Week 13 Notes and Activities!

Unfortunately we've had to postpone our guest speaker till next week - so in the meantime it's time to get our theory work done and continue to work on your individual articles and website groupwork! ;)

During class you can manage your own time. Please note the deadlines for each of the tasks listed below.

You may wish to:

• Go and work with your group on website content tasks. PLEASE NOTE: This content must be completed and ready for publication by 11 November 09
• Finalise your own article (ensure that it has been proofed and edited by a colleague). PLEASE NOTE: This content must be completed and ready for publication by 11 November 09.
• Complete the Manage Projects Toolbox Tasks detailed below. PLEASE NOTE: These must be completed by next week - Wed 4 October 09.

Manage Projects Toolbox Tasks

To complete the theory requirements of our course, we'll need to complete some Toolbox tasks. These will help you to explore some project management theory and apply it to some of the action-based learning we've been doing so far.

To complete the task you will need tos visit the Manage Projects Toolbox I have placed online @ http://jaspercat.net/manageprojects/ and listen to and read the resources provided in:

• Introduction
• 1: Get ready to manage a project
• 2: Make the project happen

As you work thru the resources, you will need to complete the groupwork tasks by making a comment in our online discussion forum.

The following questions have been placed in our discussion forum:

• Q1: Listen to what Arens says about managing projects. What do you think? Do you feel the same way as Arens does?
• Q2. Think of a time when you were involved in a project that required a joint planning team involving multiple departments. An example from Arens’ project might be a combined team from Parks & Gardens and waste disposal staff (identifying suitable locations, replacement schedules). Create a group list of the challenges that could come up if you are planning a project in conjunction with people from several departments or organisations.
• Q3. What scheduling issues and dilemmas will come up in your projects? Create a group list of these. Then identify a range of strategies you can use to plan around these issues or dilemmas.
• Q4. One problem that Arens has encountered during this project is the negative attitudes of his staff. What other problems could occur? Create a list of common problems during projects.
• Q5. Think about the range of resources Jill has to organise to make her project happen - equipment, supplies and people. Tell others in your group about a time you’ve had to organise resources, and how you succeeded (or how you’d do it next time!)

You will need to answer each question in the discussion forum - making notes based on your readings.