1. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia 1 Engineering Project Management Doing not teaching Dr Marcin Ziemski University of Queensland, Australia

2. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia2 Engineering project management Engineering is a technical field but… We all feel the need for more non-technical skills in our eng curricula We all feel the need for more non-technical skills in our eng curricula –Communication, written, project management, social responsibility Project management is essential to good engineering Project management is essential to good engineering –Professional groups say so too

3. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia3 Engineering project management Nature of project management Difficult to teach Difficult to teach Difficult to learn Difficult to learn Some say the only way to learn PM is by doing Some say the only way to learn PM is by doing‘ ‘ I hear and I forget… I see and I believe… I do and I understand’

4. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia4 Engineering project management Doing not teaching Story of a learn-by-doing project management course –School of ITEE at UQ, Brisbane, Australia History and course conception History and course conception Evolution of course Evolution of course Assessment methods and insights Assessment methods and insights Words of wisdom Words of wisdom

5. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia5 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Background 1994: school review at ITEE at UQ, Australia ‘we believe that the teaching of unmotivated math and science followed by incrementally updated technical courses is fundamentally flawed...We believe the real impact in engineering education will be made only by looking at the curriculum as a whole, in the context of present technological and societal needs, and not just by constant repolishing of aging courses...’ Resulted in a new learn-by-doing PM course in 4 th (final) year of engineering degree

6. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia6 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Course structure True learn-by-doing Gave students a project group to manage + Lectures, tutorials 4 th year Project Manager student 2nd or 3 rd Year student 2nd or 3rd Year student 2nd or 3rd Year student Project group

7. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia7 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Course evolution 1996-2000 Students given a project to manage Lectures Lectures –Mostly given by guest practicing project managers –Limited PM theory (focus on practical skills) –Assessment based on essays about lectures Results Results –Good essays but no evidence of application –Students looked at assessment criteria not applying new skills

8. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia8 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Course evolution 2000 New course coordinator started in 2000 Assessment aligned with PM performance Assessment aligned with PM performance Lectures were formalised and addressed Lectures were formalised and addressed –Project life cycle –Work breakdown structures –Scheduling (Pert, Gantt etc) –PM-related skills such as communication, presentation skills, entrepreneurship –Assessment based on PM journal and PM documentation Results Results –PM documentation was found to be a ‘creative interpretation’ of true project progress –Assessable items manufactured to address the assessment criteria

9. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia9 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Course evolution 2001-2003 Assessment methods were changed to address the ‘manufacturing of evidence’ problem Assessment methods were changed to address the ‘manufacturing of evidence’ problem Areas assessed included Areas assessed included 1.Scope Statement 2.Project Management Systems / Policies 3.Plan / Schedule 4.Project Review 5.Project Closure 6.Project Grade. Results Results –Point 6 was successful but administratively problematic (2004 diff) –Assessment was still a paper-generating exercise –Still manufactured

10. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia10 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Course evolution Other issues with the learn-by-doing PM course Too many project managers for the teams available Too many project managers for the teams available –3 or 4 students per group supervised Some project managers took no effort Some project managers took no effort –Affecting their project group Students wanted more PM earlier in the curriculum (before final year) Students wanted more PM earlier in the curriculum (before final year) Despite issues, feedback was generally very +ive Despite issues, feedback was generally very +ive

11. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia11 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching 2005 – another restructure Embed PM training throughout 4 year degree Embed PM training throughout 4 year degree Maintain learn-by-doing pedagogy Maintain learn-by-doing pedagogy Maintain senior student supervision of more junior teams Maintain senior student supervision of more junior teams –Not in stand-alone PM course

12. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia12 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Lessons Learned Word of warning Be prepared to have a PM course criticised if the project solutions are poor –Poor project solutions reflect on student’s technical skills (and therefore other curricula) –But this is not how it is often seen Rubbish in = rubbish out

13. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia13 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Lessons Learned Assessment Informal PM skills very important in developing PM skills Informal PM skills very important in developing PM skills –Personality types, communication, team building etc Team structure very important for successful teams Team structure very important for successful teams –Mixing various academic achievers in teams is dangerous –A high average academic record in a team rarely generates a top project

14. Dr Marcin Ziemski - University of Queensland, Australia14 Engineering PM: Doing not teaching Lessons Learned Students Students lie very well Students lie very well Students are clever with assessment Students are clever with assessment You can’t beat them You can’t beat them So join them: Don’t get caught up in the assessment Generate the PM experience – most important!