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The Field of IT ~ Domain of Management
Project Management
~ Definition of IT
~ Domain of Design |
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The instructional designer’s role as a project manager includes certain skills such as: organizing programs; supervising personnel; planning and administering budget and facilities; and implementing change. One typical situation for a project manager is if the deliverables are intended for distance learning. When using distance learning as the means for providing the training, the designer makes decisions regarding the site for receiving instruction, and the constant changes which might occur in the technology. In each of the four sub-categories of management (project, resource, delivery, and information), the following common set of tasks are accomplished: (a) organization is assured; (b) personnel are hired and supervised;(c) funds are planned and accounted for; (d) facilities are developed and maintained and; (e) planning for short and long-term goals are completed. According to Prostano and Prostano, (1987), a manager should also be a leader who can motivate; direct; coach; support; delegate; and communicate with the learner. These characteristics noted by Prostano and Prostano are necessary for a manager to minimize delays and to keep the project moving towards completion. Figure 1 graphically describes the steps for successful project management. Preparations include: integration; scope; cost; quality; human resources; communications; risk; and procurement. Figure 1: The Steps for Successful Project Management. Source: PMBOK (2004). AECT (2001) divides the management domain into four sub-domains: (1) project management, (2) resource management, (3) management of delivery systems, and (4) information management. The sub-domains of project management involve planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and development projects, UNCW Watson School of Education MIT Program (2007). The project manager assures that the deliverables are completed on time and are within the budget. Project Management – According to Rothwell and Kazanas (1992) project members may be short-term members of a team due to many reasons among which could be promotion, or transfer, or the length of the project. As a result of short-term involvement, project managers often lack long-term authority over people because they are temporary bosses. However, project managers experience greater control and flexibility than is usual due to the short-term commitment. An instructional designer / project manager should always be aware that it may sometimes be difficult for a project manager and members of the project team, to adjust to the new and temporary position of leadership and decision making. According to England and Finney (2002), three criteria a project manager uses to make decisions regarding the project are: need; time; and money. An instructional designer establishes the important need criterion by asking the question, “What are my client’s needs?” The second criterion asks the question, “What are my client’s timelines?” And the third criterion, money, answers the question, “What is my client’s budget?” When the three criteria have been determined and are adhered to throughout the process, then the client’s needs, timeline and budget are met. A good instructional designer recognizes that there are risks involved with the criterion of time and budget, and the risks must be addressed before the project begins. Figure 2 presents a graphic example of how an instructional designer will plan for allowing additional days per each task, when scheduling to complete a project on time. Figure 2: Scheduling Additional Days. Source: Identifying the Critical Path. England and Finney (2003). Along with determining the client’s needs, time frame and budget, the project manager oversees the resources for the project. According to AECT (2001), Resource Management – involves planning, monitoring, and controlling resource support systems and services. An instructional designer must control access to the following resources: personnel, budget, supplies, time, facilities and instruction. The characteristics of Resource Management involve cost effectiveness and justification of cost effectiveness for learning. Through careful planning of resources, the project manager allocates resources to the project, thus reducing waste or possible cancellation of the project. With the resources established, the project manager considers and manages the information system. Information Management – Seels & Richey, (1994) suggests information management “involves planning, monitoring and controlling the storage, transfer or processing of information in order to provide resources for learning” (p. 51). Instructional designers access a variety of sources for the management of information needed for the learning environment. Instructional design applications, and management of information storage systems, reportedly are more and more dependent upon computerized information. Therefore, an instructional designer must develop and maintain flexibility and keen awareness of the appropriateness of management for each of the following information analyses as graphically displayed in Figure 3:
Figure 3: Information Management Analysis. Source: Project Management Guide. Pinto (2004). It is the responsibility of the instructional designer or project manager to make sure that: the need is recognized; the budget is agreed upon; a timeline has been established; and that appropriate information has been selected, evaluated, and developed into a product. Delivery System Management – according to AECT (2001) involves planning, monitoring and controlling of the project. Ellington and Harris (1986) suggests, delivery system management is “the method by which distribution of instructional materials is organized . . .[It is] a combination of medium and methods of usage that is employed to present instructional information to a learner” (p. 47). The instructional designer should focus on product issues, such as hardware or software requirements, technical support to users and operators, and process issues, such as guidelines for designers and instructors within a delivery system. Seels & Richey (1994), suggest the aforementioned parameters must agree with the technology characteristics and the instructional goals. An instructional designer should be in agreement with the parameters of available hardware and software when designing a delivery system. An instructional designer is also responsible for making certain each aspect of the hardware and software are functioning properly, and design for alternative systems, should there be last minute alterations due to delivery defects for the instruction. Once the delivery system is designed and implemented, the instructional designer / project manager uses models to help estimate and evaluate the benefits of the instruction and training. Figure 4 is Pinto’s model for evaluating the benefits of instruction: Figure 4: Model for Evaluating Instruction. Source: Evaluating the Benefits of Instruction. (Pinto 1998). An instructional designer uses another source for evaluating the benefits of instruction within a project. Figure 5 is a graphic of how the designer calculates the rate of return of a project. The designer uses Jack Phillips (2004) formula to calculate the percentage of return on investment (ROI) to be determined by dividing each program benefit by the program costs, where the net benefits are the monetary value of the benefits minus the costs of the program. Figure 5 displays Jack Phillips ROI percentage formula:
Figure 5: Formula for Calculating Instructional Investment. Source: Return on Investment. Phillips (2004). The responsibilities of an instructional designer are to manage and deliver the project on time, within the allocated budget and in congruence with the need. |
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