Advanced Project Management - Information Technology

EPM-1113: Project Management: Overview and Context

In this course, the student is introduced to project management fundamentals and core concepts providing an understanding of the various project life cycles and processes. This course explores the Project Management Institute website and what it has to offer in terms of certifications, practice guides and the reference site. The student will learn about different certifications available demonstrating effort and commitment to the profession. The newest version of the PMBOK Guide and the Standard for Project Management will be the focus laying a sound foundation for all future program courses. Upon completion the students will be aware of several common project management terms, the project management framework, and the profession itself. The student will have experienced team building and teamwork by applying case study assignments to demonstrate their learnings.

EPM-1123: Initiating the Project

In this course, students develop a structured approach to project initiation and a understanding of the performance domains of stakeholders, planning and communication. Key to this approach is the linkage of the business need to the project outcomes and application of project selection in an organization. Students will examine the Project Charter ,linking the business case to the project objectives and outcomes. Examining various models, artifacts and methodology to use when initiating a project for traditional, agile and hybrid. Students will learn the Stakeholder Project Management Principles including analysis of project stakeholders, tailoring to stakeholders and project methodology, determining which artifacts are relevant for stakeholder analysis and creation of a stakeholder engagement plan to deliver identified outcomes. Communication models and methodology will be examined to create a communication plan to engage identified stakeholders. Students will learn appropriate communication methods based on project methodology and how to properly assess communication is delivering planned outcomes.

COM-3013: Professional Communications

This course is designed for international students with diplomas or degrees. It focuses on polishing communications skills acquired through one's academic career and workplace experience. Through various business writing and speaking scenarios, students learn Canadian business practices and communication styles. Close attention is paid to proper incorporation of the intellectual property of others to ensure academic integrity. Students will practice organized and dynamic speaking and will strive for polished business documents.

EPM-1133: Identifying Project Requirements: Scope and Quality Management

In this course students identify and define project scope and quality requirements using an array of tools and techniques, including Planning Scope Management, Collecting Requirements, Defining Scope, Creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Planning Quality Management.

EPM-2243: IT Project Management Fundamentals: A Canadian Perspective

In this course, students study the terminology, life cycles and core processes involved specifically in the management of IT projects in Canada. Responsibilities and tasks that an IT project manager has during the development and implementation of an IT project, as well as the required skills an IT Project Manager needs in order to successfully integrate the projects with IT operations and service management. Students also learn about careers in the IT project management space in Canada.

EPI-1173: MS Project and Data Analytics

In this course, the student is introduced to understanding, organizing, and presenting data in useful visual formats to able to interpret, analyze and make decisions on a project. The student is presented with a number of techniques and tools within MS Excel and MS Project to aid with data analysis. Upon completion, the student will be able to use a number of advanced features within Excel as well as create a complete MS Project Schedule. The student will have the knowledge to monitor the progress of the project using Earned Value Management and utilize several reporting tools within MS Project.

EPI-1163: Managing Project Uncertainty: Risk and Procurement Management

In this course, the student explores project uncertainty management. First is the assessment of the level of uncertainty in a project. Next is an understanding of projects with processes that do not change significantly from one project to another (defined process control) and those with high uncertainty that have processes that adapt both the solution and the process to discover the solution as the project progresses (empirical process control). Also, the student explores when and how to blend the two approaches to fit the situation when required. Two related planning areas are examined; risk and procurement management. Risk management planning includes identifying and analyzing risk and developing risk response plans. Procurement management planning involves acquiring goods and services from external organizations. In each case, the level of uncertainty and the factors that drive uncertainty in the project environment must be assessed to determine the appropriate approach to management.

EPI-2173: Executing the Project

In this course, students explore the execution of projects with differing development approaches and life cycles. Projects may exist in predictable environments characterized by precise requirements and end-to-end plans or in environments of high uncertainty and complexity with processes that adapt both the solution and the process to discover the solution as the project progresses. Project environments may be one or the other or a hybrid. The studies include leading, planning, and managing stakeholders, teams, project work, delivery, measurement, uncertainty, scope, schedules, cost, quality, communications, procurements, conflicts, and ethical and legal issues in a project environment. Students would compare execution for differing project development approaches and life cycles for each.

