PPMP20012 Portfolio: Relevance of Systems Thinking to PM

This portfolio assignment, created for the PPMP20012 unit, focuses on the relevance of systems thinking to project, program, and portfolio management. It explores how systems thinking provides a framework for understanding complex, interconnected problems, improving project success rates, and reducing budget overruns and delays. The assignment delves into the application of systems thinking in analyzing project activities, managing risks, identifying stakeholders, and implementing dependency management. It emphasizes the importance of considering the interconnectedness of projects, programs, portfolios, stakeholders, and the environment. The portfolio references key readings, including SEBoK and Kerzner, and discusses the practical application of systems thinking in addressing dynamic problems and improving organizational capabilities. This student assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools.

(Insert Student Name) / (Insert Student Number) - PPMP20012 Unit Portfolio for Week 1
Week 1 Topic: Explain the relevance of systems thinking to PM.
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
Introduction;
Optional Readings
 AS ISO
21504:2016
Project,
programme and
portfolio
management—
Guidance on
portfolio
1. Explain the
relevance of
systems thinking to
the project,
program and
portfolio manager.
System thinking is regarded as the disciplinary viewing of a
problem, not in parts but a whole, for watching change patterns
rather than static scenes and for solving dynamic, interconnected
problems. System thinking considers entities which may be social
or technical, and are interconnected and organized hierarchically,
whose behaviour cannot be predicted by finding the behaviour of
the individual parts. The function of system thinking can be
described as:
 Using various tools, methods and ways to find dynamic
complexity.
 Thinking and framing complex dynamic problems and their
solution.
 Using diagrams to see and understand complex dynamic
problems.
 Using vocabulary to express problems and methods to
implement tools and approaches.
System thinking is very important for complex, inter-
connected and uncertain problems whose solution is complicated.
It gives a framework to improve project and program success
rates, portfolios and can also reduce budgets overrunning and
delays. It enables us to understand the cause of a problem, its
effect and environment and why and how the system will react to
PPMP20012 Unit
Profile
PPMP20012 Moodle
Web site
Roychoudhury, A.,
Shepardson, D.P.,
Hirsch, A., Niyogi, D.,
Mehta, J. and Top,
S., 2017. The Need
to Introduce System
Thinking in Teaching
Climate
Change. Science
Educator, 25(2),
pp.73-81.
Li, C.A.I., 2018.
Engineering
Management System
Thinking and
Engineering Life
Cycle
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(Insert Student Name) / (Insert Student Number) - PPMP20012 Unit Portfolio for Week 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
management; it as well as the solution to it. In short, the problem is understood
clearly.
The solutions can be checked for their effectiveness and
accordingly implemented strategically along with realization
objectives. Even the identification, management and assessment
of the risks are easier. In order to avoid any unnecessary
consequences before implementing a solution, system thinking
allows for the checking of it in a bigger environment. By using
system thinking, one can even address dynamic problems in which
the components are interdependent and also non-linear.
System thinking can be applied to portfolio, project and
program management as it analyse the activities and also the
management requirements of a project. All the diagrams and maps
made during the activities are useful for better understanding of
the problem and governing of the organization as well. It also helps
in risk management of the system as it understands the
interconnections between the projects, programs, portfolios,
stakeholders, components and environment and the risks in them.
System thinking also helps in identifying the stakeholders
and the nature of their stakes with the help of various maps and
diagrams and implements them in the solution. Application of the
dependency management in various projects, programs and
portfolios also is a part of the system thinking. Correct application
of the activities for the benefit of the project, portfolios and
programs helps in improving productivity and organizational
capabilities.
Management. Scienc
e & Technology
Vision, (7), p.92.
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(Insert Student Name) / (Insert Student Number) - PPMP20012 Unit Portfolio for Week 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
References
Roychoudhury, A., Shepardson, D.P., Hirsch, A., Niyogi, D., Mehta, J. and Top, S., 2017. The Need to Introduce System Thinking in Teaching
Climate Change. Science Educator, 25(2), pp.73-81.
Li, C.A.I., 2018. Engineering Management System Thinking and Engineering Life Cycle Management. Science & Technology Vision, (7), p.92.
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