SYLLABUS

SYST 530 - Systems Management and Evaluation

Spring 2005

 

Professor:

Dr. Peggy Brouse

Assignment Submission:

WebCT usage is required in the class; instructions are below.

Work Phone:

(703) 993-1502 (with voice mail)

FAX:

(703) 993-1706

E-mail:

pbrouse@gmu.edu

Office:

GMU:  Science and Technology II - Room 317

Mailbox Location:  Science & Technology 2, Room 111

Office Hours:

Tuesdays:  2:30 – 4:00 and by appointment

Course Description:

Provides the necessary techniques for evaluating the cost and operational effectiveness of system designs and systems management strategies.  Performance measurement, work breakdown structures, cost estimating and quality management are discussed.  Configuration management, standards, and case studies of systems from different applications areas are discussed.

Course Hours:

Thursday 4:30 to 7:10 p.m. Innovation Hall 131

Text:

Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling, 8th edition (2003); Harold Kerzner. John Wiley and Sons ISBN 0471225770

Disabilities Statement:

If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 993-2474.  All academic accommodations must be arranged through the DRC.

Grades:

15% - homework

 

25% - group case studies

 

25% - paper

 

15% - midterm

 

20% - final

How To Access WebCT?

 

•         Go to http://webct38.gmu.edu

 

•         Enter WebCT ID and password:

Students need a WebCT ID and password to login. Their WebCT ID is their Mason mail user name (e.g. the WebCT ID for jdoe@gmu.edu would be jdoe);   Starting August 16, 2004, all initial passwords for new student WebCT accounts will be a four digit number representing the student's birth month and birth day. Example: a student's birthday is January 8; their initial WebCT password is 0108.

 

•         If you do not know your Mason mail user name, go to http://mail.gmu.edu and click on “Activating My Account” icon, follow the steps.

 

•         All assignments have due dates and submissions after the due date/time will not be possible, since WebCT will automatically block “submit my homework” option.

 

•         From time to time, WebCT works too slowly. Especially from a dial-up internet connection, WebCT access may not be so efficient all the time; students are encouraged to submit their work earlier than the deadline.

 

•         If you experience any problem while accessing/using WebCT, please

 

•         . send an e-mail to Dr. Brouse, pbrouse@gmu.edu


Additional Resources

Additional Sources:  There is a wealth of quality literature available on the subject matter of this course.  A few of my favorites are:

 

            INCOSE Insight (informal and short, but educational articles)

INCOSE Systems Engineering Journal

Harvard Business Review (super for the leadership and management portion of the course)

PMI Project Management Journal

PMI PM Network

IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics

IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management

IEEE Engineering Management Review

DSMC Systems Engineering Fundamentals (http://www.dsmc.dsm.mil/pubs/gdbks/sys_eng_fund.htm)

EIA/IS 731 Systems Engineering Capability Model (http://www.incose.org/lib/731-news.html)

 

Note that there are three main bodies of knowledge that intersect in this course:  systems engineering (INCOSE, IEEE), leadership and management (Harvard Business Review), and project management (PMI). 

 

Homework

Students will be given homework assignments most weeks from the end of the chapter(s) discussed during class.  These assignments will not be graded but will be given points for being completed.  The students will hand in homework the week after the chapter is discussed.

Group Case Studies

The Group Case Studies are the focal point of student effort within this course. Groups will meet during class time, but individual preparation may be expected outside of the classroom. There will be groups of several people self-formed during the first meeting of the class.  Each group will meet during class to formulate answers to case studies given in class and then participate in the discussion that follows.  Each week, a different group will be assigned as the discussion leader for the case study.  As part of your homework, you will be expected to write up the group case study results each week.  The case study homework will be due the day the case study is presented.

Paper

Each student will be required to write a paper on an area pertinent to this class (e.g. leadership, performance measurement, etc.). There will be two deliverables for this paper.  The first deliverable will be a summary of the paper including an annotated outline for the paper.  The final deliverable will be due near the end of the semester.  The final deliverable must be at least 15 pages, 1 1/2 spacing, with at least three references.  The paper will be graded based on the original contribution of the author.  It will not be satisfactory to just document leadership styles, for example.  The author would be expected to compare and contrast leadership styles and give an opinion on the subject.

Exams

Two exams:  The first will be in-class and will cover the first part of the semester.  The final will be in-class and will cover the second part of the semester.

