SYST4080 Class Charter

Spring 2009

Course Instructor: Jim Marlatt

Office: S450G

Cell Phone: 720-933-5541 (Don’t be afraid to call with questions)

Office Hours:

Wednesdays from 10:00 pm to 11:30 pm,

Wednesdays from 2:45 pm to 3:15 pm,

Or by appointment

Class Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, you will be expected to be able to:

  • plan and execute a successful business project as part of a student team
  • develop clear roles and responsibilities for your project team members and client
  • provide constructive feedback to your peers which will enable the team to improve its performance during the course of the semester
  • know how to communicate effectively with your client
  • produce a high quality deliverable that addresses a specific client need(s)
  • prepare and present your project deliverables to our class, your client and to professionals acting as project mentors for feedback

Class Authority

Jim

  • Gives you a grade for the class
  • Calls on you for input during class
  • Provides feedback (in addition to your grades) on your work
  • Providesdifferent project grades for an individual student than their team receives as I see fit.

Students

  • Provide feedback on the class
  • Provide constructive and timely feedback to team members and your client
  • Determine how to communicate with your client
  • Fire a teammate who is not contributing as agreed
  • Request more information regarding a grade given
  • Determine how to allocate work within your team

Class communications/Stakeholder communications

  • Attend class, prepared to discuss your project with your team and class
  • Read the material prior to class, and be ready to apply this to our discussions in class
  • Open and honest, constructive feedback to your teammates and teacher
  • Meet with your team/client once each week to discuss project status, project work, etc.

Class Deliverables Due In Class(How you will be measured) No late assignments will be accepted.

  • First Deliverable (February 4th) 20%
  • Performance Preview (February 11th) 15%
  • Final Presentation (April 29th) 10%
  • Final Deliverable (April 29th) 25%
  • FinalPerformance Review (Thursday, May 7th 10:30 am to 1 pm) 20%
  • Individual Participation (Throughout Semester) 10%

Class Schedule and Reading Assignments

  1. January 14th–Review class charter and class expectations- Keys to Your Success in This Class
  2. January 21st–Project Management Principles - Project objectives and scope - Read files 1, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2g and 5a

**Project fair – Friday, January 23rd 12 pm to 2 pm Leeds Atrium Lower Level**

  1. January 28th–Authority and roles and responsibilities, Read files 2d, 2e, 2f and3d - Project schedule – Read 3a and 3b – Hitachi Consulting Mentoring

Hitachi Mentoring - WBS

  1. February 4th–1st deliverable due
  2. February 11th – Performance Preview Due
  3. February 18th – Project communications – Read 3e and 4a
  4. February 25th –Project cost/benefit – Read 3c
  5. March4th –Project risk management – Read 3f
  6. March 11th –Change management - Read 4b and 4c and Hitachi Consulting Mentoring 5 pm to 7 pm
  7. March 18th – Working Session
  8. March25th – Spring Break (Have fun and be safe)
  9. April 1st – Project Closing – Read 5 and 6c
  10. April 8th– Working Session
  11. April 15th– Draft Presentations to Hitachi Consulting
  12. April 22nd– Working Session
  13. April 29th– Final presentations to your clients Presentation Feedback Template
  14. May 7th(10:30 am to 1 pm) – Final Performance Reviews Due in Class

Reading Materials:

  1. HOW TO SAY IT – Business Writing That Works, Gewirtz, Adina, Prentice Hall, 2007 – ISBN: 978-0-7352-0425-6
  2. THE SEVEN SLIDE SOLUTION, Kelly, Paul, Silvermine Press, 2005 – ISBN: 1-4196-2003-7
  3. Project Management Reading

Links to Reading Assignments:

Project Management Objectives and Scope - Presentations

Hitachi Status Reporting & Asking Effective Questions

PSNC Project Vision - Good Example for Writing Project Objectives

Project Management Authority Roles & Responsibilities Presentation

Project Estimating Slides

Risk Management Slides

Final Deliverable Contents

  • Cover page with contact info for team members and client (name, e-mail, cell phone #)
  • Table of Contents
  • Charter (original and updated versions)
  • WBS
  • Milestones with dates/responsible person
  • Performance previews
  • Stakeholder analysis
  • Meeting agendas
  • Meeting notes
  • Status reports (at least one every two weeks)
  • Executive summary
  • Presentation (draft w/ comments and final)
  • Specific project deliverables (determined by team, client and mentor)
  • Research w/ references
  • Other supporting documentation
  • Performance reviews (including one from your client)

All of this should be bound in a three ring binder or spiral bound (3-ring will be easier to add/subtract materials)

Grading – Minimum Performance Requirements

For a C, you must at a minimum:

