Individual Project Part 1: Managing Projects

The Individual Project Assignments in this course are designed to provide you with a practical understanding of project management activities in a health care organization.

Part 1 of the Individual Project focuses on managing projects. You interview an individual who has managed a project for an organization. Alternatively, you may examine a minimum of three organizations that have published descriptions about a health care information technology project.

Interview

To prepare:

• Review the Individual Project Overview document linked in this week’s Learning Resources for additional information on this project. Pay particular attention to the questions you might ask in your interview.
• Locate a professional who manages or works on special projects in health care and is willing to speak about his or her experience.
• If such a person is not readily available to you, find someone in your community who has managed a project for an organization. The organization can be a volunteer service group, a faith-based group, a business, or another that meets your needs. The goal is to find an individual who has been in charge of a project important to the organization.
• Review the topics and questions below that should be addressed in your interview.
• Think about other related questions you might have for your interviewee and solidify your goals for speaking to and learning from this person. By Day 5 of Week 5 Write a 2- to 4-page paper in APA format with 3 references from the list provided which include the following level one headings: 

• Describe the context of your interview—where and how the interview took place. why you selected this individual, and how you believe this individual meets the requirements for this Assignment.
• Describe the role and functions of the individual within the context of the individual’s organizational structure and of project management.
• Synthesize insights on how project goals (outcomes, metrics of success, expectations for improving work products) and project administration (project charters, stakeholder involvement, activities, scheduling, costs, etc.) are addressed in the interviewee’s organization.
• Compare the insights from your interview with information from project management literature about project goals (outcomes, metrics of success, expectations for improving work products) and project administration (project charters, stakeholder involvement, activities, scheduling, costs, etc.). Be sure that the comparisons you make are clear to the reader.
• Explain how your insights into these aspects of project management will impact your ability to successfully manage health care information technology projects. Include any tips the individual described for managing a successful project. OR: Scholarly Paper To prepare: 

• Examine a minimum of three organizations that have published descriptions about a health care information technology project. Review the Individual Project Overview document for the full details of this Assignment.Write a 2- to 4-page paper in APA format with 3 references from the list provided which include the following level one headings:

• Briefly describe the health care organizations selected for use in this paper, including your rationale for selecting the organizations.
• Offer perspectives on the use of formal project management in health care organizations, with a focus on health care information technology projects. 
• Synthesize insights on how project goals (outcomes, metrics of success, expectations for improving work products) and project administration (project charters, stakeholder involvement, activities, scheduling, costs, etc.) are addressed in the projects implemented in your selected health care organizations.
• Compare your insights from the articles with information from project management literature about project goals and project administration. Be sure that the comparisons you make are clear to the reader.
• Explain how your insights into these aspects of project management will impact your ability to successfully manage health care information technology projects.
• Synthesize your findings from the literature in regards to present evidence, best practices, or standards.This assignment is due by Friday 9/30/16 by 12pm  Required Readings Biafore, B. (2010). Microsoft Project 2010: The missing manual. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly. Chapter 2, “Planning a Project” (pp. 39–57) This chapter supplies a brief introduction on project planning. The chapter describes the contents of a project plan along with the process of creating relevant documents.Coplan, S., & Masuda, D. (2011). Project management for healthcare information technology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. 

• Chapter 5, “Change Management” (pp. 193–237) In this chapter, the authors review change management knowledge areas. The authors describe a variety of analysis methods applicable to change management processes and outputs. Project Management Institute. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (5th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Author. 

• Chapter 3, “Project Management Processes” (pp. 47–61) This chapter supplies information on managing a project that uses networked processes. The chapter describes project management processes related to each phase of a project. Campbell, R. J. (2008). Change management in health care. The Health Care Manager, 27(1), 23–39. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.  In this article, the author highlights the work of two leaders in the field of change management. The author demonstrates how the work of these leaders can be applied to health care organizations. Merrell, P. (2012). Effective change management: The simple truth. Management Services, 56(2), 20–23. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.  In this article, the author provides six steps for effective change management. The author also supplies supplementary information on the importance of learning activities, measuring success, and managing change management strategies. Schifalacqua, M., Costello, C., & Denman, W. (2009). Roadmap for planned change, part 1: Change leadership and project management. Nurse Leader, 7(2), 26–29. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.  In this article, the authors explore the essential elements of change theory and project management. The article details many tools and concepts that assist in managing and planning change at various scales. Microsoft Corporation. (2012). Getting started: Introduction to project management. Retrieved from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/project-help/getting-started-introduction-to-project-management-HA010359477.aspx?CTT=3 Review this web page, which provides an overview of basic project management concepts. It also provides links to other pages which demonstrate how to apply the aforementioned concepts in Microsoft Project 2010.  Document: Individual Project Overview (PDF) (SEE ATTACHED PDF FILE) This document provides an overview of the Individual Project you will work on throughout this course. Required Media Laureate Education (Producer). (2013a). Establishing a team [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 8 minutes. In this video, Dr. Mimi Hassett discusses important considerations when assembling a project team, such as who to include and whom to consult. She talks about how project size, goals, and timelines can impact those decisions, and she also offers examples of how to keep enthusiasm for a project moving forward as the challenges toward completion arise.