Students

COMP6770 – Management of IT Systems and Projects

2021 – Session 1, Special circumstances

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, Lecturer
Dr. Peter Busch
Contact via x 9520
4 RPD 284
TBD
Lecturer
Prof. Jian Yang
Contact via x 9584
4 RPD 207
TBD
Practical demonstrator
Mr. Adnan Mahmood
4 RPD 3rd floor
TBD
Practical demonstrator
Mr. Yang Zhang
4 RPD 3rd floor
TBD
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
COMP3770
Unit description Unit description
This unit aims to provide an understanding of how information technology systems and projects can be efficiently managed. This unit includes detailed study of techniques for planning, tracking and measuring software projects. Issues covered include: quality evaluation; estimation measurement techniques; and project risk planning and management. The unit provides a sound grounding in how projects can be managed in regards to quality assurance and risk assessment. The unit also covers issues in the management of IT systems, including: change management; configuration management and planning; people management; hardware asset management; and capacity planning and availability.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Demonstrate competence in planning, tracking and measuring Information technology projects; including the ability to undertake quality evaluation and estimation measurement techniques, and project risk planning and management.
  • ULO2: Analyse, describe and summarise appropriate techniques relating to: change management; configuration management and planning; human resource management; hardware asset management and capacity planning and availability.
  • ULO3: Demonstrate an appreciation of the role of the CIO in analysing the information technology strategic direction of a firm, with the aim of recommending investment appropriate to the business context.
  • ULO4: Demonstrate confidence in leadership skills; communication skills; critical analysis skills; problem-solving skills and creative thinking skills.

General Assessment Information

Late submission:

Late submission of individual work will incur a 10% penalty for every 24 hours, or part thereof, it is late. So within 24 hours, the maximum mark that can be obtained is 90% of the full grade for that assessment task; between 24 and 48 hours, the maximum mark that can be obtained is 80% of the full grade; and so on. No extra documentation is required unless the student wishes to have an extension (see below) applied.

Late submissions of group based assignments are not permitted unless under exceptional circumstances with documentary evidence provided to the unit convenor which may include medical certificates as per the Department of Computing policy. One person being sick does not mean the group cannot submit work. Students are recommended to have a backup plan for group based submissions.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assignment 1 10% No 16th March
Assignment 2 20% No 6th April
Assignment 3 20% No 18th May
Online exam 50% No 7-25th June

Assignment 1

Assessment Type 1: Literature review
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 16th March
Weighting: 10%

 

A literature review on an area of IT Project Management.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate competence in planning, tracking and measuring Information technology projects; including the ability to undertake quality evaluation and estimation measurement techniques, and project risk planning and management.

Assignment 2

Assessment Type 1: Modelling task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 6th April
Weighting: 20%

 

A briefing on a contemporary IT project is given. The assignment involves planning the project with the assistance of MS Project and then providing a succinct Project Management Plan which includes the Gantt Chart, Network Diagram, Resource Allocation and addresses scope, objectives, success metrics, controls and risk management.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate competence in planning, tracking and measuring Information technology projects; including the ability to undertake quality evaluation and estimation measurement techniques, and project risk planning and management.
  • Analyse, describe and summarise appropriate techniques relating to: change management; configuration management and planning; human resource management; hardware asset management and capacity planning and availability.

Assignment 3

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 18th May
Weighting: 20%

 

Extensive background information is available for a failed system. Groups of 4 students will work on a new project plan outlining the context and business benefits and consider a more flexible project process model and formulate an effective risk management plan. A comprehensive report is required.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate competence in planning, tracking and measuring Information technology projects; including the ability to undertake quality evaluation and estimation measurement techniques, and project risk planning and management.
  • Analyse, describe and summarise appropriate techniques relating to: change management; configuration management and planning; human resource management; hardware asset management and capacity planning and availability.
  • Demonstrate an appreciation of the role of the CIO in analysing the information technology strategic direction of a firm, with the aim of recommending investment appropriate to the business context.
  • Demonstrate confidence in leadership skills; communication skills; critical analysis skills; problem-solving skills and creative thinking skills.

