In Progress
Please note that this Unit Profile is still in progress. The content below is subject to change.Overview
This unit provides an introduction and overview of the field of practice known as complex project management. Complex project management is when a project has three characteristics. Firstly, complex projects are very complicated with lots of parts and interconnections. Secondly, there is a great deal of uncertainty. Finally, they are heavily time-constrained so there is little time to make decisions. In this unit you will explore these characteristics and how to manage them by undertaking assessments for complexity through analysis and systematic inquiry. You will investigate approaches to complexity by forecasting impacts and modelling outcomes. You will analyse the complexities of causes and effects, such as the role played by leaders, setting objectives, environmental and technological limitations and factors, and other constraints that increase complexity. In the unit you will be introduced to a number of examples of complex projects through case studies. You will be able to investigate and discuss the case studies with your peers and lecturers to increase your understanding and proficiency with the management of complex projects.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Students must have completed the CQUniversity Graduate Diploma of Project Management or equivalent Project Management qualification from another Institution in order to do this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from End of unit CQU survey feedback
The lecture slides were designed good to disseminate the meaning of content. Moreover, the tutor was knowledgeable and approachable for providing all required resources.
To continue designing lecture slides with up-to-date information and maintaining the approachable and supportive teaching style of the lecturer and tutor to ensure student satisfaction.
Feedback from End of unit CQU survey feedback
Assessment marking, particularly in group assessments, should provide individual AI usage percentages. Penalizing the whole group due to one. individual's high AI percentage is not fair. AI detection in group projects should be reported separately for each member and marked accordingly.
In group work, it is the group’s responsibility to collaborate effectively and ensure the quality of their submissions. Checking for issues, such as similarity, is part of the learning process. The teaching team will clearly outline the expectations for group submissions and teamwork at the start of each term to support effective communication and accountability.
Feedback from End of unit CQU survey feedback
Complex Project Management is core unit for my major as master in Project Management, I prefer to be taught on campus rather than online which I find ineffective in learning.
While most students are satisfied with online teaching, a few prefer face-to-face learning. To maintain consistency in delivery across campuses and for online students, the unit will continue to be offered online. However, to enhance interactive learning, students will be encouraged to share more actively, and the progress of each group will be closely monitored to achieve greater engagement and collaboration.
Feedback from End of unit CQU survey feedback
Overall, I’m happy with the subject and teaching style, but few things in my mind. Marking criteria is not clear in both assessments. some parts are missing.
The teaching team will review and modify the marking criteria for all assessments to ensure transparency and completeness.
- Explain the causes, environments, and properties of complex projects.
- Identify different tools and techniques to aid a project manager manage complex projects.
- Critically analyse whether different projects cases are complex projects.
- Formulate, argue and defend a strategy that a project manager can apply to a complex project case study.
- In a team analyse the root causes of failure with a number of sample complex project cases.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Group Discussion - 40% | |||||
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10% | |||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||||
| 2 - Communication | |||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
| 4 - Research | |||||
| 5 - Self-management | |||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
| 7 - Leadership | |||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Group Discussion - 40% | ||||||||
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10% | ||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||