MGT 635 – Designing for Project Success – Week 1

Week 1 – Foundations of Project Management Framework

We looked at a lot of terminology for both predictive, agile, and hybrid project management practices. There is a lot of reading and reflection on it. An interesting assignment is a project that we are to create ourselves and create the documentation around called a “Dream Project”. I dusted off my old business plan for a drive-in movie theater I wanted to open and played around with it. My consternation was relived when I realized I would need $1.5M to fund it. Not exactly chump change.

One surprise about this class is how closely it aligns with the PMI PMP exam. I did consider pursuing that credential, but if this class is going to prepare me for it, I am going to go after it. In December I will have “MBA” after my name, why not put “PMP” after that as well? The job market is so incredibly competitive right now that anything that can help me stand out is something I am going to pursue.

Another surprise is how much we are actually going into Agile methodology. I took a project management course ten years ago and it was hardly mentioned. Now it is included in the readings, albeit towards the end of the chapter.