The American University in Cairo
Department of Engineering and Science Services
PRMG010: Project Planning and Control Techniques (3 cr.)
Online Course Policy (Summer 2018)
Instructor: Prof. Dr. Tarek Sakr
Course Overview and Objectives
Planning and Control Techniques applies modern management methods to
planning and scheduling for engineering projects. Topics include: presentation of
planning information, developing a network model, precedence/arrow diagrams,
critical path method, time-cost trade-offs, resource allocation and leveling, CPM,
PDM & PERT techniques, project monitoring, and control and update.
The course is designed for project managers, planning managers and
engineers of medium-sized or large projects, and other project team
members who will perform planning, administrative, or control roles for
their project.
Course Outline
1. Concept of project management and planning
2. Network calculations, Gantt charts
3. Network techniques: nodes, arrows, activity, event
4. CPM, PERT, Precedence Diagramming
5. Time-Cost Trade-offs (crashing Techniques)
6. Resource loading and leveling
7. Line of balance
The course materials will be completely available on the blackboard not later
than Jun 07, 2018. You need to read all chapters and perform some
research related to the course topics and present the following deliverables in
order to fulfill the course requirements.
Course Requirements
- Assignments (20%)
- Final Exam (40%)
- Final Project (40%)
Grading Scheme A's 90-100, B's 80-89, Cs 70-79, D's 50-69
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I find recorded audio materials for the course?
Yes, you will find PDF files with audio comments that explain the flow and thread
of discussion of discussed topics. However, no video materials are posted. You will
start receiving the audio files starting May 25, 2018.
Where can I find the videos and how can I open them?
You will receive most videos through your AUC email. Check your email and
blackboard on regular basis and do not wait for notifications. To access videos, enter
"your user name of AUC @ess.aucegypt.edu" as the user name and your blackboard
password as your password. Contact Eng Hany Khalil the technical assistance of the
course for any other technical difficulties at [email protected]
What are the PDF recorded materials?
PDF recorded files are PDF files accompanied with voice comments. You will
receive them through the blackboard with a time lag of the original non-recorded ones
to give you a chance to read and understand the materials alone. Please do this effort as
it is an essential part of the educational experience. Check the blackboard regularly for
new posts. I would suggest a minimum of twice a week.
How can I open the PDF recorded materials?
Download the file posted in the recorded materials section to your PC. Use
Acrobat reader not any other similar software to open the file.
Will you send me some further readings to help me better
understand the materials?
Yes, I will do for most of the topics discussed
If I am in Cairo during the semester, may I attend regular classes
with my colleagues?
As we are currently adopting the blended approach that combines both online
and regular sessions, you can attend two problem solving sessions that I give in the
second half of the semester. The schedule of these sessions will be announced later
during the semester. However, you are not obliged to attend these two sessions. Note
that you will not have this chance in Summer B as there are no regular classes offered.
Do I have a chance to meet with the professor offering the
course?
Yes, you can send an email to
[email protected] to arrange a meeting at
his office. His regular office hours are 4:00-5:45 p.m. at Tahrir's Campus on Sundays
and Mondays. In Summer B, only online pre-arranged meetings are possible.
Where should I submit any of the course deliverables?
You should upload them to the blackboard.
Will I receive a confirmation after I submit any of the course
deliverables?
If you did not receive a notification from the blackboard, please inform Eng.
Hany Khalil by sending an email to
[email protected]What should I do if I have any academic problems?
You should send your request to your professor Dr Tarek Sakr at
[email protected]What should I do if I have any technical problems?
You should send your request to the technical assistant of the course Eng. Hany
Khalil at
[email protected]Will I receive any more specific information about the project
later on during the semester?
The description of the project in this policy is more than enough to guide you
through your project's work to the extent that you can start working on your project
right now. I would like to assure you that projects, case studies and technical reports
will need efforts from your side that should start immediately. Do not expect to receive
templates or old projects.
Where can I get the required material to work on projects or case
studies in my PRMG online courses?
The main resource is your work experience. In Case you do not have enough
experience you can use books and internet case studies and make sure to avoid
plagiarism by crediting the sources. You will be graded on your contribution to others'
works and not finding and rewriting them.