Online exam

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 7-25th June
Weighting: 50%

 

Examination on potentially all material covered in the unit undertaken online with scripts submitted through iLearn.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate competence in planning, tracking and measuring Information technology projects; including the ability to undertake quality evaluation and estimation measurement techniques, and project risk planning and management.
  • Analyse, describe and summarise appropriate techniques relating to: change management; configuration management and planning; human resource management; hardware asset management and capacity planning and availability.
  • Demonstrate an appreciation of the role of the CIO in analysing the information technology strategic direction of a firm, with the aim of recommending investment appropriate to the business context.
  • Demonstrate confidence in leadership skills; communication skills; critical analysis skills; problem-solving skills and creative thinking skills.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Classes

Each week you should attend two hours of lectures (Monday 1-3pm) and practicals (from week 2). For details of days, times and rooms consult the timetables webpage.

Note that practicals commence in week 2.

Resources to assist your learning

Digital recordings of lectures are available as Echo360 through iLearn login.

Textbook

The textbook for COMP3770/6770 is the folllowing. You may also use other editions if you wish.

Technology used

Use will be made of MS Project, Google Code, JIRA, TRAC and GitHub. Students are also expected to make use of MS Word and MS Powerpoint.

Submission methods for assessment tasks:

Only soft copy assignment submissions are required and submitted. Marks returned will be done through the COMP3770/6770 page on iLearn.

Extensions

The current process is for the student or group to contact student services and apply for a disruption.  Medical causes will require a Macquarie University Professional Authority Form.  Once a disruption has been approved, the convenor can grant special consideration which is usually an appropriate extension.

Exam:

The final exam will focus on content covered in the classes throughout the semester. Please see the assessments section for details on the final exam. If you are given a second opportunity to sit the final examination as a result of failing to meet the minimum mark required, you will be offered that chance during the same supplementary examination period and will be notified of the exact day and time after the publication of final results for the unit.

 

Unit Schedule

1 - Peter

Unit outline

Introduction to PM 

The IT context

Unit guide

Schwalbe Chap 1

Schwalbe Chap 2

  Assign 1 released – PM report

2 - Peter

Scope management

Time/schedule management

Schwalbe Chap 5

Schwalbe Chap 6

MS Project, Part 1

 

3 - Peter

Cost management

Quality management

Schwalbe Chap 7

Schwalbe Chap 8

MS Project,  Part 2

Assign 2 released: Project planning - due 6/4/21

4 - Peter

Project Management process

Schwalbe Chap 3

Google Code

Assign 1 due 16/3/21

5 - Peter

Integration management

Schwalbe Chap 4

GitHub

 

6 - Peter

Recap - buffer chapters 1-8

JIRA and TRAC

Assign 3 released: due week 11 (18/5/21)

Mid Semester Break 2-18th April including Easter   Assign 2 due 6/4/21

7 - Jian

HR/resource management

Schwalbe Chap 9

 

 

         

8 - Jian

Communication management

Schwalbe Chap 10

Group time

 

9 - Jian

Risk management Schwalbe Chap 11

Group time

 

 

10 - Jian

Mobile, social, wearables, trends

Succeeding as a IT Professional

JWT, 2014

Professionals Australia

Group time

 

11 - Jian

Procurement management

The Internet of Things 

Schwalbe Chap 12

BI Intelligence, 2014

Group time

Assign 3 due 18/5/21

12 - Jian

Stakeholder management

Schwalbe Chap 13

 

 

13 - Peter/Jian

 Exam revision

Exam topics will be outlined

 

 

Exam

7-25th June

Check online for details

 

50% of Final Mark

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

This year there is no third lecture acting as a tutorial. The tutorial questions and answers will simply be provided in a timed-release manner to help with revision. Tutorial questions and answers may also be discussed in the practicals in the second half of semester.

