Weekly outline
General
The Moodle Course Scenario
The assessment events and portfolio activities for this subject are based on the following scenario for the “Relocate A Digital Media Agency Project”
You work for a Digital Media Agency and you are part of a permanent screen and media team of 10. The agency also employs three clerical staff, and at peak times sub-contracts work to external creative specialists. 10 members of your class, including you, represent the permanent screen and media team. The remaining members of your class represent the external creative specialists. Your assessment events and portfolio activities will require you to involve these staff members in your project planning.
The Agency has outgrown its existing premises and has leased new office space. The Managing Director has identified, on a plan of the new premises, the areas to be allocated to herself, the receptionist and clerical staff.
Click here to view a plan of the new office premises and the Managing Director’s space allocation and layout. You can use the plan’s existing furniture (desks, chairs, etc.) as a guide for scaling other office equipment.
The Managing Director has requested that you refer to the remaining office space and design a suitable office layout for the screen and media team that will provide an innovative work environment that enables flexible work practices.
You are required to develop the following:
1. A project plan to assist the establishment of the new office and the administration and management of the project. (Manage Projects)
2. An OH&S management system and an OH&S risk management plan for the new office. (Ensure a Safe Workplace)3. Develop strategies for establishing a network to enhance the Agency's business relationships (Establish Networks)
This Moodle course integrates the following three subjects:
1. Manage Projects
On successful completion of this unit you will have the skills and knowledge required to manage a straightforward project or a section of a larger project. This unit addresses the management of projects including the development of a project plan, administering and monitoring the project, finalising the project and reviewing the project to identify lessons learnt for application to future projects.
2. Ensure a Safe Workplace
On successful completion of this unit you should be able to develop, implement and maintain a workplace OH&S management system. You should be able to manage OH&S risks in the workplace, the elements of an OH&S management system and the interaction between managers, employees and their representatives in such a system.3. Establish Networks
On completion of this unit you will be able to demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to develop business relationships, develop network strategies, and successfully negotiate within those relationships based on those strategies.July 26 - August 1
Week 1: Orientation
Week 2: Define Project (Element 1 BSBPMG510A)
Garbage in equals garbage out. If you do not start a project with the correct goal(s), it is not likely you will accomplish the goal(s).Your project, to manage the relocation of your office, provides a great opportunity to create an innovative work environment that enables flexible work practices (GOAL 1), stimulates creativity (GOAL 2), and provides a safe and healthy workplace (GOAL 3).
Goal 1: Identify Flexible Work Practices For The Agency’s New Premises.“Where we work affects the way we work”. TW, 2009
The first goal in our project is to identify “the way we will work in our new premises”. The relocation of the Agency is an opportunity to introduce flexible work practices. The implementation of these new practices will impact on the design of the office, “where we work”. For example introducing job sharing will require the use of ‘hot desks’ i.e. desks shared between employees working different shifts. For this project it is necessary to become familiar with current developments and trends in flexible work practices (the way we work) and involve ‘the team’ and management in identifying the new work practices that they wish to adopt.
Go to the following articles and familiarise yourself with flexible work practices and their implementation issues.
Go to this week's forum and and answer its question.
Go to this week's portfolio activity.
August 2 - August 8
Week 3: Define Project - continued (Element 1 BSBPMG510A)
Developing the project plan must be a team activity to ensure that all stakeholders (everyone affected by the plan) are given the opportunity to contribute and "buy-in" to what is going to happen. At the end of this stage, every team member should have an understanding of what the project is to accomplish.Online surveys and polls are tools that can provide an opportunity to involve stakeholders in project planning. These tools can obtain valuable information from people affected by the project. This information can then be used to define goals and assist in developing the project plan.
In this session you are required to familiarise yourself with the procedures for creating an online survey and then create a survey that will give your colleagues an opportunity to express their views on the flexible work practice options for the new office.
Your aim is to familiarise office staff with flexible work practices and identify the practices that are desireable, acceptable or unacceptable to staff.
Go to this week's forum and and answer its question.
Go to this week's portfolio activity
August 9 - August 15
Week 4: Define Project - continued (Element 1 BSBPMG510A
Your online survey has provided you with data that you can now analyse to identify the needs and preferences of staff for flexible work practices. The results of your analysis are then presented to management and staff for discussion and to obtain approval to proceed with the design, development and
implementation of the office relocation project. Definition of data: A collection of facts/values from which conclusions may be drawn and information derived.
