Examination arrangement

Course content

As unique endeavours, projects are frequently exposed to the unexpected. To manage such uncertainty, flexibility is often required. The course describes how projects are managed and designed for flexibility all project phases. The course also includes a critical perspective, and addresses drawbacks of project flexibility. In addition to flexibility, key words include resilience, adaptability and governance. The following topics are addressed: stakeholder analysis, project governance, project models, flexible designs of both the project processes well as the project delivery, assumption surfacing, change management, project resilience, agile project management, project evaluation and uncertainty management. These topics will be illustrated with examples from applications within manufacturing, construction, IT and organizational change projects.

Learning outcome

Knowledge, the candidate gets knowledge about:
- Key concepts within the field of project flexibility management.
– Different approaches to flexibility.
- Understanding of advantages and disadvantages of flexibility.
– Tool box for analyzing flexibility.
– How flexibility is seen from different stakeholder’s perspective.

Skills, the candidate can:
- Apply different approaches to achieving flexibility in projects.
– Understand the incentives for different stakeholders related to flexibility.
- Apply key tools for change management in projects.

General competence, the candidate can:
- Understand basic relationships between organisations, projects and the outside world.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and seminars. Evaluation will be based on a report and an oral exam. To get admission to the exam, a preliminary course report must have been submitted and approved. The lectures and exercises are in English when students who do not speak Norwegian take the course. Students are free to choose Norwegian or English for written and oral assessments.
As a part of the course, students shall write a report on a selected aspect of project flexibility. The report shall be based on the course material, supplemented by further literature that students are expected to find as a part of the course.

Compulsory assignments

• Report on selected topic

Further on evaluation

Report and oral exam can be in English or Norwegian. Presentation of report is mandatory and is done in English.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

This course is designed for students who take TPK4520 Project and Quality Management, Specialization Course. Students should have a background that corresponds to at least five of the obligatory courses in the first year of the Master of Science in Project Management MSPROMAN. Deviations from this can be accepted depending on previous experience and topic for the project and master assignments.

Required previous knowledge

The course requires good knowledge of general project management principles.

Course materials

Course material is selected academic publications on the topic.
These will be made available to the students.
In addition, it is a part of the course that students shall find literature to be used in the project report.

Credit reductions