This course is part of the Managing Major Engineering Projects Specialization

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Dr Giorgio Locatelli

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Managing Major Engineering Projects SpecializationUniversity of Leeds

About this Course

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Manage large projects by identifying their key characteristics, examining the key factors and risks that affect their performance and exploring methods to counter their impact on the successful delivery of projects.
Looking into examples of best practice, you'll explore the relationship between projects, programmes and portfolios.  You'll also discover the roles performed by the project manager, examine the difficulties associated with quantifying transaction costs in major project management and consider how different management approaches impact on these costs. Optimism bias and strategic misinterpretation regularly cause delays to major engineering projects. Using stimulating case studies, you'll evaluate the measures of success and compare and contrast 'project success' versus 'project management success'. In the final week of the course, you'll research and present a contemporary example of a major engineering project from your own country. 

This course explores concepts analysed in the University’s Online MSc in Engineering Management. If you are interested to develop your skills further, take a look at our online degree.

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Course 1 of 3 in the

Managing Major Engineering Projects Specialization

Intermediate Level

This course is ideal for graduates from engineering, science and other numerate subjects or for professionals with relevant work experience.

Approx. 19 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Understand the key phases of a project life cycle
Discriminate between projects, programmes and portfolios and identify the key characteristics of major projects
Define forms of bias and strategic misinterpretation and ways of mitigating against them
Analyse the cost and time performance indicators of major projects

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 3 in the

Managing Major Engineering Projects Specialization

Intermediate Level

This course is ideal for graduates from engineering, science and other numerate subjects or for professionals with relevant work experience.

Approx. 19 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.69/5 (282 Ratings)

Dr Giorgio Locatelli

Lecturer of Infrastructure Procurement and Management

School of Civil Engineering

23,388 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

University of Leeds

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(3,785 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Major engineering project performance

4 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 15 min), 18 readings, 2 quizzes

3 videos

Introduction from Giorgio2mProjects, sub-projects and operations6mProject life cycle theories6m

18 readings

Welcome to Major engineering project performance10mIntroduction10mResearch and further reading10mLesson summary1mLesson overview1mWhat is a project?10mWho is a project manager and what is project management?5mProject management duties10mQuiz introduction1mLesson summary1mLesson overview1mTypes of project life cycles10mThe phases of the infrastructure life cycle5mQuiz introduction1mLesson summary1mLesson overview1mApply your understanding: creating a project life cycle30mReferences2m

2 practice exercises

Project management duties30mTest your understanding30m

Week2

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Programmes, portfolios and transaction costs

4 hours to complete

1 video (Total 9 min), 16 readings, 1 quiz

1 video

Transaction costs9m

16 readings

Welcome to the week1mLesson overview1mWhat are programmes and portfolios?10mCase study: the Milan Expo10mWhat are the challenges of programme management?10mWhat is a portfolio?5mLesson summary1mLesson overview1mCase study: The nuclear industry in the USA and South Korea10mAnalysis: the South Korean nuclear industry10mLesson summary1mLesson overview1mCritical analysis1hLesson overview1mWriting your reflections30mReferences2m

1 practice exercise

Critical analysis task30m

Week3

Week 3

4 hours to complete

Time and cost in major projects

4 hours to complete

2 videos (Total 15 min), 18 readings, 1 quiz

2 videos

Cost and time performance of major projects6mOther reasons to explain over-budget and delay8m

18 readings

Welcome to the week1mLesson overview1mWhat is a major project?10mWhat types of risks are involved in major projects?10mWhat is the iron triangle?10mError and inaccuracy in major projects: the example of infrastructure projects10mLesson summary1mLesson overview1mWhat is optimism bias?5mHow can you reduce the impact of optimism bias?10mWhat is strategic misinterpretation?5mStrategic misinterpretation: mitigating its impact10mOptimism bias and strategic misinterpretation in context5mLesson summary1mLesson overview1mYour research task1hWhat is peer review?15mReferences2m

Week4

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Project management success vs project success

4 hours to complete

18 readings

18 readings

Welcome to the week1mLesson overview1mWhat is a measure of success in major project management?5mCase study: Motorola Iridium10mMotorola Iridium: an analysis5mMain contractor perspective5mHow should you measure project success?10mExtended perspective15mLesson summary1mLesson overview1mTurner and Zolin framework5mQuiz introduction1mCase study: the Tower of Pisa10mCase study: the Thames Barrier10mQuiz introduction1mLesson summary1mWriting your reflections30mReferences2m

2 practice exercises

Turner and Zolin Framework30mTest your understanding30m

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TOP REVIEWS FROM MAJOR ENGINEERING PROJECT PERFORMANCE

by NOSep 10, 2020

This course has been a revelation for me. It takes you through all the modules in way that is easy to understand and rich in content.

by KBOct 8, 2020

Excellent material - I have over 30 years experience - but am still learning!

How do I get a certificate for this Course??

by RRSep 19, 2020

Useful & Informative course explained in crisp 5-15 min sessions. Assignments involve application of the learning that help the concept to be understood more clearly

by SPSep 9, 2019

The course is very much practicality oriented. Learning process and structure of the course is very well and easy to go.

View all reviews

About the Managing Major Engineering Projects Specialization

Accelerate your career by improving your project management skills. This Specialization delivers a rigorous exploration of the best practices for planning and delivering these major engineering projects. You’ll learn about the measures of success, how to resolve challenges of governance and typical financing approaches of these projects.

If you are an engineer or a project manager and you aspire to get involved with major engineering projects, or you are already working on one, then this Specialization is for you. Master your project management skills and prepare to develop your career in engineering. This specialization is based on content from the Online MSc in Engineering Management. If you interested to develop your career further, take a look at our online degree.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Major Engineering Project Performance

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