Standards

Four standards, namely HD, D, CR, P summarize as many different levels of achievement. Each standard is precisely defined to help students know what kind of performance is expected to deserve a certain mark. The standards corresponding to the learning outcomes of this unit are given below:

Grade LO 1 LO 2 LO 3
  IT project skills Project Management skills Generic skills
HD Apply techniques and knowledge in new contexts, show breadth and depth of understanding of quality evaluation, estimation measurement, project risk planning and measurement. Can use MS Project and Sharepoint to solve problems with high accuracy. A sound grounding in how projects can be managed in regards to quality assurance and risk assessment. Show breadth and depth of understandings on issues in the management of IT systems, including: change management, configuration management and plannig, People management, hardware asset management and capacity planning and availability. Able to apply these techniques and knowledge in new contexts. Demonstrate leadership, creativity,critical thinking and analysis skills. Enthusiatic in acquring new knowledge in the IS project management area. Demonstrate capability in applying new IS project management knowledge to solve real-world problems. Conduct team work effectively and play a key role in moving the whole project team forward.
D Apply techniques and knowledge in some new contexts, show breadth and depth of understanding across most of the topics including: quality evaluation, estimation measurement, project risk planning and measurement. Can use MS Project to solve problems, with limited errors. A sound grounding in most topics related to how projects can be managed in regards to quality assurance and risk assessment. Show breadth and depth of understandings on most issues in the management of IT systems, including: change management, configuration management and plannig, People management, hardware asset management and capacity planning and availability. Able to apply these techniques and knowledge in some new contexts. Demonstrate some leadership occasionally. Show creativity, critical thinking and analysis skills. Have the capability in applying IS project management knowledge to solve real-world problems. Collaborate with team members well and finish assigned tasks on time and with good quality.
CR Show breadth of understanding across most of the topics including: quality evaluation, estimation measurement, project risk planning and measurement. Have fundamental knowledge about how to use MS Project, but with some non-major errors. Understands some aspects of how projects can be managed in regards to quality assurance and risk assessment. Show breadth of understandings on most issues in the management of IT systems, including: change management, configuration management and plannig, People management, hardware asset management and capacity planning and availability. Demonstrate analysis skills in some occasions. Know how to apply IS project management knowledge to solve some of the real-world problems. Able to finish assigned tasks on time and with good quality most of the time.
P Can reproduce definitions and ideas, show some breadth of understanding of the topics including: quality evaluation, estimation measurement, project risk planning and measurement. Some knowledge about MS Project with a few major misunderstandings or mistakes. Can reproduce some defintions and ideas, show some breadth on issues in the management of IT systems, including: change management, configuration management and plannig, People management, hardware asset management and capacity planning and availability. Demonstrate limited analysis skills. Can apply IS project management knowledge to solve limited real-world problems. Able to finish all assigned tasks on time and with acceptable quality.

Grading

At the end of the semester, you will receive a grade that reflects your achievement in the unit

  • Fail (F): does not provide evidence of attainment of all learning outcomes. There is missing or partial or superficial or faulty understanding and application of the fundamental concepts in the field of study; and incomplete, confusing or lacking communication of ideas in ways that give little attention to the conventions of the discipline.
  • Pass (P): provides sufficient evidence of the achievement of learning outcomes. There is demonstration of understanding and application of fundamental concepts of the field of study; and communication of information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. The learning attainment is considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the specified outcomes.
  • Credit (Cr): provides evidence of learning that goes beyond replication of content knowledge or skills relevant to the learning outcomes. There is demonstration of substantial understanding of fundamental concepts in the field of study and the ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; plus communication of ideas fluently and clearly in terms of the conventions of the discipline.
  • Distinction (D): provides evidence of integration and evaluation of critical ideas, principles and theories, distinctive insight and ability in applying relevant skills and concepts in relation to learning outcomes. There is demonstration of frequent originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and providing solutions; and the use of means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience.
  • High Distinction (HD): provides consistent evidence of deep and critical understanding in relation to the learning outcomes. There is substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critical evaluation of problems, their solutions and their implications; creativity in application.

The final mark for the unit will be calculated by combining the marks for all assessment tasks according to the percentage weightings shown in the assessment summary.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
15/02/2021 Naime can not be a practical demonstrator and has been replaced by Yang Zhang.
08/02/2021 The unit schedule dates were wrong.

Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook