IS4S706 - Project Management and Research Methodology 01 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 3

Associated Module Information

Module Code: IS4S706
Module Title: Project Management and Research Methodology
Faculty: Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science
Faculty Group: Computing and Mathematics
Faculty Sub Group: Informatics
Module Leader: David Kidner
Module Team: Mark Ware, Robert Berry, Ian Fitzell, Sharan Johnstone
First Intended Intake: Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 7
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100812 - project management 100962 - research skills
HECOS Code Weighting: 50 50

Document Version Information

Version 3
Valid From 01 Sep 2022
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

To understand current developments in project management, its techniques and tools, and to determine and use appropriate ones in contexts where there are many interacting factors.

To determine and use appropriate research methods and approaches within an appropriate ethical framework.

To take responsibility for planning and developing a project, and to exercise broad autonomy and judgement across a significant area of work or study.

To initiate and lead complex tasks and processes, taking responsibility – where relevant – for the work and roles of others.

Content Summary

IT Project Management:

- principles of planning (project success and failure, cost/budget/quality, project management techniques);
- selling the plan (Project Initiation Document);
- task and resource analysis (work breakdown structures, product based planning);
- planning, estimating and metrics;
- winning support (financial appraisal, project sponsorship);
- managing project quality (standards, reviews);
- managing risk (quantitative and socially constructed risk, assessment of commercial and other risks, risk control);
- people management, motivation and objectives.

Research Project Methodology:

- research strategies;
- literature searching;
- quantitative and qualitative research methods;
- experiment design and results analysis;
- thesis/report writing;
- citing and referencing sources;
- evaluation of scientific risk;
- research and professional ethics.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 16
Seminar 16
Tutorial 16
Directed Study 72
Independent Study 80
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 To be able to plan a project that involves many interacting factors, and undertake a literature review and other development activities to improve understanding of the situation and/or produce organisational change.
LO2 To determine and use appropriate methods, techniques and tools for planning work, and to take responsibility for completing on time, and to the required standard, taking into account relevant risks and ethical issues.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Report 2 Research project proposal (individual) 0 2000 50 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Report 1 Team-based project management task 0 2000 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Report 2
Report 1

Reading List

Walker, I. (2010) Research Methods and Statistics. Palgrave Macmillan.

O’Leary, Zina (2013). The Essential Guide to Doing your Research Project, Sage Publishing

International Journal of Project Management (IJPM). ISSN: 0263-7863

Kumar, Ranjit (2014). Research Methodology – a step by step guide for beginners. Sage Publishing.

International Journal of Information Technology Project Management (IJITPM). ISSN: 1938-0232

Hughes, Bob and Cotterell, Mike (2009). Software project management. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Hughes, Bob (2012). Project management for IT-related projects. BCS Learning and Development Ltd.

Dawson, C. (2015). Projects in Computing and Information systems, A Student’s guide. Addison Wesley