Course content

The subject focuses on the concept of learning in project-based organisations, this include learning within projects and learning between projects. Through the subject, students will gain deep insights into the conditions that enable learning within projects and between projects. Organisational learning as an umbrella concept will also be covered and presented. Methods and tools such as milestones reviews, retrospective reviews, after actions reviews and post-project reviews will be presented and discussed.

Learning outcome

Knowledge; understand the concept of project-based learning as a subset of organisational learning. Understand the conditions that must be fulfilled in order to ensure learning in project-based organizations. Gain an overview over the difference between learning within projects (intra-project learning) and learning between projects (inter-project learning). Understand the role of lessons learned in projects.

Skills: apply structured approaches to learn from projects and within project.

General competence: Recognise the impact of learning on projects and on the organisation in general.

Learning methods and activities

Teaching activities will include combinations of seminars and working on individual inquiry resulting in a paper that is related to learning in project based organisations. The inquiry should preferably linked to the PhD focus of the student.

Required previous knowledge

TPK5100 or TPK4115 or equivalent I

All students taking this course must be enrolled in a PhD program at NTNU or a different university.

Course materials

Bassam Hussein. Let's really learn from projects. A study on learning in project basert organizations. Fagbokforlaget 2020.