Examination arrangement

Course content

The course focuses on the management and organisation of project work within single or multiple organisations. The course covers the following areas.

1. The context for project organising. Here we will be working with the different organisational settings within which projects occur: The demand side, supply side and the interorganisational project network that brings the participants into a temporary organisation with the aim to deliver on a common outcome.
2. Broader organizational (e.g., strategic and operational) considerations in project organising. Examples include organisational and project capabilities, value and benefits which are a part of designing and implementing project within and across organisations.
3. Project stakeholder engagement and management. Engagement and management of stakeholders internally and externally to projects is a key factor of effectiveness and realisation of benefits. The course will cover and the key approaches and frameworks to deal with the potential, impact and influence of stakeholder groups.
4. Project leadership. Besides their delivery mandate, project teams and managers should increasingly recognise and respond to numerous broader challenges captured in concepts such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment criteria. These challenges both require and provide opportunities for the development of the next generation of project leadership driving the development and transformation of the project profession. We will tackle some of the key leadership challenges and opportunities in project organising and discuss how project practitioners can engage with the strategy and policy level actors on these broader organisational and institutional agendas.

Sessions will be based on teaching cases and examples from international practices developed by course instructors and active engagement of the course participants contributing their experiences to the class discussions. He course is focusing on projects from a variety of fields and sectors, for example, urban infrastructure, technology development, and organisational change.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: The student has conceptual knowledge of basic principles, models and methods on project organisation and management. Students will develop an appreciation of the need to move beyond the traditional project management ‘toolkit approach’ based on predictable and standardised execution processes, tools and techniques for managing projects on time, within budget, and to the required specifications.

Skills: Using the frameworks presented in the course, students will be able to assess the unique challenges associated with projects their organisation is involved and design the appropriate approach to successfully manage them.

Learning methods and activities

The course will be carried out in the format of four full day sessions, with individual and group work taking place concurrently. Dates of the sessions are outlines in the text and sessions are envisioned to take place on NTNU campus. The learning material will comprise pre-recorded videos, teaching cases and literature that students will be asked to engage with in advance of the sessions. Classroom sessions will include case-based work, group work and discussions of examples to maximise the learning experience of the group. Between the two full-day session blocks, students will engage with the material through self-study and group work, with guidance and development of their individual assignment. There will be at least 2 virtual ‘office hours’ sessions between the live session blocks to support students with the development of their assignments.

Compulsory assignments

• Pre-session activities, class attendance, development of individual assignments

Further on evaluation

Assessment will be based on the brief to develop an approach to tackle challenges in managing a project in an organisation. To maximize the learning value of the course for students, the final paper will involve students choosing the organizational setting that they will address in their report (in the initial submission) and then applying insights, concepts and ideas from the course on tacklin the challenges identified in their organizational (or project) setting in the final submission.

Portfolio (two assignments prepared in advance of the submission deadlines) consists of:

• Initial submission that defines the brief that the student will address later in the course final assignment. This will be a description of the setting (organization or project) and the issues that will be the focus of the final course report. The initial submission is 500-600 words not including figures, tables and references and represents 20% of the final mark.

• Final report which is based on the initial submission brief. The final report should demonstrate the understanding of the concepts and examples discussed in class, applied to the setting of choice (as defined in the initial submission). The final submission should be up 1800-2000 words not including figures, tables and references and comprises 80% of the final mark

Students will receive individual comments on their initial submission which will guide them in the development of the final paper. We will also arrange 2 office hour sessions in between the teaching blocks to help guide the development of the assignment.

Information about submission deadlines will be announced at the start of the course.

All parts must be re-taken if the student wishes to improve the grade in the subject.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

SOS6502 Organization and Change or equivalent. Participants are expected to have experience from project work.

Course materials

Will be stated at the start of the course