Definition of needs analysis: An analysis of data to identify the need for the project and the requirements of stakeholders.Presentation of data in a visually appealing fashion, without sacrificing the richness of the data, is an art. Data should be presented in a manner that will communicate the maximum information in the most efficient manner. Pictorial presentations, e.g. graphs and charts are advantageous because even a novice without any technical expertise can assimilate the information by looking at them.
Knowing how to convey information graphically is an important skill for graphic designers.
(cartoon created using www.toondo.com)
Resources for designing charts.
Go to this week's portfolio activity
Tutorials for creating charts in PowerPoint 2007
August 16 - August 22
Week 5: Develop Project Plan (Element 2)
Project Goal 2: Design an office environment that stimulates creativity.
"Workplace" is a general term, which is used for the entire physical environment for work and refers to the whole building, whole floor etc. that an agency occupies. The workplace contains numbers of workspace areas that may include OFFICES and/or WORKSTATIONS, TECHNOLOGY STATIONS e.g. printers,copiers, FORMAL MEETING ROOMS, INFORMAL RELAXATION SPACES e.g. quiet zones, 'CAFE' FACILITIES, CREATIVE ENHANCEMENTS e.g. aquariums, galleries, RECEPTION AREA.
All businesses are different and it makes sense that businesses need different workplaces. The relationship between specific organisational and business characteristics and a resultant "best" workplace model is complex and requires careful analysis.Your workplace and the atmosphere surrounding you determine the way you work and explore your imagination. The more inspirational your workplace is, the easier it is to break the creativity block and discover new ideas.
Read the following articles and develop an understanding of alternative workplace models and the criteria for designing an innovative workplace environment. You will then use this information, together with the results from your flexible work practices planning, to draw a bubble map to illustrate your office spaces and then transfer these spaces to your actual office plan.
Resources to help you design you new office.
Go to this week's forum and and answer its question.
Go to this week's portfolio activity
August 23 - August 29
Week 6: Develop Project Plan - continued (Element 2)
Project Goal 3: Obtain agreement from 'the team' for workplace proposals and approval to proceed with the project.
In managing any project, presentations are used as a formal method for bringing people together to plan, monitor and review its progress. Presentations may also be necessary to obtain approval to proceed with the project following the completion of a project's phase.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of careful preparation of a presentation. Five minutes on the floor in front of senior management could decide the acceptance of a proposal of several months duration for the manager and the whole team. With so much potentially at stake, the presenter must concentrate not only upon the facts being presented but upon the style, pace, tone and ultimately tactics which should be used. As a rule of thumb for an average presentation, no less than 1 hour should be spent in preparation for 5 minutes of talking.The essential steps for preparing a presentation are:
1. Define the presentation’s objective. What do you wish to achieve e.g. raise awareness, gain approval, demonstrate a product.
2. Identify your audience. What are the audience characteristics that will influence your presentation? client, staff, peers, informal or formal.
3. Familiarise yourself with the presentation’s venue – available equipment, presentation area.
4. Structure your presentation:
> The beginning: use specific slides to gain attention, create rapport, outline what’s to come
> The middle: use project's content slides to present information, highlight key points, minimise text and maximise images.
> The end: use specific slides to regain attention, summarise key points, confirm your objective.Use these resources to assist you to prepare an interesting presentation
Go to your presentation assignment.
There are two presentations in this subject each worth 15% of your final mark.
August 30 - September 5
Week 7: Review Project - Presentations (Element 5)
THE OPENING
The opening of the presentation sets the stage for what is to follow. You introduce yourself and state the purpose of the presentation. You should also present a VERY BRIEF summary or outline of the points to be covered.
THE BODY
This is the part of the presentation in which the bulk of the subject matter is presented. The body should be separated into ‘chunks’. Each chunk should make a single point or convey one idea. These chunks should each have their own simple opening, body and summary.
THE SUMMARY
This portion should be very brief and simple. Here is your chance to reinforce the central theme and purpose of your presentation. Briefly emphasise the key points and main ideas of your presentation in this section.Download and print the following resource to assist the preparation of your presentation and your review of your colleagues presentations.
September 6 - September 12
Week 8: Administer and Monitor Project: (Element 3)
Following the successful presentation of your design for the Agency’s new office premises you have received approval to proceed with the office’s relocation. You are now required to develop a project plan that will be used to manage the office’s relocation.
The relocation is to be completed by Friday 23rd October 2009.
The Managing Director has requested that you use the ViewPath software application to develop your project plan’s schedule and Gantt chart. ViewPath will enable your management of the project to be monitored online by staff and clients.
