Portfolio: Applying Systems Thinking in Project Management (PPMP20012)

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Portfolio: Week 1
1

Reading samples Learning outcomes
of the unit
Learnings from your weekly study, experience, this and prior unit
readings and assignments
Supporting
documentation
including any prior
learning
Mandatory
Readings
 SEBoK:
'Introduction to
SEBoK'
 SEBoK:
'Introduction to
Systems
Engineering';
 SEBoK:Part 7:
Systems
Engineering
Implementation
Examples
 Kerzner (2013)
Chapters 2.1;
2.6 - 2.8; 2.21;
 AS/NZS
15288:2015
1. Explain the
relevance of
systems thinking
to the project,
program and
portfolio
manager.
Management of a project is as significant as the project aims and
objectives. The first thing I learned during this week is that the most basic
component for any project is system thinking. To my basic understanding,
system thinking is concerned with the logical and disciplined process of
managing a project by resolving any existing or prospective issues.
System thinking is based on objective thinking and subjective thinking
(Arnold & Wade, 2015). The project managers base their thinking on their
experiences, judgments and the fundamentals of a systems approach.
Initially, I found it difficult to understand and relate the concepts of
system thinking with any situational context. However, when we arrived
at the discussion on the BP Deepwater Horizon Incident, my concepts
were made more clear.
The case of the BP Oil Spill significantly impacted my understanding of
the subject. I believe it can be used as an example of the biggest failure of
system thinking. The project managers failed to take corrective measures
so as to meet the objectives and also they failed to understand the needs of
the project, let alone implementation (White, et.al., 2012). As discussed
during the week, it is important for the project and program managers to
ensure that an integrated time-phased task in place to achieve the
objectives, I believe focussing on integrated time-phased task is the
PPMP20012 Unit
Profile
PPMP20012 Moodle
Web site
 Arnold, R.
D., & Wade,
J. P. (2015).
A definition
of systems
thinking: a
systems
approach. Pro
cedia
Computer
Science, 44,
669-678.
 White, H. K.,
Hsing, P. Y.,
2

Reading samples Learning outcomes
of the unit
Learnings from your weekly study, experience, this and prior unit
readings and assignments
Supporting
documentation
including any prior
learning
Introduction;
Optional Readings
 AS ISO
21504:2016
Project,
programme and
portfolio
management—
Guidance on
portfolio
management;
secondary thing. The foremost thing is to identify and analyse the issue
and establish the list of objectives that are to be achieved.
The BP was then in need of portfolio management and its managers must
have thought it through. I feel disappointed when I think back about the
moment of the incident. The organization was responsible for making
strategies to minimize the impact of the incident and inspired, it
undermines the situation. I did not know much about the incident, but
after a brief discussion in class, I went on to research the incident and
found its facts and the management discrepancies. This incident is now a
lesson for me to understand the importance of strategic and system
thinking and understanding the role of portfolio manager. I may not be
able to relate much to the study of the week as I am too focused on the
incident. This is because the incident has left me with an inspiration to
learn the aspects and responsibilities of a portfolio manager and prepare
for any further incidents. I want to contribute to my workplace by learning
more about system thinking and ensuring that it is applied as and when
needed. This week’s study is substantial for my career prospects and all
my doubts with the choice, of course, have now been cleared. I am
looking forward to learning more about the tools and techniques with
relation to system thinking in Week 2.
Cho, W.,
Shank, T. M.,
Cordes, E. E.,
Quattrini, A.
M., ... &
Brooks, J. M.
(2012).
Impact of the
Deepwater
Horizon oil
spill on a
deep-water
coral
community in
the Gulf of
Mexico. Proc
eedings of the
National
Academy of
3

Reading samples Learning outcomes
of the unit
Learnings from your weekly study, experience, this and prior unit
readings and assignments
Supporting
documentation
including any prior
learning
Sciences, 109
(50), 20303-
20308
References:
 Arnold, R. D., & Wade, J. P. (2015). A definition of systems thinking: a systems approach. Procedia Computer Science, 44,
669-678.
 White, H. K., Hsing, P. Y., Cho, W., Shank, T. M., Cordes, E. E., Quattrini, A. M., ... & Brooks, J. M. (2012). Impact of the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a deep-water coral community in the Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, 109(50), 20303-20308.
4