EPM-4443: ITIL Foundations and Training

In this course, students will obtain knowledge of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) terminology, structure and basic concepts and to comprehend the core principles of ITIL practices for IT Service Management. The course covers the five core volumes which provide an end-to-end view of IT and its integration with business and IT project management strategies.

EPI-4453: DevSecOps

This course helps the students to gain expertise in the principles of continuous development and deployment, automation of configuration management, inter-team collaboration, & IT service agility, using DevOps tools and methodologies.

EPI-2253: Data Analytics for Information Technology

In today's highly connected world, organizations are in a privileged position where they can gather incredible amounts of data. Extracting value out of such data, and thus allowing decision makers across all levels and all industries to understand the ongoing phenomena they deal with, constitutes a fundamental skill for professionals today and in the foreseeable future. In this course, students will 1) Design strategies to address business problems using data, 2) Code basic instructions when dealing with data, 3) Create SQL queries to retrieve data, 4) Present data using Power BI, and 5) Deliver solutions to business problems. As a term project, students should complete a capstone project involving a business problem where real data is used. Plausible solutions to such problems are expected to involve techniques and tools presented in the course.

EPI-2193: Monitoring and Controlling Project Requirements

In this course, the student explores project management approaches to accomplishing project objectives and meeting quality requirements by tracking and measuring project performance and taking appropriate actions to maintain acceptable performance. Work in the project measurement domain is often concerned with tracking and managing project work, delivery, uncertainty scope, schedules, costs, quality, and stakeholders.

JSS-1001: Job Search and Success

This course is designed to give the student an understanding of how to conduct a job search and how to succeed in the work place. This includes self-reflection, effectively designing a cover letter and resume, online job searches utilizing social media, behavioural based interviewing as well as marketing oneself effectively in a job interview. Job safety, successful work strategies and harassment and discrimination plan of action is also discussed.

Academic Break

EPI-2113: Project Closure

In this course, the student examines the processes and activities involved in closing the project and handing over the project after completion. This includes; pre-commissioning, commissioning, hand-over to client, financial, contract, and administrative closure. The course also explores other project management methodologies beyond the traditional 'waterfall' planning approach. The course also introduces the Agile concepts from the Agile PMBOK, using the Scrum and Kanban framework as examples. Also, the course introduces students to PRINCE2 framework. PRINCE2 guides you through the stages of a project's lifecycle, bringing structure and a common language to your projects. It represents the "how to" of project management: it is flexible, scalable, and can be tailored to meet your specific requirements. PRINCE2 is based upon the tried and tested experience of project management practitioners around the world, and provides the themes, principles, and processes to deliver successful projects of any size and complexity. Upon completion of the adaptive project management area of this course, students will be able to understand the fundamentals of Agile, Scrum, and Kanban, discover how to leverage early and continuous feedback to deliver products that delight customers, and will be able to define key roles and responsibilities of Agile team members. Finally, students will learn how to improve team productivity and quality by removing impediments and highlighting organizational inefficiencies, understand how to improve lead time and throughput by managing the amount of work in progress, and earn how to guide continuous improvement of the team and the organization.

EPI-4473: New Technology

This course provides a practical and immersive learning experience with Jira and Kanban, two powerful tools used for viewing, tracking, and reporting on project tasks. Students will learn how to utilize Jira and Kanban to plan, assign, communicate, and report on project tasks while ensuring transparency, collaboration, and efficient project management. Through hands-on exercises and real-life scenarios, students will develop and manage work packages in Jira for a Canadian IT project, utilizing Kanban boards and daily stand-up meetings to track progress and communicate with the team. Students will have access to Jira and Kanban during the course for hands-on practice and assignments. Bloom's Taxonomy verbs have been used in the course outline to ensure an appropriate level of cognitive engagement.

EPM-4463: SDLC Methodology

Managing a modern SDLC project requires a thorough understanding of the various roles that must come together in order to create a successful application. This understanding begins by recognizing the need to work within a multidisciplinary environment. Business Analysts, Project Managers and Software Testers each have an important role to play and multiple implementation options (such as Waterfall or Agile) are available to them. Knowing which tool or technique to use in any particular situation is key to success. This Fundamentals of SDLC training course will give the students the knowledge they need to choose between these methods, tools and artifacts so that they can quickly and efficiently take the SDLC projects from concept to working implementation.

