https://courseoutline.auckland.ac.nz/dco/course/ENGGEN/731/1243

ENGGEN 731 : Agile and Lean Project Management

Engineering

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The culture, structures, roles, tools and techniques required for effective management of projects in uncertain, volatile and ambiguous environments where the project scope evolves or the timescale is the primary driver. Students will learn advanced techniques and apply them to reinforce their learning.

Course Overview

This course is designed to deliver a broad understanding of the Agile and Lean approaches to project management, how they differ from the conventional model, where they are used, case studies, and how to implement the approach. The coursework is designed to allow students to demonstrate their ability to apply the course content in practice.

The course will have a total of 11 lectures, delivered weekly, followed by a 1-2 hour tutorial / practical workshop. In weeks 10 and 11 students will demonstrate their work to date on the group assignment.  In week 12 the students will present their final products from the group assignment. The group assignment is a significant part of the course.  As such, students are expected to make time to meet with their team members.

The weekly topics covered in the lectures are as follows (note that the order in which topics are delivered may change):
  1. Introduction to Agile and Lean Project Management
  2. Conventional PM overview
  3. Interactions and Individuals: Teams
  4. Product Ownership and Customer Collaboration
  5. Leadership, Motivation, and Teamwork
  6. Scrum
  7. Scaling Agile
  8. Other Approaches and Wider Use of the Agile Mindset
  9. Working Product
  10. Responding to Change
  11. Agile in practice / application / evaluation
  12. Final presentation & summary development process highlights
The weekly tutorial is a participatory workshop in which students are expected to contribute to case studies and actively participate in the application of theories to problems and workshop scenarios. It is essential that everyone attends tutorials in weeks 10 and 11 to present their team assignment, and week 12 lecture time for the final presentation. Failure to attend and actively contribute will be reflected in the marking for the assignment.
 
The course delivery adopts a flexible learning approach in which materials are delivered via a mix of face-to-face and online methods. Students are expected to undertake considerable additional work per week reading and completing assignments.

Course Requirements

Restriction: ENGGEN 740

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Graduate Profile: Master of Engineering Project Management

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain the origins and fundamental principles, disciplines, concepts, tools, techniques, and approaches to project management in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments. (Capability 3.2 and 4.1)
  2. Apply the fundamental principles, disciplines, concepts, tools, techniques and approaches of project management in volatile, uncertain, complex, or ambiguous environments to a collaborative project, and cite evidence of where this has been done. (Capability 3.2, 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1)
  3. Critically evaluate the fundamental principles, disciplines, concepts, tools, techniques, and approaches of project management in volatile, uncertain, complex, or ambiguous environments and their relevance/application to collaborative projects and organisations. (Capability 3.2, 4.2, 6.1 and 7.1)
  4. Critically evaluate their own and others' ability to apply Lean and Agile project management principles, disciplines, concepts, tools and techniques to a project or organisation in a volatile, uncertain, complex, or ambiguous environment with a team of diverse individuals, and develop improvement plans. (Capability 3.2, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1)
  5. Apply tools and techniques to communicate and present project documentation, information, deliverables and reports to stakeholders. (Capability 6.1 and 7.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments (individual) 35% Individual Coursework
Reflection 35% Individual Coursework
Assignments (Group) 30% Group Coursework
3 types 100%
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Assignments (individual)
Reflection
Assignments (Group)

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and the total workload is 150 hours. For this course, you can expect:

  • 30 hours of lectures/tutorials,
  • 40 hours of self-directed study and reading and thinking about the subject, and
  • 80 hours of assignments/projects.

The team assignment will require that you engage in at least 1 hour of face-to-face meetings per week with your team members (self-organised) as part of the assignment workload (included in the amount break down).

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.
Lectures and tutorials will be available as recordings.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning 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.

There are no prescribed texts. Students may find a number of texts that cover the course material well, and should refer to several where possible. The following texts are suggested:
  • PMI, (2021) A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK Guide), 7th Edition (available as free electronic resource for student members of PMI)
  • Stellman, A., & Greene, J. (2014). Learning Agile. Sebastapol, California: O'Reilly.
  • Cline, A. (2015). Agile Development In The Real World. New York: Apress.
  • Goodpasture, J. C. (2010). Project Management the Agile Way - Making it Work in the Enterprise . Fort Lauderdale, Fl: J. Ross Publishing Inc.
  • Sutherland, J. (2014). Scrum. New York: Random House.
 The following are referred to on the course and will prove useful:
  • Adams, R. (2010). If you build it will they come? : three steps to test and validate any market opportunity. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
  • Adkins, L. (2010). Coaching agile teams : a companion for ScrumMasters, agile coaches, and project managers in transition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley.
  • Carroll, J. (2012). Agile project management in easy steps. Warwickshire, UK: In Easy Steps. Crowder, J. A., & Friess, S. (2015). Agile Project Management: Managing for Success. Switzerland: Springer.
  • Gladwell, M. (2005). Blink. New York: Time Warner.
  • Highsmith, J. (2004). Agile Project Management. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley.
  • Kennedy, M. N. (2003). Product Development for the Lean Enterprise. Richmond, Virginia: Oaklea Press.
  • Layton, M. (2012). Agile project management for dummies. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
  • Lencioni, P. (2005). Overcoming the five dysfunctions of a team : a field guide for leaders, managers, and facilitators. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  • Oosterwal, D. P. (2010). The lean machine : how Harley-Davidson drove top-line growth and profitability with revolutionary lean product development. New York: American Management Association.
  • Pichler, R. (2010). Agile Product Management With Scrum - Creating Products that Customers Love. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley.
  • Poppendiek, M., & Poppendiek, T. (2003). LeanSoftware Development An Agile Toolkit. Upper Sadle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley.
  • Ries, E. (2011). The lean startup : how today's entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful business. New York: Crown Business.
  • Schwaber, K. (2004). Agile project management with Scrum. Redmond, Wash.: Microsoft Press. Scott, S. (2004). Fierce conversations : achieving success at work & in life, one conversation at a time. New York: Berkley Books.
  • Tan, C.-M. (2012). Search inside yourself : the unexpected path to achieving success, happines, (and world peace). New York: HarperOne

Health & Safety

There are no special risks associated with this course.  All activities are conducted in lecture theatres or immediately adjacent to them and so no special precautions are required.  All attendees should remain vigilant for hazards and report anything of concern to the lecturer immediately.
Students are encouraged to discuss any workload-related issues with the facilitator at the earliest possible time and to prepare their assignments from the start of the course, rather than waiting until the deadlines.
Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy

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.

Based on previous feedback, one assignment has been eliminated and the reflective journal has been introduced to inform the reflection assignment.

Other Information

Restricted to postgraduate students only.

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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, 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 course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, 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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.