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Open Access book - Project Management for Instructional Designers
By Terry Anderson 19 October 2012 @ 2:41pm Comments (3)
http://idpm.us/
This looks like an inetresting multi-media book that could be used in whole or part to supplement a number of MDE EDD courses. FYI
From the intro:
"This book provides an overview of project management, defining both projects and project management. Along with information on the essential basics of project management, we have also included videos of experienced instructional designers discussing real life applications of the principles you will be learning."
Terry
Comments
Is there a PDF version or is it a do it yourself project ?
Might want to also consider PRINCE2 from OGC to complement what seems to be a PMBOK orientation.
The book "Project Management for Instructional Designers" is largely based on the Project Managment Institute's (PMI) "knowledge areas" approach to managing project and there is nothing wrong with that. Yes, you could take an approach building on the "principles" based PRINCE2, however if a course in educational program development were to adopt an approach, it should adopt one or the other, not both.
I do not recommend this text for an AU course. Although it does a fair job at condensing the generic project management process, it fails on several key points that, in my mind, are critical to teaching project management in the educational context. First, PMI's "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge" (PMBoK) is an ANSI standard; it is not a comprehensive methodology. The work (big work) of adapting the PMBoK to an organization's systems is significantly understated. Second, the pivotal role of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is understated. The authors reinforce the WBS as a tool to create the schedule. It is far more imporant than the schedule. Third, risk managment is explained in the context of unknowns and things going wrong. It is preferred to explain risk in terms of uncertainty leading to opoortunity AND threat. Last, the book described early discussions of project management as a profession. Which ever side of the fence you may come down on regarding this issue, most would agree that it is a discipline and the process of project managment requires discipline. This is seriously undersatated in the book.
In teaching project management, I use the PMBoK, as well as other text, and assign projects that help students create their own PM methodology. That would generate much more value for them and for their employers.
You are welcome to view a presentation on project management in educational program development: Challenges in E-Learning Program Development with Distributed Project Teams.