 

 

CLASS SCHEDULE

Week 1>

27 January

¨      Hand out syllabus

¨      Guest Lecture: Dr. Philip Barry

 

 

 

Week 2>

3 February

¨      Background; Introductions

¨      Form Groups

¨      Lecture:  Chapter 1 – Overview  (43)

¨      Groups: For next week:  Williams Machine Tool Company, page 30 led by Dahlgren Group 1

¨      Homework due next week: 1-3, 1-7, 1-15

 

 

 

Week 3>

10 February

¨      Group Presentation:  Williams Machine Tool Company, page 30 led by Dahlgren Group 1

¨      Lecture: Chapter 2 - Project Management Growth: Concepts and Definitions (70)

¨      Groups: For next week: Corwin Corporation, page 368 led by Fairfax Group 1

¨      Homework due next week: 2-1, 2-4,  2-8, 2-11

 

 

 

Week 4>

17 February

¨      Group Presentation: Corwin Corporation, page 368 led by Fairfax Group 1

¨      Lecture: Chapter 3 – Organizational Structures (48)

¨      Groups: For next week:  Jones and Shepherd Accountants, page 136 led by Dahlgren Group 2

¨      Homework due next week:  3-1, 3-6, 3-22, 3-29, 3-41

 

 

 

Week 5>

24 February

¨      Group Presentation: Jones and Shepherd Accountants, page 136 led by Dahlgren Group 2

¨      Lecture: Chapter 4 - Organizing And Staffing The Project Office And Team (75)

¨      Groups: For next week:  Handling Conflict in Project Management  (pg. 300)  led by Fairfax Group 2

¨      Homework due next week:  4-4, 4-9, 4-17, 4-30, 4-40

 

 

 

Week 6>

3 March

¨      Paper:  First deliverable due (in WebCT)

¨      Group Presentation: Handling Conflict in Project Management  (pg. 300)  led by Fairfax Group 2

¨      Lecture: Chapter 5 - Management Functions (64)

¨      Groups: For next week: The Trophy Project, page 253 led by Dahlgren Group 3

¨      Homework: Myers-Briggs personality test at:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

¨      Homework due next week:  , 5-2, 5-12, 5-13, 5-20, 5-26, 5-61

 

 

 

Week 7>

10 March

¨      Group Presentation: The Trophy Project, page 253 led by Dahlgren Group 3

¨      Lecture: Myers-Briggs personality test

¨      Groups: For 31 March: Leadership Effectiveness (A), pg. 254, led by Fairfax Group 3

¨      Homework due next week: None

 

 

 

Week 8>

17 March

¨      Spring break:  No Class

 

 

 

Week 9>

24 March

¨      Semester Midterm Exam

 

 

 

Week 10>

31 March

¨      Group Presentation: Leadership Effectiveness (A), pg. 254, led by Fairfax Group 3

¨      Lecture: Chapter 6 - Time Management (20)

¨      Lecture: Chapter 7 - Conflicts  (13)

¨      Lecture: Chapter 9 - The Variables For Success (18)

¨      Groups: For next week:  Facilities Scheduling at Mayer Manufacturing (pg. 297) led by Dahlgren Group 4

¨      Homework: 6-2, 7-7, 7-14, 9-2

 

 

 

Week 11>

7 April

¨      Group Presentation:  Facilities Scheduling at Mayer Manufacturing (pg. 297) led by Dahlgren Group 4

¨      Lecture: Chapter 10 - Working with Executives (9)

¨      Lecture: Chapter 11 - Planning (55)

¨      Groups: For next week:  Corwin Corporation, (pg. 368), led by Fairfax Group 4

¨      Homework due next week: 10-10, 10-14, 10-22, 11-3, 11-18, 11-29, 11-44, 11-46

 

 

 

Week 12>

14 April

¨      Group Presentation: Corwin Corporation, (pg. 368), led by Fairfax Group 4

¨      Lecture: Chapter 12 - Network Scheduling Techniques (23)

¨      Lecture: Chapter 14 - Pricing and Estimating (22)

¨      Groups: For next week: Crosby Manufacturing Corporation (pg. 494) led by Dahlgren Group 5

¨      Homework due next week:  12-13, 12-16, 14-1, 14-7, 14-11, 14-13, 14-16

 

 

 

Week 13>

21 April

¨      Paper:  Final paper due (in WebCT)

¨      Group Presentation: Crosby Manufacturing Corporation (pg. 494) led by Dahlgren Group 5

¨      Lecture: Chapter 16 - Trade-off Analysis In A Project Environment (7)

¨      Lecture: Chapter 17 – Risk Management (33)

¨      Lecture: Chapter 18 –Learning Curves (15)

¨      Groups: For next week:  Teloxy Engineering (A) (pg. 709) led by Fairfax Group 5

¨      Homework due next week: , 17-1, 18-1, 18-8

 

 

 

Week 14>

28 April

¨      Group  Presentation: Teloxy Engineering (A) (pg. 709) led by Fairfax Group 5

¨      Lecture: Chapter 19 – Modern Developments In Project Management (12

¨      Lecture: Chapter 21 – Contracts and Procurement (50)

¨      Homework: none

 

 

 

Week 15>

5 May

¨      Semester Final Exam