its
strategic objectives and
Modules 50-54 techniques used to assure they
are effective and efficient.
December 15, 2008
Topics to be Covered
through • Project Management
February 1, 2009
Competence
• Project Management Maturity
20 points
Models
• Project Portfolio Management
• Program Management
• PM Offices
As a result of these modules you will be better
prepared to:
• Discuss the relationship between overall
organization strategy, project portfolio
management, program management, and project
management
• Discuss the process, benefits, and risks of
organizational maturity assessment
• Discuss the benefits, shortcomings, and types of
PM Offices
• Assess the maturity of project management in
your organization, identify high impact
improvement opportunities, and develop action
plans to capitalize on those opportunities
Reading Assignments
• PMI, OPM3 Knowledge Foundation
• Cook-Davies , Project management
maturity…
• PMI, Translating Corporate Strategy…
• Cooper and Edgett, Portfolio Management…
I and II
• PMI, Practice Standard for Portfolio
Management
• Pellegrinelli, Programme management…
• PMI, Practice Standard for Program
Management
• Thiry, “For DAD”: a programme
management…
• Cooke-Davies, Consistently Doing the
Right…
Individual Assignment (20 points)
• Program Reflection. Download from
Blackboard. Post response to Blackboard by
Noon, February 15, 2009
Team Assignment (20 points) – See attached
instruction sheet
• Post your completed questionnaire to your
team’s discussion board on Blackboard by
Noon, Sunday, December 21, 2008
• Post your team response to the questions to
Blackboard Assignments by Noon, Sunday,
January 11, 2009
• Post your presentation to Blackboard
Assignments by Noon, Sunday, February
1, 2009
• Evaluate your team members’ contributions

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Title/Date Overview
On-campus Retreat – February 20 – 23, 8 AM – 5 PM
Behavioral In this module, we will explore
Assessment human behavior, how we
perceive ourselves as behaving,
Module 55 and how others perceive that
same behavior. We’ll measure
Feb 4 AM our behavior under both normal
and stressful conditions by
completing a widely used and
effective behavioral instrument,
LIFO, or Life Orientation.
We will use the Dr. Stuart Atkins’ 3. Understanding the behavioral strengths of
LIFO Instrument to first measure
our own behavioral strengths,
followed by others’ perception of
our demonstrated behavioral
characteristics.
Course Syllabus
Objectives Assignments
to completing the team assignment by
completing the peer team assessment on
Blackboard by 8 AM, Wednesday,
February 4, 2009
Web Conferences
• December 14, 2008, 5 PM CST –
Requirements for completing modules 50-54
(in conjunction with module 49 web
conference)
• January 11, 2009, 5 PM CST – OPM3
Process
• February 1, 2009, 5 PM CST – OPM3 Team
Presentations
This module introduces the use of a behavioral Reading Assignment
measurement instrument as a tool to improve Verma, Managing the Project Team (entire book)
project team effectiveness.
In-class assignments
There are three critical considerations regarding
project team member behavior:
1. Understanding the behavioral strengths of
each team member
2. Understanding the behavioral strengths of the
project manager
team members and project managers under
both normal and adverse conditions…such as
high stress.
A team that is well aware of the behavioral
strengths and characteristics of the manager and
the team members before the stress environment
occurs is a team that is better prepared to work
efficiently and effectively under stress.
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Title/Date Overview Objectives Assignments

Individual Behavior In this module, we will explore
Reward Systems various elements of what
motivates people to perform, how
Module 56 to leverage that knowledge and
how this impacts project team
Feb 4 PM performance.
We will review the aspects of
managing people’s performance,
focusing on what motivates
people…Looking at theorists
such as Maslow, Mayo, Herzberg
and McClelland, we will focus on
one of them - David McClelland.
Key elements of McClelland’s
motivation model are as follows:
1. Achievement
2. Affiliation
3. Power and Influence
The purpose of this module is to provide the basic Reading Assignment:
skills and knowledge required of project teams and ƒ Verma, Managing the Project Team
project management to accomplish the following:
• Gain understanding of the elements that In-class assignments
motivate people to perform
• Discuss and gain understanding of the various
theorists on the topic of motivation.
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of how
to apply the motivation tools provided.
• Gain an appreciation of how motivation
interviewing can be an effective tool to achieve
project objectives..
• Provide the platform and tools for the team to
gain a comprehensive understanding of the
motivation measurement of each individual
team member.

