Professional skill-building seminar: project design, management and diffusion

Teacher(s)

Koutroubas Theodoros; Rihoux Benoît;

Language

English

Content

This teaching unit goes through the practical steps of two 'real-life' professional situations for an expert in fields related to political science. The seminar is organized in two sequences of 4 teaching sessions (each sequence: one 'real-life' professional situation) animated respectively by B. Rihoux and Th. Koutroubas, with the support of a teaching assistant. Each student is asked to choose one 'real-life' professional situation he/she will follow from A to Z. 1. Managing a project as an external consultant: (a) submitting a bid (answering an call for external consultancy) including budgetary projections; (b) negotiating a contract; (c) designing/planning the project; (d) managing the project on a daily basis; following milestones; (e) reporting. 2. Managing a project as a hired staff member: (a) getting a grip on the project (understanding/framing the request); (b) designing/planning the project; (c) managing the project on a daily basis; following milestones; (d) reporting.

Each one of the two sequences is introduced during 1 session (presenting some transversal 'good practices' and going through the respective steps) by the respective instructors; this is then followed by 3 applied sessions during which the students who have chosen one given situation discuss/present how they would manage the successive steps of the project ' this being de-briefed by the instructor.

Teaching methods

Interactive seminar, with active involvement of the students during 6 of the 8 sessions. The instructors also invite guest experts to the extent possible, and a teaching assistant is involved in the follow-up of the practical steps

Evaluation methods

This is a seminar-type course, with an individual project work and written report, presented in front of the group. Both the written report and presentation are graded

Other information

Working language: English

Bibliography

Quelques manuels de référence sur la gestion de projets et sur les 'bonnes pratiques' sont utilisés, ainsi que (surtout) du matériau primaire issu de projets réellement menés par le passé.

Faculty or entity

PSAD