Study Guide

Objective

Students will learn how controllers help engineers to make good decisions while managing their projects.
We will look both on the challenges of single-project management (what a project manager has to do) as well as multi-project management (what for example the head of R&D has to do). And we will look both on project planning as well as on steering running projects.

Content

We will look on several instruments which controllers use to support project engineers and we will try out these instruments in small case studies. To give just three examples:
• Utility Analysis: How can we answer the question “Should we start a certain R&D project?” on a systematic base without only focusing on profitability?
• Earned Value Management: How is the situation of a running project concerning the spent money but as well concerning the spent time?
• Critical Chain Project Management: If several projects need the same engineer, on which project the engineer should work first?

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Student's active attendance (3 classes)
Student's active participation in class discussions (3 classes)
Students submission of assignments (3 classes)

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Student's active attendance (4 classes)
Student's active participation in class discussions (4 classes)
Students submission of assignments (4 classes)

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Student's active attendance (5 classes)
Student's active participation in class discussions (5 classes)
Students submission of assignments (5 classes)

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Student's active attendance (3 classes)
Student's active participation in class discussions (3 classes)
Students submission of assignments (3 classes)

Further information

Written exam, open book, based on the case studies of the course week