(in Polish) Project management 2100-SPP-L-D5PRMA

By the end of the of the course the students will be
able to understand and apply project management
methodologies appropriate to different types of
public, social, research or evaluation projects.
The first part of the course will focus on project
planning and initialization. Students will learn how to
distinguish between different types of
projects—business, social, public service, research,
and evaluation—by analyzing how their goals,
governance structures, and accountability
requirements differ. The course will introduce the
project life cycle (initiation, planning, execution,
monitoring, and closure) and compare established
methodologies such as Waterfall, Agile, Lean, and
Six Sigma. Special emphasis will be placed on
understanding the unique challenges of public
sector, social and research projects.
In the next step, students will learn how to define
clear project goals, scope, tasks, and deliverables by
transforming broad political or social intentions into
concrete, actionable project objectives. They will
practice setting goals using the SMART framework
(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-

bound) and learn to distinguish between goals,
objectives, tasks, and work packages. Through
exercises with grant applications and project
charters, students will become proficient in
articulating the scope of a project and linking it to
measurable outcomes.
This part will also cover breaking down projects into
tasks, sequencing them logically, and placing them
on realistic timelines using tools such as Gantt
charts and critical path analysis. Students will learn
how to prepare project budgets, taking into account
the special constraints of public procurement
regulations and fiscal transparency. This will also
include risks anticipation and design mitigation
strategies.
Beyond risk management, students will also engage
with theories and practices of change management,
including frameworks such as the ADKAR model.
They will examine how to manage resistance among
stakeholders, how to communicate change
effectively, and how to ensure that project outcomes
are accepted and sustained in public institutions and
communities.
The course will also cover design of monitoring
systems and selection of appropriate performance
indicators (outputs, outcomes, and impacts) to
assess whether projects are meeting their intended
goals. Students will understand evaluation
approaches such as process, outcome, and impact
evaluations, and learn how to use evidence for
decision-making. Particular focus will be given to
transparency and accountability: how project results
should be communicated to stakeholders such as
policymakers, funders, and citizens.
The course also aims to strengthen the interpersonal
and organizational skills necessary to lead and
participate in project teams. Students will explore
leadership styles relevant to the public/ NGO sector,
including transformational and value-based
leadership, and reflect on the difference between
responsibility and accountability. Through case
studies and role-plays, they will practice delegation,
task-sharing, conflict resolution, and inclusive
decision-making.
Course topics:
1. Application of project management
methodologies appropriate to different types of
public, social, research or evaluation projects.

2. Defying clear project goals, scope, tasks, and
deliverables, using SMART criteria.
3. Planning and time management: resources,
budgets and people
4. Risks management, change processes, and
stakeholder dynamics.
5. Leadership: responsibility and accountability
in project teams.
6. Design monitoring and evaluation
frameworks with appropriate indicators, to assess
project performance and outcomes.
Teaching methods will include:
• Lectures: to present theory, methodologies,
models, frameworks.
• Case studies: real public sector, social, or
research projects (both successful and problematic)
analyzed in class.
• Participatory observation & small field
research: students will observe or research ongoing
projects in public institutions or NGOs (or simulate
observations), to see how project management
challenges emerge.
• Group work and presentations: drafting
project plans, risk registers, stakeholder maps, etc.