Welcome to Managing Complexity in Projects
Description:
Projects are a form of enterprise where individuals or teams engage in the planning and execution of activities in order to reach specific goals/aim. Today projects are increasingly important because organizations continually need to relate to and engage in change processes to adapt to and compete in changing conditions. Project organization has an increasingly important role in all forms of organizations both private, public, NGO etc.
Projects as a form of work practice has consequences for both the work itself and for the products of the work process therefore it is important for everyone engaged in planning, design, development etc. to understand what projects are and how the project organization and process influences the product of a project.
Further projects today can often be characterized as complex. That is that understandings, processes and goals might be more or less uncertain and ambiguous throughout the project process and therefore resembling research processes more than standardized sequential or stage gate processes reflected in classic project management thinking. The complexities are evident both in internal and external conditions of the projects and on many levels of organization and planning. Challenges are related to for example learning, knowledge production and sharing, cooperation, power, ethical aspects etc.
Complexity in projects demands tailored understandings, techniques and processes for understanding and handling them. Understanding and handling the conditions/contexts of complex projects, therefore, is one of the key competences both for project managers but also for anyone participating in complex projects.
In understanding and handling complex projects new perspectives and forms of interaction are needed. The new perspectives for understanding complexity are e.g. sense making and socio-material approaches. New forms of interaction are e.g. Agile project management methods and participatory approaches.
In this course we look practically and theoretically on project planning and management. You will be introduced to different approaches of project management and planning.
The program will cover the following themes:
- New Theoretical pererspectives of understanding and handling complexity (sense-making sociomaterial and practice perspective
- Projects is seen as a journey characterised by uncertainty, ambiguity and complexity
- Projects as heterogeneous processes of interaction involving actors, artefacts and knowledge
- Understanding of different types of projects and the implication for management and planning activities
- Identifying, stakeholders in socio-material perspective
- Networking and brokering in and between projects
- Knowledge and learning
- Power and sense-making in projects
- Challenges in managing complex projects
- The role of learning and knowledge
- Introduction to participatory perspectives on managing uncertainty, ambiguity and complexity
Form: The students should be familiar with basic understandings of planning, organizational change, technology construction and development and/or science and technology studies (the STS field) on an academic master level.
The program includes teacher presentations, student presentations, company talks, workshops and dialogue sessions. The workshops and dialogue sessions is set up in order to stimulate the active engagement of the students and will be used as spaces where 1)students will receive feedback on their presentations and projects from fellow students as well as teachers and “) spaces where the students are engaged in interactive games where they develop their skills to use participatory methods and tools in practice
As a preparation for the first assembly, participants should prepare a presentation of a problem/solution from their research, which they want to analyse from a complex project perspective. The presentation can focus on a case and/or a challenging perspective (oral supported with ppt) within the theme of the course.
Between the first and second assembly participants write a 5-10 pages analysis bringing theory to bear on selected case material of their own choice. These assignments are basis for evaluation and approval of participation.
In addition, participants will be asked to contribute to the activities through small task in order to stimulate the interactive learning processes
Programme for May 7-8, 2018
Location: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14, 9000 Aalborg.
Teachers: Associate Professor Søren Kerndrup, Associate Professor Lone Stub Petersen, Rune Højsholt, Grundfos A/S, Jonas Moll, Rehfelt medical and Copenhagne university
Thursday, May 7, 9.00-17.45
Location: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14, 9000 Aalborg, room Rdb 14.2./3.329
09.00: Registration, Coffee
09.30: Welcome and introduction to the course
Introduction to participants, teachers and program
Perspectives on project management approaches, Søren Kerndrup
10.15: Projects and complexity – What is the problem? Lone Stub Petersen & Søren Kerndrup
Dialogue and discussion
12.00: Lunch
13.00: New forms of management of projects – experiencies from industrial practice in Grundfos. Rune Højsholt, Grundfos A/S
Dialogue and discussion
15.30: Participant presentation of their PhD or other projects and prepared assignment
Coffee break
16.45: Workshop: Challenges in managing complex projects.
