Advanced Methods for Complex Projects

This course explores the planning and execution challenges that often cause complex projects to fail. The course provides a historical perspective regarding project management practices, and reviews evidence regarding trends in project outcomes. For example, despite the use of commonly accepted methods for project management and systems engineering, the success rate of NASA and DoD programs, as measured by schedule, budget, and requirements performance, is trending downward. The evidence shows similar trends in commercial industries (e.g., the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft programs). The course addresses why the methods embodied in the Project Management Institute's (PMI) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) are sometimes insufficient to assure project success. The course then explores remedies drawn from recent research and cases in complex systems development and global teaming case studies. The instructor will host online reviews of readings and discussion. Students will learn and leverage visual modeling and simulation tools for the design of complex projects. Participation is voluntary, but recommended. Methods to handle complex, concurrent, and mutual dependencies across organizations and cultures will be applied. Based on case studies, the instructor will introduce Project Design methods, including student access to TeamPort project modeling and simulation software. The course culminates with teams in an online role play exercise to demonstrate collaborative planning and decision-making using these advanced methods. This exercise will require dedicated, synchronous interaction with other team members. Prerequisite: ICT 4100 or equivalent experience.