SOL11 Managing Projects in the Digital Age

• Topics

  Projects are everywhere in modern organizations, and those who can contribute to and lead project work are in high demand across all sectors and industries. This course provides knowledge and practical skills for successfully participating in projects from conception to completion in today's digital workplace — whether you are running the project or working within one.

  Project work differs fundamentally from routine operations and requires specific competencies and methods. In our increasingly digital world, everyone involved in a project — managers and team members alike — must understand both traditional planning principles and how technology transforms project delivery, whether the project involves launching new products, implementing digital technology, reorganizing the organization, or coordinating events.

  Course Content:

  The course covers planning, organizing, and managing projects using established methods and best practices. The course explores how digital collaboration tools and emerging technologies like AI can support effective project management while maintaining focus on fundamental methods and principles.

  Topics Covered:

  • Project initiation, evaluation, and selection
  • The project manager's role
  • Ethical issues project managers must handle, and the relevance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for projects
  • Planning, organizing, and monitoring projects using contemporary tools and methods
  • Stakeholder management
  • Risk management and critical success factors
  • Procurement strategies and contract management
  • Traditional and agile approaches to project management
  • Digital project tools
  • Benefit realization and project closure

• Learning outcome

  Knowledge

  Upon course completion, the candidate has:

  • Good understanding of projects as a working method and their characteristics.
  • Good understanding of the key differences between project management and operational management.
  • Knowledge of fundamental project management methods, tools, and concepts.
  • Awareness of how digital tools support project planning, execution, and collaboration.

  Skills

  Upon course completion, the candidate can:

  • Plan and organize a project using established project management techniques.
  • Coordinate project activities and stakeholder communication.
  • Analyze common project risks and suggest mitigation approaches.
  • Use relevant project management tools and software at an introductory level.

  General competence

  Upon course completion, the candidate can:

  • Evaluate challenges, critical success factors, and ethical considerations in project management.
  • Explain fundamental project management concepts and methods to others.
  • Assess the appropriate use of traditional versus agile approaches in different project contexts.
  • Understand the role of digital tools in modern project work.

• Teaching

  Course topics are introduced through instructional videos available on Canvas. Plenary sessions expand upon these topics and focus on practical exercises that apply the concepts, techniques, and tools covered in the videos.

  Other:

  An optional PRINCE2 certification opportunity is available to interested students. This internationally recognized project management qualification requires an additional fee covering the exam and e-learning resources. Participation is entirely voluntary and separate from course requirements.

• Required prerequisites

  None.

• Compulsory Activity

  Individual multiple-choice test via Canvas after the final session. Minimum 50% required to pass. Multiple attempts permitted.

• Assessment

  The assessment consists of:

  I. A group-based written project assignment (70%). Groups may have 2-3 members. Students may, in exceptional cases, submit individually, subject to approval from the course coordinator.

  Students are given about two months to complete the assignment.

  II. An individual digital multiple-choice school exam based on the curriculum and lectures (30%). The exam has a duration of 2 hours and is to be completed on the student's own laptop on campus.

  The project assignment can be written in English or in Norwegian. The multiple-choice exam will be in English.

• Grading Scale

  A-F.

• Computer tools

  The course employs digital tools for project planning, control, and collaboration. Students receive instruction on all tools used.

• Literature

  • Textbook: Jan Terje Karlsen (2023): Project Management. From Startup to Success. Universitetsforlaget.
  • Norwegian-speaking students may choose to use the Norwegian version of the textbook:
    • Jan Terje Karlsen (2026): Prosjektledelse - fra initiering til gevinstrealisering, 6. utgave.Universitetsforlaget.
  • Selected articles available through Leganto.

• Permitted Support Material

  One bilingual dictionary (Category I)

  All in accordance with Supplementary provisions to the Regulations for Full-time Study Programmes at the Norwegian School of Economics Ch.4 and Examination support material.

• Retake

  Retake in SOL11 will not be offered during the non-teaching semester (autumn).

  For further information about NHH's retake policy, please see Retake of exams.