17.45: End of day
Friday May 8, 9.00-16.00
Location: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14, 9000 Aalborg, room Rdb 14.3/3.429
09.00: Participant presentation of PhD or other project and prepared assignment
10.00: Agility and participations in management of projects – experiences from IT systems Jonas Moll, Rehfelt medical and Copenhagne university
Dialogue and discussion
12.15: Lunch
13.00: Three perspective on managing of projects
- Project management in a socio-material perspective Lone Stub Petersen
- Managing of projects in a sensemaking and practice perspective, Søren Kerndrup
Coffee break
15.00: Workshop: Summing Up: What are the key challenges of managing complex projects and how do we understand them? Lone Stub Petersen og Søren Kerndrup.
Assignments to be prepared for next assembly
16.00: Closing and networking
Managing Complexity in Projects Part 2
Teachers: Associate Professor Søren Kerndrup, Associate Professor Lone Bo Stub Petersen, Professor Christian Claussen og Rune Højsholt Grundfos A/S.
Wednesday August 22, 9.15-17.00
Location: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 6, 9000 Aalborg, room Rdb 6/171
09.15 Registration and coffee
09.30: Introduction to the program and the key Themes. Søren Kerndrup
10.00: New forms of management of projects – experiencies from industrial practice in Grundfos. Rune Højsholt, Grundfos A/S
Dialogue and discussion
12.00: Lunch
13.00: Rethinking project and management and the practice of projects. Søren Kerndrup
Dialogue and discussion
15.00: Presentation of assignments (two)
Comments from participants and teachers
16.00: Workshop on the main topics of the day.
What can we learn from the Grundfos case? What seems to work and not work in new project practices? What can be learned from moving from projects in practice to project as practice?
17.00 End of the day.
Thursday 23 August, 9.15-17.00
Location: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 6, 9000 Aalborg, room Rdb 6/171
9.00: Complexity and power – sense making, framing and staging in complex projects Christian Clausen. AAU.
Dialogue and discussion
11.00: Presentation of assignments (two assigments)
Comments from participants and teachers
11.00 Presentation of assignments (two)
12.00: Lunch
13.00: Projects as design. Co-creation, engagement and empowerment of actors. Lone Stub Petersen/Søren Kerndrup
Dialogue and discussion
15.30 Workshop on the main topics of the day.
How does the Grundfos case contribute to the concept of management of projects as practice? What are the roles of framing and power in management projects as practice? How does projects as design contribute to the way of practising projects? What are the methodological challenges? How does the two frameworks ad value to management of projects?
17.00: End of day programme
Friday August 24, 9.00-15.00
Location: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 6, 9000 Aalborg, room Rdb 6/171
9.00: Knowledge and teaming across boundaries in Complex projects. Søren Kerndrup
Dialogue and discussion.
11.00: Presentation of assignments (two)
12.00: Lunch
13.00: Workshop. New perspectives on complexity of projects and managementmanagement, What are the key lessons?
What do you see as the key challenges in making projects? How does the three different perspectives ( ( Project management, Management of projects (Rethinking/Halfdouble) and projects as practice/design) frame the challenges of complexity? What are the methodological and theoretical characteristics and what does it mean for the way of using them seperately and combined (the multimethodology issue)?
14.30: Wrapping up.
15.30: End of course.
Organizer: Associate Professor Lone Stub Petersen, email: lonep@plan.aau.dk and Associate Professor Søren Kerndrup, email: soeren@plan.aau.dk
Lecturers: Associate Professor Lone Stub Petersen, Associate Professor Søren Kerndrup, Professor Lars Bo Henriksen, Professor Christian Clausen and two external introductory speakers
ECTS: 5
Time: 7 - 8 May and 22 - 24 August 2018
Place: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 6, 9000 Aalborg, room Rdb 6/171
7 - 8 May: Room no
22 - 24 August: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 6, 9000 Aalborg, room Rdb 6/171
City: 9000 Aalborg
Number of seats: 20
Important information concerning PhD courses We have over some time experienced problems with no-show for both project and general courses. It has now reached a point where we are forced to take action. Therefore, the Doctoral School has decided to introduce a no-show fee of DKK 5,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately three months before start. This can hopefully also provide new students a chance to register for courses during the year. We look forward to your registrations.
- Teacher: Søren Kerndrup
- Teacher: Lone Stub Petersen