Pro­jektledelse

Course content

Projects serve as critical vehicles for translating visions into action, driving change, and challenging the status quo. They are foundational to addressing contemporary grand challenges. For instance, combating climate change demands a portfolio of diverse projects, including the development of innovative technologies, the construction of sustainable energy infrastructure (such as energy islands), and marketing campaigns aimed at transforming consumption habits, among others.

This course seeks to enhance participants’ knowledge of project management while fostering a reflexive and critical approach to both its theoretical underpinnings and practical applications.

The course introduces two distinct theoretical perspectives on project management. The first represents the traditional view, as encapsulated in international standards and most textbooks, emphasizing analytical thinking, structured methodologies, and data-driven planning. The second, often referred to as the “Scandinavian school” of project management, with a focus on flexibility, co-creation, and the need to navigate uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. These perspectives are conceptualized as tightly coupled and loosely coupled approaches, respectively.

Building on these perspectives, the course delves into four core project management practices that every project practitioner must master:

1. Aiming: Defining the purpose and scope of a project, articulating its vision, and connecting these elements to actionable plans.
2. Collaborating: Identifying and engaging stakeholders, fostering constructive relationships within and beyond the project team, and addressing the diverse and evolving needs of stakeholders.
3. Coordinating: Structuring and managing the work by defining roles, schedules, milestones, and budgets to ensure alignment and progress.
4. Adapting: Responding to uncertainty and change through prevention, adaptation, and learning.

These two perspectives and four managerial practices form a 2x4 matrix, which serves as the framework guiding the course.

Surrounding this matrix are three overarching components that contextualize and deepen the study of project management:

1. Introduction to projects: The course starts with a short introduction to projects and project management, what it is, how it has been conceptualized over the years, and why it matters.

2. The Project Society: Projects permeate both professional and personal life, shaping what is referred to as a “Project Society.” This reliance on projects raises ethical questions, such as the potential misuse of projects to achieve ulterior objectives or the overstatement of project benefits to justify societal value. Students will critically reflect on these dilemmas and explore strategies to navigate challenging ethical decisions.

3. Project Success: Despite the increasing reliance on projects to deliver long-term societal benefits, they are often associated with tales of failure and unmet expectations. This component critically examines the nature of project success, questioning whether failures are inherent or a result of unfair evaluation criteria. Students will engage with the ethical and practical implications of defining and measuring project success.

Through this comprehensive approach, the course equips students with the knowledge, tools, and critical insights needed to excel in managing projects that drive meaningful and sustainable change in an increasingly complex world.