ENGGEN 303 : Managing Projects and Innovation

Engineering

2021 Semester One (1213) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Introduction to theory and practice of managing projects, innovation, product development and service delivery. Students work in interdisciplinary teams to complete a project based on a complex real-world systems scenario. Project management and innovation topics are integrated with design studies covered in previous courses, and extended to wider business issues of risk and opportunities, entrepreneurship, financial management, and regulatory issues.

Course Overview

In our modern society projects are a fundamental organizing element of life, and essential for engineering works, business actives, and social enterprises. Fundamental project management skills are required for engineers but do not fully address the needs of our modern context. The ability to respond to our complex world by innovating and providing sustainable practices is now necessary.

ENGGEN 303 helps students situate the engineer's role in our society while introducing foundational concepts of Project management, Innovation, and Sustainability, from mātauranga Māori and international perspectives. ENGGEN 303 builds on the skills of communication and collaboration developed during ENGGEN 204 and calls on design skills from ENGGEN 115. Challenging students to put this knowledge and their creative problem-solving skills into practice.

ENGGEN 303 is delivered via blended modes of both online and in-person lectures and discussion sessions. However, the primary focus of the course is a design-based team project. Students will learn by operating within a work environment in an interdisciplinary team of their peers. Teams are tasked with developing a sustainable innovation of their own design, communicating the value of the innovation, and highlighting its sustainable features against the sustainable development goals. Teams will also use project management skills to translate this idea into a plan to make it a reality and assess their proposed project's economic viability.

ENGGEN 303 places emphasis on student freedom, creativity, and agency. Student success will rely on a strong work ethic, excellent teamwork skills, time management, and independent thinking. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: ENGGEN 199, 204

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Classify and describe the fundamental concepts of Project management, Innovation, and Sustainability. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 3.2, 6.1 and 6.2)
  2. Describe the fundamental principles and behaviors of high-performance teams. (Capability 4.1 and 4.3)
  3. Describe he mātauranga Māori world view and perspectives on Project Management, Innovation, Sustainability, and high-performance teams. (Capability 1.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 4.3, 6.1 and 6.2)
  4. Demonstrate collaborative practices by: A) Communicating with team members and working collaboratively to achieve a common prescribed goal. B) Giving and receiving constructive peer feedback. (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)
  5. Demonstrate project management skills by: A) Coordinating with a team in a timely manner B) Maintaining regular team meetings. C) Maintaining and recording timelines, tasks, and meeting minutes. (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)
  6. Design a sustainable innovation that solves a problem identified by and of importance to the team. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 6.1 and 6.2)
  7. Develop a business plan for a sustainable innovation project as a business venture or social enterprise which: A) Shows consideration and critical assessment of the project's economic viability, technical feasibility, desirably and sustainability B) Provides a comprehensive project management plan for its delivery C) Communicates the proposed sustainable innovation, project assessment, and plan in both written and verbal forms. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.3, 5.1, 6.1 and 6.2)
  8. Apply reflective practice to review and critically assess personal performance by: A) Reflecting and conducting a self-assessment benchmark B) Establishing and documenting clear expectations and goals C) Receiving and responding to peer feedback D) Reporting on personal performance by reflecting on; goals, documented performance, and peer feedback E) Reporting lessons learned and establishing new goals (Capability 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Sustainable Innovation Project 80% Group & Individual Coursework
Quizzes 20% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Sustainable Innovation Project
Quizzes

Workload Expectations

During the typical week, there will be 3 hours of course material and 1 hour of tutorials.
For the 12 teaching weeks, this totals to 48 hours. Since the course represents approximately 150 hours of study, that leaves a total of 102 hours across the entire semester for independent study.

This course has a large group workload component, and dedication is required for you and your team to achieve a good result. It is recommended teams allocate a minimum of 4 hours per week outside of tutorials to complete the group assessments. Students are encouraged to treat tutorials and group work as professional workplace environments.

Suggested workload
  • Lectures, Online course materials, and Live discussion sessions: Total hours: 36, Hours/week: 3
  • Individual work (Independent study, online quizzes, peer reviews, and individual assessments: Total hours: 48, Hours/week: 4
  •  Group work (Tutorials, Group meetings, and Project work): Total hours: 66, Hours/week: 5.5

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

It is expected students will attend on Campus, unless Covid 19 prevents them from doing so.

For students on campus:

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

The course will include live online events including group discussions and tutorials.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

For students who are only able to participate online due to the impact of Covid:

Attendance is required at scheduled online activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.

The course will include live online events including group discussions, and tutorials and these will be recorded.

Where possible, study material will be released progressively throughout the course.

This course runs to the University semester timetable and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.

Health & Safety

Students are expected to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Health and Safety section of the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

ENGGEN 303 a member of the course known as the ‘systems courses.’ We are aware of the reputation these courses have developed and are dedicated to making a positive change.
To this end, the teaching staff will be conducting course evaluations throughout the semester and will be actively engaging with the student body to assess how the learning experience is being received. 
If you wish to reach out to us independently to discuss the course design please feel free to do so.
Your honest feedback is welcome and most aprpciated. 
Ngā mihi,
ENGGEN 303 teaching team :)

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 17/02/2021 03:34 p.m.