Polimi OPEN KNOWLEDGE

Project Management beyond planning and control (POK)

Offered by Politecnico di Milano,

Learn how to manage projects matching the technical and the organizational dimensions of projects. Project Management is a fundamental theme to understand and work in any business environments. Projects are the organizational way to make innovation happen and to realize any kind of custom solution or to change how an organization work. Project Management is the set of capabilities, skills and tools to properly work on projects.

The course aims to define the concept of a project and to show how, in the management of a successful business, project management and process management must coexist and integrate. During the course the project is analyzed as a managerial tool for the management of change and innovation and its links with the company strategy are emphasized.

The course is structured in 2 weeks:
Week 1 – Introduction to Projects and Project Management Principles.
This Week analyses what a project is, how it differs from processes, and what are the main approaches to project management. It focuses on the two main approaches two project management: traditional approach based on Front-Loading and the flexible one that leads to Agile Approaches.
Week 2 - The organizational side of Project Managemen
This Week presents the cultural and organizational dimension of projects, focusing on how companies can properly be organized for projects and the main individual and team dynamics when working on projects. It focuses on the organizational structures, the leadership dimension, team dynamics and conflicts management.
By actively participating in this MOOC, you will achieve different intended learning outcomes (ILOs).

Week 1
Identify the main variables of a project in a business context
Describe the differences between projects and processes
Pick the best project management approach for different projects

Week 2
Identify different organizational strcutures when working on a project
Describe the main human and cultural dimensions when working on projects
Pick the best organizational structure for a project
Analyze conflicts and team dynamics when working on a project

Go to Class

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