Course syllabus for Managing design projects

Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-02 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameAtt leda och styra projekt
  • CodeACE410
  • Credits10 Credits
  • OwnerMPARC
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture
  • ThemeArchitectural design project 7.5 c
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 05129
  • Maximum participants36 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
  • Minimum participants8
  • Open for exchange studentsYes
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0123 Written and oral assignments 10 c
Grading: TH		 10 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Aim

The course aims to give the student an introduction to and basic knowledge of how the planning of a design and construction project is managed and organized. The course also aims to give the student basic knowledge in construction and real estate economics as well as in-depth knowledge of relevant design methods in the design and construction process.

The long-term objective of the course is to contribute to the architect's ability to adopt leading positions in design and construction processes by deepening the knowledge of the process of taking an idea from start to completion.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Knowledge and understanding
  • Describe and analyze the main parts of the design and construction processes, which products they contain and what constitutes value in them, as well as the roles, responsibilities and driving forces of various actors and stakeholders.
  • Demonstrate knowledge about the complexity of a multidisciplinary design process, methods for leading multidisciplinary design processes with particular focus on the role and responsibility of the architect in a Swedish context.
Competence and skills
  • Formulate relevant questions for a design and construction process as well as main content of a project implementation plan from the perspective of sustainable development.
  • Carry out a feasibility study and formulate the content of a brief for a smaller, or part of, a design project.
Judgement and approach
  • Comprehensively assess an investment budget for an architectural project.
  • Identify and value the architect's role and responsibility as a leader in a design and construction process.

Content

The course introduces basic knowledge of how design processes are handled within the profession.

The design process is the basis for an optimal construction process and a final product that meets the set requirements and identified needs of both end users and society at large. The design of buildings and urban areas is highly dependent on actors and stakeholders and the relationship between them. Frameworks and conditions for design are often defined by financial constraints and values of both public and private investors.

Project management processes are essential to qualify and secure the ambitions of the project and create a functional platform for multidisciplinary collaboration across stakeholder and specialist boundaries.

The course will provide an overview of these topics, partly from a more general point of view, partly from a practical point of view in contemporary projects. The point of view is the architect of the process.

The course must also train the student's ability to use methods to investigate the requirements and needs of various actors, as well as identifying challenges and opportunities.

Organisation

The course is conducted based on an active learning philosophy and students are expected to take significant responsibility for their own studies.

The course consists of lectures, study visits, exercises and project assignments, in order to build up a comprehensive understanding of design - and the construction process, actors and stakeholders, value creating, economy and methods for managing design processes.

A set of lectures and study trips introduce topics and themes and are followed by a project assignment where the students in small groups must first study current cases/processes with a focus on the main subjects of the course. Through a design task, the students must try to carry out a preliminary study and formulate the content of a program document for a smaller project/part of a larger project.

Literature

A list of literature will be provided before the start of the course.

Examination including compulsory elements

Completed project tasks will be the basis for grading.
Form of examination: completed project, completed reports and final seminars.
Examination will take place in groups and individually.

The examination consists of the following parts:
  • Attendance at lectures, mandatory,
  • Completed project: Group.
  • Group project peer review: Individual
  • Written reflection and comparison of group projects Individual

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.