project management and soft skills€¦ · soft skills are non-technical. so, their definition...

Prof. Roberto Verdone www.robertoverdone.org

Project Management and Soft Skills

Roberto Verdone www.robertoverdone.org

[email protected]

+39 051 20 93817

Office Hours: Monday 4 – 6 pm,

Viale Risorgimento 2 (upon agreement via email)

A.Y. 2017-18 Credits: 3


Success


1991

M.Sc. Professor @ UniBO

My Career in a Nutshell

2006?

Position Intermediate Goal Ambition


1991 1994

M.Sc. Ph.D. Professor @ UniBO Researcher @ UniBO

1991



2006?

2006? 1996?


Researcher @ UniBO

1996?


1991 1994

M.Sc. Ph.D. Professor @ UniBO

1991 1994 1996

M.Sc. Ph.D. Researcher @ CNR

Researcher @ UniBO

1991



2006?

2006? 1996?


Researcher @ UniBO

1996?


1991 1994

M.Sc. Ph.D. Professor @ UniBO

1991 1994 1996 2000

M.Sc. Ph.D. CNR

1991 1994 1996

M.Sc. Ph.D. Researcher @ CNR

Researcher @ UniBO

Professor @ UniBO

1991



2006?

2006? 1996?


Researcher @ UniBO

1996?


My Interests

Learning

Research

Teaching

Radio Networks

1991 1994 1996 today 2000


My Interests

Learning

Research

Teaching

Innovation Radio Networks

1991 1994 1996 2000 today


My Interests

Learning

Research

Teaching


Project Management

1991 1994 1996 2000 today


My Interests

Learning

Research

Teaching


Project Management

Soft Skills

1991 1994 1996 2000 today (2009)


Outline

A. Learning Outcomes

B. Eleven Keywords C. The Course D. Ten Pillars to Success


A. Learning Outcomes


A. Learning Outcomes You will learn what are the necessary competences and skills to be successful in professional life. In particular, the case of the engineer (in ICT) is discussed. Soft skills will be the topic of the course; the focus is on Inductive / deductive / analytical / design reasoning, communication skills, attitude towards team work and leadership, and employability. You will be made aware of your strengths... and weaknesses. You will learn the elementary tools of project management and lessons learnt on how to move from research to business.


You will learn what are the necessary competences and skills to be successful in professional life. In particular, the case of the engineer (in ICT) is discussed. Soft skills will be the topic of the course; the focus is on Inductive / deductive / analytical / design reasoning, communication skills, attitude towards team work and leadership, and employability. You will be made aware of your strengths... and weaknesses. You will learn the elementary tools of project management and lessons learnt on how to move from research to business.

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11

keywords A. Learning Outcomes


B. Eleven Keywords


B. Eleven Keywords 1. Competences and Skills 2. Success 3. Engineer 4. Soft Skills 5. Reasoning 6. Communication Skills 7. Team Work and Leadership 8. Employability 9. Awareness 10. Project Management 11. From Research to Business


1. Competences and Skills

What is competence ?


Knowledge: means the outcome of the assimilation of information through learning. Knowledge is the body of facts, principles, theories and practices related to a field of work or study. Example: a chess player. Knowledge: how pieces can move on the chessboard.



Skill: means the ability to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks and solve problems. Example: a chess player. Ability: to analyse current and future chessboard states, predict the actions of the rival and choose the best move.



Competence: ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve intended results.* * ISO/IEC 17024:2012: Conformity assessment - General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons


knowledge skills competence


Competence: ability to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/or methodological abilities, in work or study situations and in professional and/or personal development.* * EQF: European Qualification Framework


other abilities



Competence: a mix of i) motivation, ii) knowledge, and iii) skills that enable a person to act successfully in a job or situation.* * Manpower Group


motivation



Motivation: reason for people's actions. Motivation is driven by needs*. It is a dynamic attitude. Maslow’s Pyramid of needs

* Arthur Schopenhauer: A man can do what he wants, but he can only want what he wants



Skills Needs Motivation

Action Facts Knowledge

Success


experience, study

push

motivation



2. Success

Are you willing to succeed in professional life ?


2. Success

Are you willing to succeed in professional life ? What is success ?


Ambition, and a roadmap

2. Success

2019

M.Sc. Your ambition Intermediate steps

? ?


2. Success

What is your ambition ?


2. Success

Have you got the talent to succeed ?


2. Success

Have you got the talent to succeed ? What is talent ?


Talent is the set of competences that permit to achieve success.

2. Success


2. Success

What is the set of competences needed to reach your ambition?


3. Engineer

Are you enrolled in an Engineering Degree ? -  Information (ICT) -  Industrial -  Civil

-  Not Engineering


A mental attitude

3. Engineer


A mental attitude A limit, and a strength

3. Engineer


Test #0 A chess competition with 256 players. Every match, one player looses and is eliminated, one wins and moves on to a new match. How many matches are needed to select the final winner?

…

1 2 3 4

255 256

…

match


A mental attitude A limit, and a strength Inter-disciplinary teams

3. Engineer


www.robertoverdone.org

à Teaching à Project Management and Soft Skills à end of web page

NOW!