Refer to the supplied ‘Relocation Project Schedule’ as a guide to the sub projects (phases) within your Relocation Project and the tasks required for completing the project.
Resources for learning about project management and project plans.
'What is a GANTT Chart' and a 'Start Your Project' Tutorial
Here are the steps and the work schedule for completing your project plan.
September 13 - September 19
Week 9: Administer and Monitor Project: (Element 3 )
Project meetings come in all shapes and sizes. Modern digital media workplaces are built on teams, sharing of ideas, and effective project coordination and project collaboration via meetings.Project wikis can play a role in enhancing meetings, and in some cases, replace them altogether. A wiki can be a great place to create meeting agendas, store meeting minutes and provide the opportunity for employees to offer additional input outside of the meeting.
A wiki can be used to centralise the information and organisation of an entire project. Not only could it store meeting notes and provide brainstorming synergy, it can organize the project into an open web environment with two-way communication.
A wiki can help your team make meetings shorter and more focused by letting everyone track progress of projects and action items online. Instead of emailing a meeting agenda, put it on a wiki page and email people a link to that page. If changes need to be made, anyone on your team can do so and everyone will have immediate access to the same, up-to-date version.
During each meeting, people can take notes as items are discussed, effectively taking meeting minutes right on the wiki. As topics are discussed in a meeting, record action items on the meeting wiki page. Then, as you work on items, be sure to update their status so everyone can keep track.
Go to Portfolio Projects
September 20 - September 26
Week 10: Finalise Project:
(Element 4)Finalise the management of the project to develop a wiki web environment for managing project meetings.
September 27 - October 3
Week 11: Major Project: The Podcast Project
(Elements 1 - 5)
This section of our subject requires you to manage a project in which you will plan, design and develop a podcast of an interview with the designer of your agency’s new office layout. The purpose of the podcast is to provide staff with an entertaining audio description of the office layout’s design concept and the aims of the design.
The stages (Sub Projects) within your podcast project will be:
i) Pre-production - planning, scheduling, scripting and storyboarding.
ii) Production - recording and collation of audio resources.
iii) Post production - editing and mixing of audio resources.
iv) Distribution - publishing and promotion of the finished podcast.Podcast Examles: Listen to these podcast extracts and get ideas for your own podcasts.
Project’s Pre Production Portfolio Activity:
Prepare the elements involved in your podcast production. For example, design the podcast format, create a podcast outline and podcasting script, locate and assemble production resources (microphone, recorder, editing software, etc. , schedule the production activities and rehearse the production.Project’s Pre Production Activity Resources
October 4 - October 10
TERM BREAK - The Podcast Project Production Stage
We will commence the production of your Interview Podcast next term. However if you wish to start experimenting with sound/audio design then the following free resources will assist you.Audacity sound editor download - Don't forget to download the LAME file
The MYNA sound editor - PC equivalent to Apple's Garage Band
JAMENDO free music downloads - good for background music
SOUNDDOGS sound effects - music clips - get creative
Cartoon quotes and sound effects
Movie quotes and sounds - may need to convert to MP3
MICROPHONE - The Logitech USB Desktop Microphone for PC / MAC is recommended - approx. $30
This video is a good demonstration of an interview technique
October 18 - October 24
Week 12: Major Project: The Podcast Project
(Elements 1 - 5)
PODCAST PRODUCTION
1. Record your interview, introduction, conclusion and obtain the other audio elements to be used in your podcast e.g. music, voices, backgrounds, sound effects. Assemble and label the audio resources (clips) so that they will be ready for editing.2. Edit the audio elements, add other audio if needed, adjust volume, create fades and organize audio clips into the finished podcast.
3. Publish your podcast – make it available to users (staff) by placing it on the Intranet’s wiki and your blog site.
As an alternative to interviewing another person you may prefer to use voice to text translation software to simulate an interview with an ‘expert’.
Click here to view/download the steps for simulating an interview with the most intertaining, knowledgable and creative person in the world - YOU!Production Activity Resources
Audacity sound editor download - Don't forget to download the LAME file
The MYNA sound editor - PC equivalent to Apple's Garage Band
JAMENDO free music downloads - good for background music
SOUNDDOGS sound effects - music clips - get creative
Cartoon quotes and sound effects
Movie quotes and sounds - may need to convert to MP3
MICROPHONE - The Logitech USB Desktop Microphone for PC / MAC is recommended
Project's Production Portfolio Activity
October 25 - October 31
Week 13: Safe Workplace Responsibilities and Systems
Having a Safe Workplace is Smart Business
Business owners and their staff have the responsibility for the day-to-day health, safety and welfare of employees and office visitors – Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). OHS is about preventing injury and illness to employees and visitors to the workplace. Therefore, it's about protecting the Agency’s most valuable asset: its staff. Both employers and employees are responsible for workplace health and safety and they operate under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000.
