15360 Project Management Consulting

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: School of the Built Environment
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 15315 Project Management Principles AND 144 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10413 Bachelor of Design Architecture Master of Architecture
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 94680 Entering Professional Life (6cp) AND 94681 Entering Professional Life (8cp)

Description

This subject enables students to work in teams to plan a project for an organisation in a project consultancy capacity that is relevant to their academic studies. The students work on a case study provided by a client and develop a statement of work to be delivered to the client during the session. Clients from different sectors of the industry covering private, public, non-profit and community present a real-world case study. The lecturers explain a consultancy framework as well as cover topics relevant to the case studies. The students negotiate the scope of the work to be carried out with the academic staff to ensure that it meets the learning objectives of the subject. Students are expected to attend face-to-face classes, for a maximum duration of 36 hours at UTS, for lectures and activities related to their subject and their projects. They are also mentored by project management practitioners.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

1.	Demonstrate appropriate professional competence, conduct and attitudes to work as a consultant in an industry environment.
2.	Use systemic thinking and make ethical judgments in an industry environment.
3.	Apply work-ready disciplinary knowledge in an industry environment.
4.	Critically reflect on the learning and developmental outcomes from a consultancy experience to improve practice.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Identify and evaluate actual or potential ethical issues and determine sound ethical judgements in project contexts (Ethical Judgments) (A.1)
• Communicate effectively through oral communication in projects at a professional level (Oral Communication) (C.1)
• Communicate effectively through written communication in projects at a professional level (Written Communication) (C.2)
• Source and apply tools and techniques to meet contextual demands (Technique Application) (I.1)
• Develop and adapt project management knowledge to meet contextual demands (Knowledge Adaptation) (I.2)
• Lead and manage project teams, and work as a project team member at a professional level (Teams and Leadership) (P.6)
• Think critically and synthesise complex data (Critical Engagement) (R.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

Preparation for Learning: Students will complete an on-line learning module on social impact at https://www.openlearning.com/uts/courses/measuring-social-impact to appreciate the social benefits derived from a community project.

Industry links and engagement: Students engage with organizations to clarify the scope of the project that they have to deliver within a semester based on a case study presented by the client. During the workshops, input from lecturers introduce and consolidate important concepts related to stakeholder management, teamwork, management of human resources and communication. Industry presentations are a key learning resource and are designed to be interactive and to encourage questioning, discussion and sharing of experiences.

Collaborative learning activities: During the block workshop, students work together and learn collaboratively in small groups through applying techniques and solving problems using a problem-based learning approach where students take responsibility for their learning. Students also use a framework to enable them to work together effectively after viewing a video on high performance teams from Linkedin Learning. Students are also asked to reflect on their learning after the semester. Students demonstrate their learning through assessed group activities. Debriefing and sharing learnings between groups is an important part of the collaborative learning sessions. Assessment tasks undertaken during the classes involve practical exercises, discussion, critical thinking, feedback and reflection.

Online learning: UTS Online is used to enable students to access material for self-directed learning and engage in online discussions. Presentation slides and other resources are available for review on UTS Online.

Feedback: Structured feedback is provided in several ways from individual and group feedback on assessments to on-the-spot feedback, summarizing and debriefing for workshop activities and student presentations. Students also get feedback during final presentations using which they will submit a final report to the client. Detailed information about the assessment criteria and the provision of timely feedback forms an important part of the learning process. It is the student’s responsibility to record any feedback given during each session. Formal assessment is provided via CANVAS learning management system.

Content (topics)

• Working as a professional practitioner
• Planning a project in the real world
• Role of a project expert
• Consultancy skills
• Legal, ethical and social issues as a consultant
• Stakeholder analysis and communication planning
• Risk assessment
• Value mapping
• Preparing a consultant's report
• Effective working in groups

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Preparatory work

Intent:	Preparatory work for the subject.
Objective(s):	This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 3 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): I.1
Type:	Exercises
Groupwork:	Group, individually assessed
Weight:	10%

Assessment task 2: Internship Presentation and Report

Intent:	Internship Report and Presentation
Objective(s):	This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 and 3 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.1, C.1, C.2 and I.2
Type:	Report
Groupwork:	Group, individually assessed
Weight:	60%

Assessment task 3: Reflective Journal

Intent:	Post-project Evaluation
Objective(s):	This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1 and 4 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): P.6 and R.1
Type:	Journal
Groupwork:	Individual
Weight:	30%

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

Required texts

None required

Recommended texts

Haughan, G.T. (2018). Project Planning and Scheduling, Vienna, VA: Management Concepts

Minto, Barbara. (2009). The Pyramid Principle?: Logic in Writing and Thinking . 3rd ed., Londo, Financial Times/Prentice Hall.

References

Adams, D.J. (2011) Problem Solving – Developing Critical, Evaluative and Analytical Thinking Skills. In Effective Learning in the Life Sciences, (pp. 25-40)John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Brown, K.L. (2000). Analysing he role of the project consultant: Cultural change implementation, Project Management Journal, 31(3), 52-55.

Boud, D. & Middleton, H. (2003) Learning from others at work: communities of practice and informal learning. Journal of Workplace Learning, 15(5), 194-202.

Bratton, J., Mills, J.H., Pyrch, T. & Sawchuk, P. (2004) Workplace Learning: a Critical Introduction, Garamond Press, Aurora, Ont.

Consultant’s Mind (2016) Consultant’s tip: Minto’s pyramid principle, Available online @ https://www.consultantsmind.com/2016/10/05/minto/

Jordan, H.H. (1992). Using consultants in implementing systems, APICS-The Performance Advantage, 16(2), 67-72.

Kavanaugh, J. (2020). The pyramid principle: How to craft coherent explanations, Available @ https://jeffkavanaugh.net/pyramid-principle-craft-coherent-explanations/

Knutson, J. (1998). The consultative role of the project executive, PM Network, 12(3), 15-16.

Lee, Margaret R. (2011) The Project Management Consultant-Developing the Consulting Plan. Project Management, (pp. 103-20). Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Minto, Barbara. (2009). The Pyramid Principle?: Logic in Writing and Thinking . 3rd rev. ed., Financial Times Prentice Hall.

Minto, B. (2020). Barbara Minto: “MECE: I invented it, so I get to say how to pronounce it, Available @ https://www.mckinsey.com/alumni/news-and-insights/global-news/alumni-news/barbara-minto-mece-i-invented-it-so-i-get-to-say-how-to-pronounce-it

Muzio, Daniel, et al. (2011). Towards corporate pprofessionalization: The case of project management, Management consultancy and executive search. Current Sociology, 59(4), 443–64, doi:10.1177/0011392111402587.

Newton, Richard. (2010.) The Management Consultant?: Mastering the Art of Consultancy Harlow, England?;: Financial Times/Prentice Hall.

O’Mahoney, Joe, Calvert Markham, and Joe. O’Mahoney. (2014) Management Consultancy, Second edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Radnor, Z. and O'Mahoney, J. (2013), The role of management consultancy in implementing operations management in the public sector, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 33 (11/12), 1555-1578. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/10.1108/IJOPM-07-2010-0202

Schon, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action, Temple Smith, London.

Shand, J.. (2000) Arguments, in Arguing Well, (pp. 28-46), Routledge.

Swamy, P. (2013) Building logic into communication using the Minto Pyramid Principle. Journal of Soft Skills, 7, (2), 40–49, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1434052679/.

Other resources

http://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/opportunities/community-and-leadership-programs/work-local-community/uts-soul-award