3. Engineer

Fill the G-form on instructor’s website:


Short Break


Soft Skills


4. Soft Skills

“Hard skills are the foundation of a successful career.

But soft skills are the cement.”

Dorothy Dalton. International Talent Management Strategist.


Manpower Group released in 2015 the result of a survey on 40 000 Italian companies: Soft Skills for Talent Limiting the analysis to ICT companies, the survey shows that, according to their employees, talent depends on:

technical knowledge in 37% of cases

soft skills and motivation in 63% of cases

4. Soft Skills


Manpower Group released in 2015 the result of a survey on 40 000 Italian companies: Soft Skills for Talent Extending to all companies, the survey shows that, according to their employees, talent depends on:

technical knowledge in 30-45% of cases

soft skills and motivation in 55-70% of cases

4. Soft Skills


A term often associated with a person’s EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient). Actually, this is not correct.* It includes the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, interpersonal skills, ability in managing people, leadership, etc., that characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills are non-technical. So, their definition comes as a consequence after the set of technical skills are defined. Therefore, they depend on the specific discipline/job/context considered. * The EQ measures your ability to manage, recognise and control emotions

4. Soft Skills


4. Soft Skills / Categories •  Cognitive

problem solving creativity …

•  Managerial multitasking project management …

•  Relational communication leadership team working …

•  Personal adaptability …


4. Soft Skills / Categories •  Cognitive

problem solving creativity …

•  Managerial multitasking project management …

•  Relational communication leadership team working …

•  Personal adaptability …

•  Job – Oriented time management adaptability …

•  Socially Oriented team working desire to help conflict management communication integrity …

•  Solution - Oriented problem solving creativity and innovation decision making …


4. Soft Skills / 1 (Dublin Descriptors) Cycle descriptors adopted in 2005 as the Qualifications Framework of the European Higher Education Area. A descriptor includes the following five components:

•  Knowledge and understanding •  Applying knowledge and understanding •  Making judgements •  Communication •  Lifelong learning skills


4. Soft Skills for Engineers / 2 (ABET) •  Ability to apply knowledge of math, science, and engineering •  Ability to design and conduct experiments, analyse/interpret data •  Ability to design a system, component, or process to meet req.s •  Ability to function within multi-disciplinary contexts •  Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems •  Understanding of professional ethical responsibility •  Ability to communicate effectively •  Ability to assess the impact of solutions in a societal context •  Ability to engage in life-long learning •  Knowledge of contemporary issues •  Ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern tools

necessary for engineering practice (including project management tools).


4. Soft Skills for Engineers / 3 (additional)* •  Inclination to team work •  Inclination to timeliness and precision •  Adaptability •  Leadership •  Ability to orient decisions in the short, medium, long term •  Ability to find and maintain a job position (employability) •  Ability to find and manage resources •  Ability to estimate the cost of products, and processes •  …

* Based on interviews made with 30 Italian junior/senior engineers


4. Soft Skills

“We are looking for brilliant young people.

Not necessarily good students.”

An experienced trainer. She trains toward entrepreneurship.


4. Soft Skills


Test #1 Family Name __________________ Given Name _______________________ HOW DO YOU RATE YOURSELF IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE OF … (GOOD/BAD)

1.  How to manage resources, either of human or financial nature ___________ 2.  Project management tools ___________ 3.  How to estimate the cost of products, processes and projects ___________ 4.  How to find and maintain a job position (employability) ___________ 5.  How to communicate effectively ___________ 6.  How to do team work and be a leader ___________ 7.  Problem solving ___________ 8.  Timeliness, precision ___________ 9.  Multi-disciplinarity ___________ 10. How to understand the impact of solutions in a societal context ___________ 11. Knowledge of contemporary issues ___________ 12. Orienting decisions in the short, medium and long term ___________ 13. How to engage in life-long learning ___________ 14. Adaptability ___________


Are you more prone to

Deductive reasoning, Inductive reasoning, Design, or Analysis ?

5. Reasoning


5. Reasoning

Analysis Design

Deduction

Induction

Job A

Job B


5. Reasoning

Analysis Design

Deduction

Induction

Job A

Job B Jourself


6. Communication Skills

Are you good in terms of Interpersonal Communication ?


Written



Written Oral



Written Oral Gestural



Let’s practice!



7. Team Work and Leadership

Are you good in terms of Team working ? Are you a leader ?


8. Employability

Have you ever written a resume’ (a CV) ?


How to find a job position

8. Employability


How to find a job position A contest will be organised: 1) opening of a (virtual) job position as project manager in a company; 2) Submission of CVs; 3) Evaluation and ranking performed by a manager with experience in project management; 4) The CV ranked first will be rewarded with a simplified exam.

8. Employability


How to find a job position How to maintain it

8. Employability


9. Awareness

Are you aware of your strengths, and weaknesses ?


Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

9. Awareness: SWOT CHART POSITIVES NEGATIVES

INTERNAL

EXTERNAL

Ambition:

_________________________


Strengths Weaknesses


9. Awareness: SWOT CHART POSITIVES NEGATIVES

INTERNAL

EXTERNAL

Ambition: example

To become chess champion Highly logical attitude Motivation

Very loose memory

Participation grants Other players


9. Awareness: SWOT CHART Ambition: example

Getting a job


10. Project Management

Are you a planner ? Do you follow your plans ?