  1. Miss no more than 1 class.
  2. Read all assigned material before class.
  3. Complete all work assigned to you by the team no later than its due date. Your team will establish a schedule early in the semester and will manage this through the performance review process.
  4. Participate in the class discussion by asking questions and providing information beyond the reading assignments relevant to what is being covered. I will keep notes during the semester regarding your input in class. This will not be a one to one correlation, but enough for me to assess if you participate on a regular basis (at least every couple of weeks)
  5. Provide hard and soft copies of all project files to your client and professor during and at the conclusion of the semester (research materials, deliverables, meeting notes, etc.). These deliverable due dates are clearly identified in the syllabus.
  6. Maintain an web accessible site where all files are stored during the semester that your client. Mentor (if applicable) and all team members can access.
  7. Document sources of information in your deliverables.
  8. Speak to and/or meet with your client at least once every other week. This will be confirmed through regular communications I will have with your client.
  9. Make any information requests of your client and other stakeholders at least three business days in advance.
  10. Agree on project deliverables, milestones and roles & responsibilities of your team and your client no later than the end of the fourth week of the semester. This will be documented in your first deliverable.
  11. Provide dates and locations to your client for all field work sessions and draft/final project presentations at the beginning of the semester. Also provide them with reminders three days in advance and agendas for the meeting.

For a B, you must at a minimum complete all items to receive a C, plus the following:

  1. Miss no more than 1 project team meetings (with or without the client) outside classroom time. This will be assessed by your teammates as part of the performance review process.
  2. Complete all work assigned to you such that your teammates, client and/or instructor do not have to do much (this means only a few minor changes) rework to make sure it is presentable as of its due date (spelling, grammar, ease of understanding, logical, consistent with project objectives and scope, well supported, complete, etc.). It is recommended that you provide drafts to people on the team, your mentor and/or others in advance of the due date for feedback so your work is accurate and complete. Your work will be assessed as part of the performance review process and as part of your client and professor’s review.
  3. Break the project into smaller more manageable pieces with interim milestones.
  4. Develop a project risk assessment in enough detail that team progress isn’t adversely affected by some unknown risk during the semester.
  5. Adhere to documentation standards set by the project team and client (and professor where appropriate).
  6. Provide at least four examples of constructive feedback for each team member in their performance reviews. No one is perfect, so you must provide details on what and how your team members performance can be improved (See performance review template for more information).
  7. Communicate any project issues within 48 hours to your teammates, the professor and client (if appropriate).
  8. Identify and document 5 sources (by each individual team member) of relevant information (research, people, etc.) that the team uses to complete the project.
  9. Provide and document credible support for recommendations made during the project.
  10. Take on additional work as the need arises without waiting for your team member(s) to delegate work to you. Make sure you communicate what you are doing in advance if this is different than your roles and responsibilities on the project (likely would be if you are taking on additional work) so you don’t duplicate someone else’s work.
  11. Work with team/client to make sure that project activities are fairly distributed.
  12. Identify additional work that needs to be done to achieve the project objectives early enough to allow for this work to be completed.

For an A, you must at a minimum complete all items to receive a B, plus the following:

  1. Deliverable must be consistent with the quality of work produced in the sample deliverable shared with you at the beginning of the semester that was completed by your peers in an earlier semester.
  2. Obtain the authority you need from your client to keep the project moving forward.
  3. Recommendations must be used by the client in their business during the semester (at least some material portion). There have been situations where recommendations have not been used, either due to timing, changes to the business or for other reasons. You will need to document this and justify why your work was not used. Of course you will also need to document what was used and how.
  4. Actively participate in implementing these recommendations at the client.
  5. Proactively identify areas that the team can improve throughout the semester and help implement these changes.
  6. Manage changes to scope during the project by identifying if the new work is required based on the agreed project objectives.
  7. Get/keep client’s interest such that they are responding to your requests within three business days.
  8. Manage changes to project objectives. It is understandable that these might change early in the semester as you are becoming familiar with the client and project. These changes must be minimized/non-existent after the mid-way point of the semester. Changes must be justified and documented.
  9. Get agreement from the client that work performed was outstanding and that they will be willing to work with future teams of students from Leeds. This is documented in the performance review that you client must complete at the end of the semester.
  10. Monitor project progress regularly and update your project plan as appropriate. You must document and get agreement for these changes.

Additional Important Class/University Policies

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services prior to any work being due that this accommodation would impact. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and

In this class, you must inform me at the beginning of the semester about missing any classes and/or assignments due to religious observances. See full details at

Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices at and at

The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment, the University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at

303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH, the above referenced policies and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at

All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution.

Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at and at

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