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Unit of study_

PMGT5850: Project Management Capstone Project

Semester 2, 2020 [Online] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

The capstone project aims to provide students with the opportunity to carry out a defined piece of workplace related research and assessment in a way that fosters the development of practical and research skills relevant to project management. Students will work in small, randomly selected groups on an assigned project for the semester. The concepts covered depend on the nature of the project. The project outcomes will be presented in a report that is clear, coherent and logically structured. The project will be judged on the extent and quality of the student's contribution to original work and particularly how critical, perceptive and constructive he or she has been in assessing his/her work and that of others, in understanding the business or organisational context and needs. Students will also be required to present the results of their findings to their peers and supervisors either face to face or by production of a video or other recorded presentation. The skills acquired will be invaluable to students progressing their careers in project management work.

Unit details and rules

Unit code PMGT5850
Academic unit Project Management
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
ENGG5205 AND ENGG5811 AND PMGT6867 AND ENGG5820 AND (PMGT5871 OR PMGT6871) AND (PMGT5872 OR PMGT6872) AND (ENGG5812 OR PMGT6812)
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Louis Taborda, louis.taborda@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Louis Taborda, louis.taborda@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Product Report
Professional report for sponsor describing product & value delivered.
20% Formal exam period ~10000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Project status review
Final project status with comparison to plan and Post Implementation Review
10% Formal exam period ~5,000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment Participation
Participation in surveys, tutorials, peer-reviews & 1-on-1 tutor interview
15% Multiple weeks n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Individual reflection
Weekly reflections on Capstone with final submission of a Digital Portfolio
15% Multiple weeks n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment group assignment Initial project proposal
A high-level overview of the project captured as presentations slides
10% Week 04 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment Detailed project proposal / plan
Professionally-formatted project plan as a Word document with appendices
15% Week 07 ~10,000-words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment Presentation/seminar + draft poster
Group presentation with slides and draft A3 poster handout
10% Week 12 ~20 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Project poster (final)
Final poster as PPT describing key aspects of capstone project
5% Week 12 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO5 LO6
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Initial project proposal: A high-level overview of the project captured in a document and/or slide-deck describing the proposed project including key elements of the management approach proposed. The initial presentation should identify the project team, the client, background / problem statement, key stakeholders, purpose and justification, objectives, proposed management approach / methodology, preliminary risks and issues and proposed deliverables.
  • Participation:  A series of essential activities to ensure participation in the Capstone including compulsory team formation and peer-evaluation surveys, attendance at tutorials, peer support and reviews and a one-on-one Q&A session with a tutor that aims to ensure that every student has an understanding of their Capstone Project, understands their role(s) in the project team and is actively contributing to achieving the planned outcomes.
  • Presentation / seminar: This will be a 10-15 minute presentation of the project, its results and recommendations, provided either face to face or by submission of a video clip or other form of recorded media agreed with the lecturer. The intended audience for the presentation should be clearly identified and the presentation tailored accordingly. Individual team members’ contribution (and therefore mark) will be differentiated based on the CATME (or equivalent) peer-evaluation tool.
  • Project poster: This will be a poster based on a template provided which provides a visually appealing summary of key project information.
  • Product Report: This is a professionally presented business report that is to be provided to the project sponsor and should encompass the agreed deliverables; describing or linking to any products that are tangible or online in nature. The report should be understandable by anyone and cover the background / problem statement, purpose and justification, objectives, literature referenced, description of the investigative approach / methodology, risks and issues, with an emphasis on final results and recommendations. Individual team members’ contributions (and therefore mark) will be assessed and differentiated based on the CATME (or equivalent) peer-evaluation tool.
  • Final Project Status: This is an assessment of the project performance with a comparison of "actuals against plan" with a reasonable and justifiable "claim of success" made in which the project's success criteria are evaluated against the project's accomplishments. A Post Implementation Review (PIR) of the project needs to be conducted/ documented, discussing how the Capstone was managed and identifying lessons learned for use on future projects. Individual team members’ contribution (and therefore mark) will be differentiated based on the CATME (or equivalent) peer-evaluation tool.
  • Individual reflection: This is a continuous activity undertaken by each student on a near-weekly basis (minimum 8 structured entries of between 150 to 200 words are expected) where personal experiences are to be diarised. The assessment of this activity will be based on the regularity of submissions (as timestamped), the degree of critical insight of the entries, and the final submission of a “digital portfolio” documenting the individual’s project experiences.

 

 

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks Work on project and assessment tasks Independent study (62 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 01 Introduction to the Capstone Project, assessment review and team formation Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Week 02 Team building, project allocations and scoping session Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO6
Week 03 Sponsor meetings and scope definition Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 04 Project work Project (7 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 05 Project work Project (7 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 06 Project work Project (7 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 07 Project work Project (7 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 08 Project work Project (7 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 09 Project work Project (7 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 10 Project work Project (7 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 11 Project work Project (7 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 13 Presentation and finalisation of project reports. Project (7 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. initiate and coordinate a critical analysis and investigation of project processes in a specific context
  • LO2. formulate and justify plans or recommendations for achieving project goals and systemic improvement of performance
  • LO3. convey complex ideas, analysis and recommendations in a manner suited to the specific purpose and audience
  • LO4. demonstrate well-integrated critical judgement concerning content, assumptions, uncertainties and inter-connections
  • LO5. demonstrate understanding of theory and practical context with fluent command of specialist language
  • LO6. demonstrate ability to select and apply current and new PM knowledge relevant to purpose and audience
  • LO7. demonstrate understanding of context and of operational implications of plans and recommendations.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit will continue to be supported virtually for Sem2, 2020.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.