Project and process management

This is a highly quantitative course where students are expected to have a firm knowledge of linear programming and simulation. In this course, we deal with a variety of non-repetitive processes, ranging from quite predictable one-of-a-kind engineer to order projects, to incremental product innovation projects and high innovative product innovation projects. Uncertainty may exist at various levels. First it may be uncertain what processes need to be carried out to complete the project. Second it may be uncertain whether a given process leads to a certain desired outcome. Third, it may be uncertain how much resource and time is needed to perform the process. In the course we discuss control concepts and treat advanced planning and control techniques for projects with uncertainty in process execution. Furthermore we discuss the methods and techniques to control projects with uncertainty in processes such as: overlapping of development tasks early stage solution testing, design iterations and prototyping, and frequent review meetings. Empirical research regarding the results obtained with the use of these techniques for the control of various types of non-repetitive processes is also discussed.

The vast majority of improvement and innovation endeavors are carried out in projects. Projects differ in two respects: complexity (magnitude of the effort, number of groups and organizations that need to be coordinated, diversity in skills or expertise needed) and uncertainty (predictability of the final outcome in terms of time, cost and technical performance). Many concepts, models, methods and techniques have been developed and applied to manage unique configurations of idiosyncratic tasks with respect to the main elements of these dimensions. However, in most organizations many projects are being carried out simultaneously. Adequate project management within a product development organization includes that projects must be planned separately as well as in connection to each other. The ability to make a sound contribution to project management presupposes in-depth knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and empirical basis of both aspects of project management. In this course students will be challenged to examine the appropriateness, usefulness and academic status of project management principles and methods that are generally applied in the field of process and product innovation.
After taking the course students are able to:

1. Explain in their own words the fundamental concepts of project planning and management. (Knowledge competence)
2. Identify the strengths and weakness of the fundamental concepts in project planning and management. (Skills competence)
3. Formulate critical questions regarding the generalizability of the fundamental concepts across different project types. (Attitude competence)
4. Apply the fundamental concepts in the project planning and management literature in real-life settings. (Skills competence)

You must meet one of the following collections of requirements

• Collection 1
• Completed Final examination Bsc program
• Collection 2
• Completed Pre-Master

• reader with scientific papers on project and process management