MGMT 415: Project Portfolio Management and Organizations

Textbook Information

  • Case Studies in Project, Program, and Organizational Project Management, by Dragan Z. Milosevic, Peerasit Patanakul, and Sabin Srivannaboon, Wiley, ISBN: 978-0-470-18388-5
  • Portfolio Management for New Products, (Second Edition) by Robert G. Cooper, Scott J. Edgett, and Elko J. Kleinschmidt, Basic Books, ISBN-13: 978-0-7382-0514-4

Published Remarks

None

Hardware Requirements

None

Software Requirements

None

Proctored Exams

This course has proctored exams using Honorlock.

Course Description

An advanced course in project management focusing on portfolio planning and control within the context of specific organizational challenges. Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is a strategically-focused course on the management of projects, programs, and portfolios in organizations. The management of individual projects is a complex, multi-level challenge involving myriad issues of planning, organizing, and controlling all project elements. Project portfolio management addresses a more strategic need; namely, the process of project selection in order to develop a balanced portfolio of projects designed to support organizational initiatives. As a result, this course addresses the critical issues of maximizing value in a portfolio, linking projects to organizational strategy, understanding the critical organization effects of structure, environment, and culture on project success, and creating a coherent PPM framework for the firm. Because the focus is more strategic, the role of the instructor in this course is to go beyond the mechanics of planning and controlling a single project to training students how to think strategically where projects and programs are concerned; to recognize their role in creating a PPM plan for an organization, selecting projects for value, rebalancing a project portfolio, and maintaining this focus within the organization.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will:

  • Recall and discuss a comprehensive understanding of project management and project portfolio management.
  • Recall and explain the different types of organizational structures, the role of the project management office (PMO), and the different types of PMOs.
  • Assess an organization’s strategic direction, formulate its mission and vision statements, and create a framework for project selection, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
  • Recall, discuss, and apply methods by which organizations can assess the value of a portfolio and manage project portfolio activities to maximize their value.
  • Apply techniques to analyze and mitigate project portfolio risks and assess portfolio balance.
  • Recall, discuss, and apply different approaches to strategic alignment, culminating in the creation of a strategic alignment chart.
  • Discuss the major constraints in resource allocation and management within a project portfolio.
  • Apply knowledge and skills to create a framework for project portfolio selection and evaluation.
  • Recall and discuss how elements of the organization influence the management of projects and the project portfolio within the organization. Those elements include the environment, structure, and organizational culture.
  • Apply project portfolio monitoring and control approaches to enhance portfolio performance.
  • Develop a comprehensive framework for project portfolio management, integrating course concepts and techniques.

Prerequisites: SCM 301 and (MGMT 409 or MGMT 410 or BA 421).

Course Modality:  This course is online asynchronous.

Course Requirements and Grading

Grades will be determined based on the percentage of total points earned in the following areas:

Assignments and Point Values
Assignment/Assessment Points
Team assignments 300
Assignment presentations 80
Final report 300
Final presentation 60
Discussion forums 60
Quiz 1 100
Quiz 2 100
Total 1000
  1. Team Assignments:   Three team-based, take-home exams will be given. Each assignment is worth 100 points and will require an understanding of concepts learned in the class. Teams will be assigned during the second week of class.  You will continue to be in the same team for assignments and presentations throughout the class.
  2. Assignment Presentations:  During the course, each team will make several presentations demonstrating the understanding of the concept discussed in the class. See the course schedule for presentation dates.  
  3. Final Report: Each team will work on a final report that requires the ability to integrate the concepts discussed in the course. The instructions for the final report will be given.
  4. Final Presentation: Teams will make a presentation on the issues discussed in the final report.
  5. Discussion forums: Students should participate in discussion forums. These forums will be graded.  
  6. Quizzes: Two quizzes will be given. Canvas will be utilized for these quizzes. See the class schedule for the quiz dates.   Quizzes will be proctored using Honorlock.
Grading Scale
Letter Grade Percentage
A 93%+
A- 90.0-92.99%
B+ 87.0-89.99%
B 83.0 – 86.99%
B- 80.0-82.99%
C+ 77.0 – 79.99%
C 70.0 – 76.99%
D 60.0 – 69.99%