EPI-1183: Professional Practice and Ethics for IT

A solid sense of your own professional ethical standards allows you to live an professional authentic life and be more confident about the choices you make at work. In your role as a Project Manager or any other professional, this study of ethics will address professional ethical issues by exploring different ethical theories and approaches to decision making. Students will learn the elements of logical discussion and debate as well as cognitive biases that can create flaws in our own thinking. Whether you are faced with a personal ethical dilemma or a disagreement with colleagues, students will be better prepared to analyze the issue and apply ethical reasoning to create a satisfactory conclusion. Students will also gain better insight into the code of ethics as enunciated by the project management institute (PMI) and other Project Management bodies. Also, business ethics represent the standards for right and wrong that govern how business people act. The term also refers to the study of moral principles in the workplace. This course reviews the major ethical issues facing project managers. It looks at the specific challenges project leaders may confront as they deal with team members, vendors, stakeholders, and sponsors.

EPM-2133: Agile: Scrum and Other Methodologies

Current business trends demand that practitioners of Project Management be drivers of disruption in organizations. Increasing uncertainty and volatility have accelerated disruption making digital transformation a necessity for survival. The application of agile thinking has gone beyond software development, agile marketing, management, and organizations are fast becoming mainstream. Business agility rewards include increased Return on Investment (RoI), Reduced Risk, Customer Delight, Rapid Innovation, Adaptable Teams, Employee Retention, and Growth, Faster Time to Market, and Value Driven Decisions. This course shall provide students with an in-depth view of Agile practices utilizing the Scrum framework now used in 80% of agile implementations. It will also briefly review other popular light agile frameworks such as Lean, Extreme Programming (XP), and Crystal as well as more extensive agile approaches such as the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM) and new popular trends such as DevOps. Also, there is an introduction to PRINCE2 Agile concepts. This is designed to help students deliver agile projects by tailoring PRINCE2 management controls with a broad toolset of agile delivery techniques and frameworks they will learn from this course. To properly illustrate these concepts, the case studies outline the product/software development process using scrum as the framework. Students will review common problems and pitfalls of Scrum implementations. This is a practical hands-on course with students expected to form scrum teams and collaborate in practicing and learning the principles, values, and techniques and documenting the artifacts. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to understand the fundamentals of Agile and Scrum in detail. They would appreciate adaptive and iterative frameworks. They would understand scrum processes, ceremonies, practices, artifacts, roles and, the way all this work together to deliver value to customers. They would know how scrum processes map to traditional project management. This course continues from where EPM-2113 ended.

EPM-2143: Project Management Simulation for I.T.

This course provides the student an opportunity to demonstrate their skills by acting in the role of the IT project manager. This simulated workshop consolidates the learning from the previous courses and provides an opportunity to put learning into action through the use of a computerbased project management simulation. Upon completion, students prepare a lessons learned audit capturing their reflection of their own performance and that of their teammates.

CPL-1049: Work Term - Full-Time*

Co-operative education provides students with the opportunity to apply classroom learning to the workplace, undertake career sampling and gain valuable work experience that may assist students in leveraging employment after graduation. For further information regarding co-op, please refer to: https://www.lambtoncollege.ca/co-op_and_career/

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CPL-5559: WIL Project

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Project is aimed at enriching students by connecting different program areas of study, cutting across subject-matter lines, and emphasizing unifying concepts. The focus of the WIL Project is to make connections between study and industry by engaging students in relevant and meaningful activities that are connected to and practiced within the professional workplace. WIL Project allows students to enhance and strengthen their employability prospects post-graduation by fine tuning skills and knowledge and meeting the expectations of today's employers. Students are required to attend the scheduled shifts in the WIL office, reporting to the WIL Supervisor. Weekly real-world challenges are presented in the WIL office, designed by industry professionals. In addition to the weekly assigned deliverables, students are also offered professional development sessions, and exposed to industry guest speakers, enhancing their opportunity to develop their professional network.