mp16a

1. Introduction
Project management is based upon information and knowledge management - appropriate information and knowledge management is a precondition for successful project management.

Regarding typical software system for project management, one can define and develop project plans with calenders, tasks, resources and many additional parameters by using Microsoft Project for example. But for many projects information needs go far beyond the kind of information that is available in such systems.

Information and knowledge management in projects and programs must deal with a huge amount of documents with descriptions, specifications, reports, etc. for a project in total and for and from various kinds of stakeholders.

Besides information in structured databases there are various kinds of unstructured or semi-structured documents that include core information and knowledge in a project and in a program.

So the core focus of this course is on classification of documents, and on thesauri for projects and programs - on various methods and tools that support information and knowledge management - semantical networks, topic maps, etc.

Students learn how to classify documents according to Dewey´s Decimal Classification and further standards. They learn how to establish a thesaurus for project management and a selected project like a conference. They learn how to implement thesauri for information and knowledge management in projects.

They learn how to use information retrieval and data mining in projects. They learn how to design an information and knowledge management system with web-based units and units for collaboration.

2. Course Structure
Introduction


 * Information and knowledge in projects - on stakeholders and project management
 * Lessons learned - how to save knowledge
 * Review of basic project management tools
 * Advanced aspects of information and knowledge management in projects and on collaboration
 * An information and knowledge management plan in projects

Concepts
 * Classification of information and knowledge - classification of documents
 * Information and knowledge representation
 * Ontologies
 * Topic Maps
 * Information and knowledge management - collaborative approaches (databases, wikis, etc.)

Tools for
 * Ontologies and Topic Maps
 * Information nand Knowledge Management
 * Collaboration

3. Case studies
There is a cluster of case studies on classification of information, acquisition of information needs, information retrieval, etc. One such cluster is based upon a conference management case.

4. Parameters
ECTS: 3 Hours of study in total: 90 Weekly hours per semester: 2 Course characteristics: compulsory Course frequency: every year - summer semester Maximal capacity: 15 students Course admittance prerequisites: no special requirements - course MP07 Project Organization is highly recommended Skills trained in this course: professional, methodological, and personal skills Prerequiste for the completion of the following courses: This course is important for all subsequent courses Assessment of the course: **One exam for MP13a and MP14a** Teaching staff: Prof. Dr. Christian Reimann, Prof. Dr. André Dechange, Prof. Dr. Peter Reusch
 * Contact hours: 30
 * Self study hours: 60
 * 75% contributions within the course (homework, group work, presentations, case studies)
 * 25% written or oral examination at the end of the course

5. Learning outcomes

 * 5.1 Knowledge**

Students can explain


 * information and knowledge management in classical project management systems
 * information needs of stakeholders
 * core issues of information and knowledge collected, retrieved and analyzed in projects
 * core issues of lessons learned
 * classification of documents
 * selected approaches of knowledge representation


 * 5.2 Skills**

The students are able to


 * analyse information and knowledge in various sources
 * classify information and knowledge in various sources
 * develop thesauri for projects and project management
 * develop prototype systems for information and knowledge management

in a given context in the course.


 * 5.3 Competence - attitude**

They are able to


 * analyse information and knowledge in various sources
 * classify information and knowledge in various sources
 * develop thesauri for projects and project management
 * develop prototype systems for information and knowledge management

in a new context / project.

5.4 On scaling learning outcomes
The assessment of learning outcomes is based upon the following core perspectives:


 * Analysis - quality of analyses
 * Classification and thesauri - appropriate structures
 * Functionality - of concepts and systems
 * Complexity - of thesauri, prototype systems, etc.

6. Teaching and training methods:

 * Lectures introducing concepts, methods and tools
 * Group work to train concepts and methods, to develop skills and to work on case studies
 * Home work to add individual contributions
 * Presentations to communicate results

7. Course mapping
This course is linked to other courses of the study programme in the following way:

MP01a shows the need for information and knowledge management in the cases that are discussed.
 * MP01a: Projects: Concept, Types, Cases, Context and Organization**

MP02a and MP14a support each other - stakeholders with their information needs are discussed in both courses.
 * MP02a: Life cycle Concepts, Maturity Models, Customer Relation Ship, Stakeholder Management**

Information management is embedded in project planning - regarding basic approaches in systems like MS-Project. MP16 goes beyond these basic approaches.
 * MP03a: Project Planning**

Risk management needs information and knowledge management - starting with the risk register and going up to check experiences and lessons learned for the evaluation of risks. In MP16 aspects of risk management are reconsidered.
 * MP04a: Managing Risk**

Basic information management is used in project economics - MP16 goes beyond that.
 * MP05a: Project Economics**

Basic information management is used in project control - MP16 goes beyond that.
 * MP06a: Project Control**

Compentences of human resources support information and knowledge management.
 * MP07a: Human Resource Management, Team Building and Leadership**

Project organization must be recognized in information and knowledge management.
 * MP08a: Project Organization**

Standards support information and knowledge management.
 * MP09a: Standards and Mainstreams**

Quality management supports information and knowledge management.
 * MP10a: Managing Quality**

Communication supports information and knowledge management.
 * MP11a: Communications, Negotiation and Conflict**

Cultural aspects must be taken into account in information and knowledge management.
 * MP12a: Intercultural Communications**

Creativity and decision making support information and knowledge management.
 * MP13a: Creativity and Decision Making**

Financal aspects must be taken into account in information and knowledge management.
 * MP15a: Project Finance**

M**P16a: Legal Aspects in Project Management: Contracts, Procurement, and further Issues** Legal aspects must be taken into account in information and knwoledge management.

Program and portfolio management must contribute to harmonized information and knowledge management.
 * MP18a: Program and Portfolio Management**

Social competencies support information and knowledge management.
 * MP19a: Social Competencies**

Information and knowledge management recognize aspects of saftey, health, and the environment.
 * MP20a: Safety, Health and the Environment**

8. References
Most course materials are available in ILIAS and additonal web portals - a few books to mention here:


 * 1) PMBOK® - 4th edition, PMI® 2008.
 * 2) Kerzner, Harold: Project Management, 10th edition, New York 2009.
 * 3) Schelle, Heinz; Ottmann, Roland; Pfeifer, Astrid: Project Manager, GPM 2006.
 * 4) Jashapara, Ashok: Knowledge Management - An Integrated Approach, Pearson London 2004, ISBN 0273682989.
 * 5) Scott, Mona L.: Dewey Decimal Classification - A Study Manual and Number Building Guide to the 22nd Edition of DDC, Westport 2005, ISBN 1591582105.
 * 6) Ganter, Bernhard; Stumme, Gerd; Wille, Rudolf: Formal Concept Analysis, Springer Berlin & Heidelberg 2005, ISNB 3540278915.
 * 7) Park, Jacki (ed.): XML Topic Maps - Creating and Using Topic Maps for the Web, Pearson Boston 2003, ISBN 0201749602.
 * 8) Chein, Michel ; Mugnier,Marie-Laure : Graph based Knowledge Representation, Springer London 2009, ISBN 978 1848002852.