Will I receive a notification from the blackboard when new
materials are posted or should I check on them every now and
then?
Yes, a notification is sent to your AUC email. Therefore, you should often check
your email. However, you have to check your blackboard twice a week to avoid missing
any new materials as some students complain that they do not receive notifications.
How can I get my final grades after the completion of the course?
Grades will be available on the banner 3 weeks after the official end of the
semester. Eng. Hany will be always willing to help you if you have any technical
difficulties.
Deliverables
Assignment 1 (Scheduling Problems) [20% of Total Grade]
Participants have to work on a 5-8 problem assignments to demonstrate their
understanding of the material. Problems will be available on the blackboard not later
than May 27, 2018. You should upload your answers to the blackboard not
later than Jun 05, 2018. Only word files are accepted. PDF files are not accepted.
Late submissions are not accepted.
It is inevitable that I strongly abide by academic integrity and have
no tolerance for any unoriginal work, whether plagiarized,
copied or work done in groups.
Assignment 2 (Final Exam) [40% of Total Grade]
Participants have to work on a 5-8 problem exam to demonstrate their understanding of
the material and improvement after studying the answers of the assignments. The
problems in this exam simulate case studies that you may face in your practical
experience during planning, execution and control phases. Use your experience and
logic along with the body of the knowledge you have gained throughout the study of
this course in order to present your comprehensive view on solving the problems.
The Exam will be available on the blackboard not later than Jun 10, 2018. You
should upload your answers to the blackboard not later than Jun 12, 2018. Only
word files are accepted. Late submissions are not accepted. PDF files are not
accepted.
It is inevitable that I strongly abide by academic integrity and have
no tolerance for any unoriginal work, whether plagiarized, copied
or work done in groups.
Assignment 3 (Final Project) [40% of Total Grade]
The final project investigates a planning case study of an engineering project. The
project activities must be from 18 - 30 activities (the fewer, the better). It should range
between 5000-7000 words including executive summary, introduction and appendices.
The project deliverable is considered complete upon doing the following steps:
a. Plan your project on the basis of the available resources and suitable
scheduling techniques.
b. Determine the overall project duration and its critical path/s.
c. Allocate your resources on the project schedule with a special emphasis
on the critical resources.
d. Check the feasibility of crashing the project before its start to benefit from
reducing indirect costs. Perform the first crashing check of the project
before the execution starts. You must show the base and selected
criterion with which you performed crashing. Crashing is acceptable only if
reduction in indirect costs exceeds increase in direct costs.
e. Perform a progress evaluation for your project at the end of the first third
of the project. Schedule measurement must show a behind-schedule
indication.
f. Perform the second crashing as a corrective action to come over this
undesired situation for the activities that did not start.
g. Perform the second project update at either 50-70% progress. Repeat the
previous steps.
h. Provide the project conclusions based on the analyses the previous steps.
Detailed calculations that support your planning, allocation, leveling and crashing are
always required. However, they may be appended at the end of your case study as
appendices in order not to obstruct the thread of discussion.
To plan and schedule your project, you may use your most preferable planning
software such as Primavera and Microsoft Project. You may prefer to use spread sheets
such as Microsoft Excel. Those who lack software experiences and skills may do the
work and calculations manually.
You should upload your answers to the blackboard not later than Jun 15, 2018. Do
not forget to send the sources you used. Only word files are accepted. PDF files
are not accepted. However, you may use them at the end to combine all your works
in one file.
It is inevitable that I strongly abide by academic integrity and have no
tolerance for any unoriginal work, whether plagiarized, copied or
work done in groups.
How to submit your work:
Every time you submit an assignment, combine your files in one "rar" format
file. You are always required to present your work in a word file. It is your
choice to add a PDF format file. Upload your work to the blackboard and wait
for a confirmation that your work s received. The name of the folder and the
rar file should appear as shown below:
Last name, First name ID – PRMG010 Assignment number
Each assignment must have a cover page typically as
indicated below.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN CAIRO
ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE SERVICES
[ Assignment Type] Scheduling Problems
PRMG010 – Online Delivery, Summer 2018
Presented to:
Prof. Dr. Tarek Sakr
Presented by
[Last Name, First Name] Badr, Mohamed
[ID] 700008180
