Tutorial 1 – Introduction (Online Edition)

Classroom Activities

Question 1: Triple Constraint

Each student thinks about the triple constraint in more detail. And then, explain in your own own
words what the triple constraint means and provide an example of it in a real project.
After five to ten minutes, describe a project that did not go well and explain why. Explain the
scope, time, and cost constraints and how the project fared in each.
Then ask for an example of a project that went very well.

The tutor will select some students to explain their ideas to the class.

Question 2: Project Attributes

Students try to relate the attributes of a project to the project management class. Discuss your
expectations as major stakeholders in the class. What do you expect to get out of the class? What
do you expect from the instructor, your classmates, and yourself in order for the class to be a
success? Each student presents your findings, and collect their recorded comments.

Question 3:
In this workshop, you are to prepare your CV based on a project management position recently
advertised. At the end of the first hour, you are to review your CV and note down the following
a. What are the skills that you have for the advertised position?
b. What are the skills that you need to acquire? How do you think you can acquire such
skills to become a candidate for the job advertised?
c. What in your CV do you think will give you an advantage in getting the job?
d. Write down briefly, what you think you will need to do to make yourself competitive
in the job market; in particular, in project management positions.

Homework
Question 4:
Find someone who works as a project manager or someone who works on projects, such as a
worker in your school’s IT department or the president of a social club. Prepare several interview
questions to learn more about projects and project management, and then ask them your
questions in person, through e-mail, or over the phone. Write a two-page summary of your
findings. Guidelines for your interview and sample questions are available below

1
Guidelines for Project Manager Interview

Please note that these are guidelines and sample questions only. Use only the questions that seem
appropriate, and feel free to add your own.

The main purpose of these interviews is for you to gain more insight into what project managers
really do, what challenges they face, what lessons they've learned, what concepts/tools you're
learning about that they really use, and what suggestions they have for you and other students as
future team members and project managers. People often like to tell stories or relate particular
situations they were in to get their points across. To this end, here are a few sample questions.

1. How did you get into project management?

2. If you had to rate the job of project manager on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest,
how would you rate it?

3. Briefly explain the reason for your rating. What do you enjoy most and what do you like
least about being a project manager?

4. Did you have any training or special talents or experiences that qualified you to be a
project manager? Are you certified or have you thought about becoming certified as a
PMP?

5. What do you feel is the most important thing you do as a project manager? On what task
do you spend the most time each day?

6. What are some of the positive and negative risks you’ve encountered on projects? Please
describe any notable successes and failures and what you’ve learned from them.

7. What are some of the tools, software or otherwise, that you use, and what is your opinion
of those tools?

8. What are some steps a project manager can take to improve the effectiveness and
efficiency of a team? How does a new project manager gain the respect and loyalty of
team members? Can you share any examples of situations you faced related to this topic?

9. What suggestions do you have for working with sponsors and senior managers? Can you
share any examples of situations you faced related to this topic?

10. Do you have any suggestions for future project managers, such as any specific
preparations they should make, skills they should learn, etc?

Question 4:
Do a research on available types of PM certification. Brief description each kind of certification.
2
Deliverables
You will need to submit your answers for Question 4 & 5 via submission box in the course
portal.