To make the workplace safer, the Agency has to acknowledge which potential health and safety hazards are present. Or determine where and what and how a designer, for example, is likely to become injured or ill. It starts with analyzing individual workstations and office areas for hazards — the potential for harm — be it a frayed electrical cord, workstation obstructions, poor lighting, excessive noise.
Assessment Scenario
Following the successful relocation of your Digital Media Agency you have been asked to develop and implement a ‘Safe Workplace’ education program for the Agency’s staff. Your OHS education program will have the following three components that will be available to staff via the Agency’s Intranet:
i) A Podcast report describing the employers' and employees' OH and S roles and responsibilities. Weight 40%
ii) A Presentation illustrating how the Agency’s potential workplace risks can be identified and managed based on a case study of an office environment. Weight 40%
iii) A Knowledge Test that enables Agency staff to self assess their understanding of the information in your podcast and slideshow. Weight 20%SLIDE SHOW: Ensure a Safe Workplace
Portfolio Project - OHS Podcast Report. 40% Assessment
November 1 - November 7
Week 14: OH & S Risk Identification and Management
Risk management is a practical way of ensuring a safe workplace. In OHS
terms, risk management is the process of recognizing situations which have the potential to cause harm to people or property, and doing something to prevent the hazardous situation occurring or the person being harmed.The risk management process consists of well-defined steps, which can be likened to the problem-solving process, that when taken in sequence lead to informed decisions about how best to avoid or control the impact of these risks. Just like the problem-solving process, risk management involves:
Step 1: Identifying the problem, which is known as hazard identification.
Step 2: Determining how serious a problem it is, known as risk assessment.
Step 3: Deciding what needs to be done to solve the problem, risk elimination or control.View this slide show, then review this lesson's resources and then complete the portfolio activity.
Lesson Resources:
Portfolio Project - OHS Presentation - Virtual Office Case Study - 40% Assessment
November 8 - November 14
Week 15: OH&S Staff Testing
The primary purpose of testing is:
i) For staff and customers to be able to practice and to demonstrate understanding of content and to develop skills by receiving specific and timely feedback in order to improve achievement.
ii) For trainers and managers is to analyze the progress of staff for the purpose of modifying and refining training resources and to meet compliance requirements.
There are three types of testing.
i) Diagnostic testing is conducted prior to and during training to determine the existing knowledge, skills, attitudes, interests, and/or needs of staff.ii) Formative testing is the ongoing collection of information that occurs throughout a training program.
iii) Summative testing occurs at the end of a training program and provides staff and managers with the results achieved from training.
In this lesson you will create quiz for your OHS training Program using the Hot Potato quiz creation software.
“There should be no training without testing”
OHS Quiz Creation Resources
Portfolio Project - OHS Knowledge Testing - Create a quiz to test staff's knowledge of OHS - 20% Assessment
November 15 - November 21
Week 16: Develop and Maintain Business Networks and Relationships
A business network is an extended group of people who interact with each other for mutual support or assistance.Business networks can help promote the organisational objectives of your company by connecting you with people who can help you perform your work and further the interests of your organisation, by letting others know about your services, and by providing feedback on your organisation.
No business works in a vacuum. All businesses have competitors as well as companies that complement the goods and/or services they offer. Establishing networks helps you to exchange ideas, expand your business and keep up with developments in the area you work in.
Business relationships are the relationships that are established and maintained to enable the exchange of information within the business network. A good relationship with a client is likely when a client or supplier demonstrates confidence when contacting you, that you are able to meet their expectations. In order to develop this confidence, you will need to know your client/supplier on a friendly, yet professional level, and work hard to develop and maintain the relationship with regular communications.
Resources
Portfolio Projects
November 22 - November 28
Week 17: Business Relationships
Effective business relationships require the development of a communications environment the enables regular and ad hoc supply of information from your business to its stakeholders. Information may be provided directly using letters, emails, instant messaging, newsletters and indirectly from Twitter, websites and blogs.
A business network database is the foundation for direct communications and should contain contact details that include phone, mail and email details. In addition the database should contain background information about the contacts.
Databases can be created using database applications or generic applications that include spreadsheets (Excel) and word processors (MSWORD).Portfolio Projects
