Domain of Management

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The Domain of Management

Project Management • Resource Management • Delivery System Management • Information Management

The domain of management involves the “controlling instructional technology through planning, organizing, coordinating and supervising” (Seels & Richey, 1994, p.48). Its purpose is to supervise all of the elements required to achieve a goal. In instructional technology, this supervision encompasses activities within the design, development, utilization and evaluation of a project. The scope of instructional technology has changed as the systems have enlarged (one room school to county wide system, small business to large corporation). Effective management for any project or organization is the key to success. Management requires the overseeing of the instructional design/technology process and product, including finances, resources, staff, equipment and/or facilities.

The domain of management is further divided into four areas of study including: (1) project management, (2) resource management, (3) delivery system management, and (4) information management.

1. Project Management

Project management includes “planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and development projects” (Seels & Richey, 1994, p. 30). A project is defined as an implementation that is done only once, with a finite number of resources, a temporary team, and involves individuals with different reporting relationships. Project management involves “planning and control of time, costs, quality and resource issues to complete a project on time and within budget” (England & Finney, 1996, p. 410).

In order to successfully navigate the road map and manage a project from beginning to end, the Project Management Institute, founded in 1969, defined the following nine knowledge areas within their Project Management’s Book of Knowledge (PMBOK):

Project Integration Management – ensures coordination of project activities
Project Scope Management – ensures a project includes all the work required
Project Time Management – ensures timely completion of a project
Project Cost Management – ensures observance to budget requirements
Project Quality Management – ensures project’s end results meet defined goals
Project Human Resource Management – ensures effective use of people
Project Communications Management – ensures effective flow of information
Project Risk Management - ensures identifying, analyzing and responding to risks
Project Procurement Management – ensures the attainment of goods/services from outside of the organization

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Models for project management include Michael Greer’s model of Instructional Design Project Management and the Multimedia Project Life-Cycle model by England and Finney. The latter, the Multimedia Project Life-Cycle, can be divided into three major phases. The first phase, initiation and definition, determine the client’s needs, the problem to be solved and define the project in terms of project scope. The second phase, proposal development, requires the project manager to complete the project proposal and defines the problem statement, proposed solution(s), deliverables, resources, timeline and personnel. The final production phase incorporates the work required to complete the project which may vary from project to project. Sample activities include goal and task analysis, objectives, criterion-referenced items, instructional strategies, materials development and testing and evaluation.

2. Resource Management

Resource management “involves planning, monitoring, and controlling resource support systems and services” (Seels & Richey, 1994, p. 51). Resources can include money, people, time, materials, and facilities, including technology resources. Individuals working in this area must be concerned that the resource is being used in a cost effective manner and that the resource will ultimately improve the effectiveness of the learning experience.

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3. Delivery System Management

Delivery system management “involves planning, monitoring and controlling the method by which the distribution of instructional materials is organized” (Seels & Richey, 1994, p. 51). Instructional technologists focus on the hardware and software required for delivering the instructional message, such as distance learning management systems (WebCT, Blackboard) and the technical and also the user support side, as technical issues arise. Instructional designers should involve delivery system management personnel as they seek to determine instructional media which will deliver and meet the stated instructional goals. Management personnel are responsible for scheduling the availability maintaining the delivery equipment. In addition the appropriate policies and technology standards must be in place which define the rights and responsibilities of users, allow for secured use, prevent abuse and define administrator responsibilities.

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4. Information Management

Information Management involves “planning, monitoring and controlling the storage, transfer or processing of information in order to provide resources for learning” (Seels & Richey, 1994, p. 51). As information is increasingly available in our technological world, instructional technologists are concerned with the ease and processes through which learners can access needed information and how to store and file documents. With increased access to information via the internet, a growing concern within this area is that of internet safety, identity theft, copyright and security, confirming access to only selected individuals.

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