IE5541 Final Presentation

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IE5541 Final Presentation

• A Project By
• Eric Carpenter
• Matt Ellavsky
• Andrew Schmeling

http//webpages.charter.net/eicarpen/project_docs.
html
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Online PM Course Evaluation

• Sponsor Professor Kathy Schwalbe
• Date 09 December, 2003

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Purpose Summarize Growing Number of Online
Project Management Courses Available Today

• Approach to the Summary

• Created and Executed Telephone Survey Seeking
  Qualitative and Quantitative information
  regarding each course.
• Researched online documentation and information
  on current project management courses through
  internet searches.
• Presented compiled data on current courses in a
  user-friendly environment posted on the team
  website.

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Project Approach to Method of Management

• Devised a Project Charter (http//webpages.charte
  r.net/eicarpen/project_charter.doc)
• Formulated a Project Scope Statement
  (http//webpages.charter.net/eicarpen/scope_statem
  ent.doc)
• Agreed to a workable team contract
  (http//webpages.charter.net/eicarpen/team_contrac
  t.doc)
• Created a Fair and Balanced Work Load Matrix
  (http//webpages.charter.net/eicarpen/work_load_ma
  trix.xls)
• Utilized Microsoft Project for Schedule Tracking,
  Issues Mitigation, and Critical Path Analysis

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Project Successes!

• Working as a Virtual Team

• Overcame 3 f-t jobs, families and 100 miles

• Maintained Communication via phone and email

• Course Identification Strategy

• Filtered out courses which did not satisfy the
  project scope, while not missing or eliminating
  appropriate online project management courses

• The Easy to Navigate Webpage

• Webpage includes the Teams approach to Project
  Management, as well as all team deliverables.

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Project Changes

• Refined Scope Definition

• Narrowed Search of PM Preparation Courses to
  Only Those Taught On-Line.

• This was to insure an easy to compare, easy
  understand field of metrics.

• Changed Survey from Email to Telephone Based

• Received a Higher Response Rate
• Received Responses Quicker
• Allow Follow-Up Questions were well received by
  instructors

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Project Complications

• Working as a Virtual Team

• Meetings were difficult to organize

• Telephone meetings helped stymie the feeling of
  complete isolation
• Constant Email Communication proved to keep all
  members apprised of progress.

• Poor Initial Survey Response

• Initial Email Onslaught was met with lack-luster
  turn out. Changing format from email based to
  phone based helped improve responses, however
  course through-put was decreased.

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Lessons Learned

• Data Collection must be Proactive

• People do not respond to mailings and voicemail.
  Only when direct contact was made, were results
  achieved.

• Constant Communication is necessary for
  distance separated teams.

• In todays work environment, cross site
  communication is a daily occurrence.

• Developed and followed a very organized Project
  Management oriented project

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Survey Questions

• How long is the course (in sessions as well as
  hours/session)?
• Is the course totally online, or do the students
  need to meet with the instructor or other class
  members at some point?
• How does the student typically interact with the
  instructor and his/her peers?
• How many students are enrolled in each course,
  on average?
• How long has your online course been offered
  (months/years)?
• How many students have taken the course since it
  was first offered?
• Does your course provide practice exams for
  students?
• What is the typical cost per course?
• What supplemental materials (books, videos,
  etc.) are required, if any?
• Do the students receive a grade for the course,
  or do they only receive proof of completion? How
  is satisfactory completion measured?
• How is the course delivered to the student?
  Which software packages are required for delivery
  (student and institution sides)?
• After completing the course, what is the
  percentage of students that pass the PMP?
• Is there anything else about your program that
  we may have forgotten to ask that you would like
  to comment on?

   
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Table Metrics

• Supplemental Materials
• Supplemental Materials
• Practice Exams
• PDUs
• Proof of Completion
• Taking PM Exam within one year
• Passing PM Exam
• Course Access
• Misc.

• Name of Institution
• Course Name
• Cost
• Course Duration
• Course Inception
• Students Per Course
• Students since Inception
• Instructor Interaction

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Table Metric of Survey Information

• http//webpages.charter.net/eicarpen/courses_main.
  html

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Project Conclusion

• Due to an increase in demand for Project
  Management professionals caused both by a
  competitive job market and employer requirements,
  Individuals, Companies, and Universities alike
  are developing on-line/at home Project Management
  courses for the working adult.

• Because of this, all types of employed people
  are able to become PMPs through on-line/at home
  training.
• On-line courses has a format that can fit with
  each individuals learning style.

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Marketing Statement

• One must always remember, no one wants a ¼ drill
  bit, they want a ¼ hole.

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Conclusion

• To increase student success, and maximum student
  through-put

• Self-paced, Module Lead instruction provides the
  student with the best resources to complete a PM
  Exam, and allows the instructor to maximize the
  number of students taking instruction by limiting
  student/instructor interaction to
  email/mail/phone conversations.