NURS 641 Week 2: Assignment: Individual Project Part 1: Managing Projects

NURS 641 Week 2: Assignment: Individual Project Part 1: Managing Projects

NURS 641 Week 2: Assignment: Individual Project Part 1: Managing Projects

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:

? 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.

Topics and Questions

Keep in mind that you will need to adapt your questions to the individual, setting, and
projects. You are not required to ask these specific questions, but you are required to
address the topics listed below. (Note: If the interviewee cannot address a topic, you
are required to conduct a literature search to find scholarly information or research on
that topic.)

? What does project management mean to your organization (group)?

? What types of projects do you manage or work on? How does a project get started?

? Describe a typical experience of working on a project for this organization. What
strengths do you bring to project management? What special projects have you managed or played a significant part in managing? Have you had any relevant project management training for the kinds of projects you manage? What are your major accomplishments in managing this project or other projects?

? What is your most important contribution to the organization? What are some of
the challenges or frustrations you encounter in your role as project manager?

? How do project management practices in this organization impact organizational
work products (proposals, presentations, agendas, reports, analyses, and other project information sources)? How do project management practices in the organization affect the end users of implemented technology (if applicable)?

Note: This individual may not know about formal project management, so follow the trail that emerges in the interview.

Ask the interviewee to single out one particular project that could be discussed in depth.

? Describe the goals of the project:

o What were the desired outcomes of the project?

o What metrics would you expect to use to determine the ongoing success of your project?

o What expectations or hopes were held for improving organizational work products?

? How was the project administered?

o Was there a written project charter? (If so, follow up on this lead.)

o How many people/departments/organizations were involved in the project?

o As appropriate, give an overview of the project activities, schedule, and allocation of resources.

o Explain your role in establishing milestones, identifying inter-dependencies, and allocating resources.

Additional questions and insights are encouraged.

NURS 641 Week 2: Assignment: Individual Project Part 1: Managing Projects

To complete:

In a 2- to 4-page paper, reflect on your experience and address the following:

? 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.

? Analyze the reports of these organizations’ experiences with HIT project management in order to draw out insights on real-world project management.

You may need to examine trade publications in addition to scholarly journals.

? Consider the following questions as you analyze the articles:

o What does project management mean to the organization (group)?

o What was the contribution of project management to the organization? What challenges were encountered?

o How did project management enhance organizational work products and the effect of information technology on the users (if applicable)?

o What were the goals of the project:

? What were the desired outcomes of the project?

? What metrics were used to determine the ongoing success of the project?

? What were the expectations or hopes for improving organizational work products?

o How was the project administered?

? Was there a written project charter?

? How many people/departments/organizations were involved in the project?

? Summarize the project activities, schedule, and project costs, if included in the article.

To complete:

In a 2- to 4-page paper, address the following:

? 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.

Part 1 of the Individual Project is due on or before Day 7 of Week 5.