Executing Projects in We will explore how differences Required Reading:

a Global Environment in cultural values and beliefs
affect project management
Lothar Katz practices in areas such as
project initiation, stakeholder
Module 57 management, progress
monitoring, conflict prevention
Feb 5 AM and resolution, and ongoing
communication.
• Identify what cultural knowledge is critical for
success in cross-cultural projects
• Gain understanding of effective task balancing
in global projects
• Discuss and gain understanding of how to
prevent cultural friction
Gray and Larson, Chapter 15, International
Projects
Assignments
• Prepare answers to the “Case Study:
Chattanooga Challenge” found on
Blackboard (Team Assignment)
• Come prepared to discuss and share your
own international project work experiences

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Title/Date Overview Objectives Assignments

Accounting and Review of accounting and • Prepare you starting for the Business Core
Statistics Preparation statistics principles that will phase of the program
assist you in the next phase
Jim Joiner of the program
Module 58

Feb 5 PM

Project Simulation Project teams compete in a Demonstrate your ability to work in a team to plan In-class reports
simulated project environment and execute a simulated project
Tom Sheives

Modules 59-62

Feb 6 – 7

20 points

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Grading Policy
Graded assignments should be posted to Blackboard or delivered in class by the stated deadlines. For
assignments to be posted to Blackboard: If you do not find a link, e-mail Dave Wurmstein
[wurm@utdallas.edu], Carolyn Cooper-Murriel [carolync@utdallas.edu] and Jim Szot
[jimszot@utdallas.edu].

Assignments Module Percentage Type Due Date

Feb 1, 5 PM
Note
OPM Team Organizational Project preceding
20% Team
Presentation Management (50-54) interim
deliverables in
instructions
Project Simulation In-class
Project Simulation (57-60) 20% Team
(in-class) Feb 6-7
Organizational Project Feb 15
Program Reflection 20% Individual
Management (50-54 Noon
Career Management Feb 28,
Course 40% Individual
Plan Midnight

Technical Support

For assistance with Blackboard, Elluminate, and other Project Management Program technology
issues, e-mail Dave Wurmstein [wurm@utdallas.edu] and Carolyn Cooper-Murriel
[carolync@utdallas.edu].

If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email to
assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911. Do not contact the
UTD Computer Helpdesk for questions about or problems with Blackboard or Elluminate.
They cannot help you – these products are supported by the Project Management Program.

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University Policies

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations
for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and
each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern
student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained
in the UTD printed publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each
academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and
Regulations, Series 50000, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, and in Title V,
Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.
Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391) and online at
http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-HOPV.html

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship.
He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules,
university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the
standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or
criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because
the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the
student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual
honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic Dishonesty, any student who commits an act of scholastic dishonesty is subject to
discipline. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the
submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another
person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a
student or the attempt to commit such acts.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other
source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see
general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the
web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials, including music and software.
Copying, displaying, reproducing, or distributing copyrighted works may infringe the copyright
owner’s rights and such infringement is subject to appropriate disciplinary action as well as
criminal penalties provided by federal law. Usage of such material is only appropriate when that
usage constitutes “fair use” under the Copyright Act. As a UT Dallas student, you are required to
follow the institution’s copyright policy (Policy Memorandum 84-I.3-46). For more information
about the fair use exemption, see http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm

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Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues
concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university
encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email
address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a
UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the
identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD
furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses.
These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures
must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any
class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork
to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the
class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities,
of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments
of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to
resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the
grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain
primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at
that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the
respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of
Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic
Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic
appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at
the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade
must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the
required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the
specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