Projects


Task 1

Task 2

Goal


Projects Any Activity in Professional Life


Task 1

Task 2

Goal


11. From Research to Business

Have you ever thought of creating your own startup ?


Questionnaire #1 What part of the course seems more interesting to you? Rate them: 1 = not interested at all

2 = poorly interested 3 = fairly interested 4 = interested 5 = very interested

1. Competences and Skills ___ (1..5) 2. Success ___ (1..5) 3. Engineer ___ (1..5) 4. Soft Skills ___ (1..5) 5. Reasoning ___ (1..5) 6. Communication Skills ___ (1..5) 7. Team Work and Leadership ___ (1..5) 8. Employability ___ (1..5) 9. Awareness ___ (1..5) 10. Project Management ___ (1..5) 11. From Research to Business ___ (1..5)


Short Break


C. The Course


C. The Course: Schedule Lecture #1 – This Introduction Lecture #2 – Project Management Lecture #3 – Project Management Lecture #4 – Project Management Lecture #5 – From Research to Business Lecture #6 – Employability, Team Work and Leadership Lecture #7 – Communication Skills Lecture #8 – Communication Skills Lecture #9 – Reasoning Lecture #10 – Seminar Lecture #11 – Wrap-up


C. The Course: Schedule Lecture #1 – This Introduction Lecture #2 – Project Management Lecture #3 – Project Management Lecture #4 – Giorgia Bertozzi, Manager, PwC, UK Lecture #5 – From Research to Business Lecture #6 – Employability, Team Work and Leadership Lecture #7 – Communication Skills Lecture #8 – Communication Skills Lecture #9 – Reasoning Lecture #10 – tbd Lecture #11 – Wrap-up


C. The Course: Attendance It does not make sense to give the exam without attending regularly the classes! •  Skills are not taught – they have to be practised •  Lectures will be highly interactive and based on teamwork •  There is no book covering the course


C. The Course: Exam The student will undergo an oral exam. Prior to the date of the exam the student will deliver via email to the instructor: 1)  a one page report of a freely selected lecture, following the

template provided by the instructor 2)  a three page project proposal, following the template

provided by the instructor 3)  the SWOT analysis related to his/her future career after

graduation 4)  a powerpoint presentation of the project proposal OR

a pitch presentation of the business idea identified, following the templates provided by the instructor.


C. The Course: Exam Assignments

Lecture #1 – Today Lecture #2 – Mar 2 Lecture #3 – Mar 9 Lecture #4 – Mar 23 Lecture #5 – Apr 6 Project Lecture #6 – Apr 13 CV Contest Lecture #7 – Apr 20 Report Lecture #8 – May 4 Presentation Lecture #9 – May 11 SWOT Lecture #10 – May 18 Lecture #11 – May 25 Discussion


C. The Course: Material Slides and templates on instructor’s webpage:

www.robertoverdone.org

à Teaching à Project Management and Soft Skills

Audio Records of lectures

through shared dropbox folder

Suggested Book:

Ben Horowitz, “The Hard Thing About Hard Things”, Ed. HarperCollins


D. Ten Pillars to Success


Write down YOUR ten pillars to success.

1. ___________________________________ 2. ___________________________________ 3. ___________________________________ 4. ___________________________________ 5. ___________________________________ 6. ___________________________________ 7. ___________________________________ 8. ___________________________________ 9. ___________________________________ 10. ___________________________________

D. Ten Pillars to Success


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge 3.  Skills


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge 3.  Skills 4.  Effort


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge 3.  Skills 4.  Effort 5.  Communication


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge 3.  Skills 4.  Effort 5.  Communication 6.  Team Spirit and Leadership


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge 3.  Skills 4.  Effort 5.  Communication 6.  Team Spirit and Leadership 7.  Confidence and Trust


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge 3.  Skills 4.  Effort 5.  Communication 6.  Team Spirit and Leadership 7.  Confidence and Trust 8.  Continuous Learning


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge 3.  Skills 4.  Effort 5.  Communication 6.  Team Spirit and Leadership 7.  Confidence and Trust 8.  Continuous Learning 9.  Task/Time Management


D. Ten Pillars to Success 1.  Motivation 2.  Knowledge 3.  Skills 4.  Effort 5.  Communication 6.  Team Spirit and Leadership 7.  Confidence and Trust 8.  Continuous Learning 9.  Task/Time Management 10.  Resilience


Test #2 1.  Set a goal: what is your desired position, three years

after graduation?

2.  Fill the SWOT chart, including in the S&W quadrants the ten pillars to success; complete it analysing opportunities and threats

3.  Provide the filled form to the instructor on paper


Strengths

Family Name:

_________________________ Given Name:

_________________________ Desired Position:

_________________________ Current Degree:

_________________________

Weaknesses


Test #2


See you next week

project management and soft skills€¦ · soft skills are non-technical. so, their definition...

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