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Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)
disabilityservice@utdallas.edu

If you anticipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course, please meet with the
Coordinator of Disability Services. The Coordinator is available to discuss ways to ensure your
full participation in the course. If you determine that formal, disability-related accommodations
are necessary, it is very important that you be registered with Disability Services to notify them of
your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. Disability Services can then plan how best to
coordinate your accommodations.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members
to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special
accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for
the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are
exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding
the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to
take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period
equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the
instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A
student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a
failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of
observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has
been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the
student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or
his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative
intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
executive officer or designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

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Organizational Project Management

Module 50-54
Instructions

Reading assignments
ƒ PM Competence and Maturity Models
• PMI, Organizational Project Management Maturity Model Knowledge
Foundation.
• Cook-Davies, Project management maturity models: does it make sense
to adopt one?
ƒ Project Portfolio Management
• PMI, Translating Corporate Strategy into Project Strategy: Realizing
Corporate Strategy Through Project Management.
• Cooper and Edgett, Portfolio Management in New Product Development:
Lessons from the Leaders – I and II (two documents)
• PMI, Portfolio Management Draft Standard
ƒ Program Management
• Pellegrinelli, Programme management: organizing project-based change
• PMI, Program Management Draft Standard
• Thiry, “For DAD”: a programme management life-cycle process
ƒ PM Offices
• Cooke-Davies, Consistently Doing the Right Projects and Doing Them
Right – What Metrics Do You Need?

Individual assignment
1. Complete all the reading assignments and review the class presentation material.
2. Download the program reflection assignment from Blackboard.
3. Edit the document with your responses and post to Blackboard prior to Noon,
Sunday, February 15, 2009.

Team assignment
1. Be sure to have read the first three sections of the Organizational Project
Management Maturity Model Knowledge Foundation (pages 1 – 46).
2. Download the OPM3 question spreadsheet from Blackboard and individually
answer each of the questions. Post your completed questionnaire to your team’s
discussion board on Blackboard by Noon, Sunday, December 21, 2008.
3. Compare your responses to the questions with those of your teammates.
4. Meet as a team to discuss the differences in responses and agree on a response
that best represents the consensus of all the team members for each question
(the purpose of this assignment is to model the OPM3 assessment process and
will result in an assessment for a fictitious organization - it is not to come up with
an assessment that matches your individual organization). Add comments to
individual questions as appropriate. Post your team response to the questions to
Blackboard Assignments by Noon, Sunday, January 11, 2009.
5. Your responses to the questions will be analyzed by the OPM3 tool and you will
be notified when the results are available on Blackboard (by 5 PM, Friday,
January 16, 2009).

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6. Download the results from BlackBoard. Examine the lists of best practices that
the assessment indicates are present or absent in your fictituous organization.
Note any obvious discrepancies between your perception of the organization and
the assessment results.
7. Select two best practices that are not present in the organization at the present
time and from which the organization would receive substantial benefit if they
were present.
8. Meet as a team and share your analysis with your teammates. As a team,
prepare a presentation that includes:
a. Compilation of best practice improvement opportunities, analysis of
underlying capabilities, and improvement action plans for each best
practice submitted by team members (total number of best practices
examined not to exceed 2 times the number of team members).
b. Observations on using OPM3 as a tool to improve organizational results
(pluses and deltas).
c. Observations on the use of PM Maturity models to improve organizational
results in general.
9. Post your presentation to BlackBoard Assignments by Noon, Sunday, February
1, 2009 and select a presenter for the web conference.

Required Discussion Board Postings

Individual answers to the OPM3 questionaire by Noon, Sunday, December 21, 2008.

Team Evaluation
Required. You will evaluate your team members’ contributions to completing the team
assignment. Complete the peer assessment by 8 AM, Wednesday, February 4, 2009.

Course Syllabus Page 12