Interdisciplinary Research Meets Project Management
Learning Objectives:
After completing MGT 8803 / CS 8803, students should be able to:
- Evaluate project management methodologies and frameworks to determine their effectiveness in interdisciplinary, research-driven teams involving computer science, data science, and analytics;
- Develop a structured plan that incorporates project management concepts and frameworks and focuses on a particular initiative area to facilitate execution of a research project;
- Synthesize project outcomes, team dynamics, risk management strategies, and related topics into a professional project management report that critically reflects on the challenges and successes of managing an interdisciplinary data-driven research initiative
Core Instructional Team
These are the core instructors who will assist you during your Project Management Journey.
Bree Shi
Director of HAAG
Nick Lytle, Ph.D
Director of OMSCS Research
Charlotte Alexander, J.D.
Charlotte Alexander, Professor of Law and Ethic
Course Description:
Research Operations Project Management Practicum is a project-driven course in which MBA students partner with Online Masters students in Computer Science (OMSCS) to manage research projects involving novel data, analytics, and computer science methods. Past projects have involved computer vision, Generative AI, and Natural Language Processing.
Working in pairs or small teams, MBA and OMSCS students enrolled in the course will embed in larger ongoing research projects being conducted via Georgia Tech’s Human Augmented Analytics Group. These MBA-OMSCS project management teams will combine expertise in project management from the MBAs and subject matter expertise from the OMSCS students. Students will learn from each other across disciplines as they help manage the ongoing work of the larger research groups, which consist of faculty, researchers, and students from Georgia Tech as well as outside partners.
MBA and OMSCS students enrolled in the course will be assessed based on two components: their contribution to the management of the operations of the research groups and their work on a particular project management initiative of their choosing, described further below. The initiative component allows students to implement and track the success of project management techniques in a complex research environment, allowing MBA-OMSCS student teams to test innovative approaches in a sandbox-like, student-oriented environment. As an additional option, MBA and OMSCS students enrolled in the course may join the authorship team on article(s) written about the research project to which they are assigned, subject to instructor approval.1
The course model empowers students to take ownership over a research collaboration, offers MBA students experience with data analytics and computer science research in a supportive active learning environment, and exposes OMSCS students to project management techniques. This course is ideal for MBA students with some background or interest in computer science, data science, analytics, or computational methods, along with a project management background and interest. MBA students may also use the course to amass project management certification hours. The course is also a good fit for OMSCS students who have expertise in computational methods but would like to develop project management skills as well.
About the Human-Augmented Analytics Group (HAAG):
Master’s-Centered Research
HAAG is unique in centering masters students as the primary researchers in interdisciplinary projects. Students from the OMSCS program get the opportunity to be mentored by both their faculty affiliate in an applied field and their computational advisor, a doctoral or post-doctoral researcher trained in computer science or applied mathematics field of study.
FAIR-CS
This course utilizes the Framework for Accelerating Interdisciplinary Research in Computer Science (FAIR-CS) first proposed at PEARC 2025. The FAIR-CS framework (pictured on the left) segments the roles of Faculty, PhD students, and master’s researcher in pursuit of a shared tool development and publication goal.
About This Page
This page outlines the requirements to remain in good standing as a student researcher within the Human Augmented Analytics Group additional procedures are provided on the course wiki.
Course Grading
Course assessment falls into two general categories: students’ contribution to the management of the operations of the research groups to which they are assigned and their work on a particular project management initiative of their choosing. Students will document their work in both categories in a report, which is broken into stages: initial proposal, mid-term report, and final report. Students may choose to complete these assignments individually or in their project management pairs or small groups. Pairs/small groups will receive the same grade across the group. Attendance and participation will be graded on an individual basis, as explained further below. The grade breakdown is as follows:
- 60% course deliverables
- 40% Attendance and Participation
Course Deliverables
Initial Proposal: Beyond their general operations work in managing the research group, students will choose a specific project management initiative that will be their focus over the course of the semester, e.g. communication strategies, team dynamics and culture, project management software implementation. They will define and scope that initiative at the beginning of the semester in an initial proposal. Proposals will be in written form and also presented during a Thursday class meeting.
Mid-term Report: At mid-semester, students will produce an in-progress project management report that covers two general topics: (1) operations: their role in managing the ongoing research project, and (2) initiative: their progress on their chosen project management initiative. The mid-term report should include reflection on success, challenges, and plans for the remainder of the semester. Reports will be in written form and also presented during a Thursday class meeting.
Final Report: The final report will address the same two topics as the mid-term report (operations and initiative), but will cover the students’ work over the full semester. Reports will be in written form and also presented during a Thursday class meeting.
Course Policies:
Attendance Policy: Regular attendance and engaged participation are crucial for success in this course. Repeated, unexcused absences and/or lack of substantive participation are grounds for a reduction of the attendance and participation grade. If students anticipate needing to miss course activities, alert the instructors ahead of time. Extended absences should be handled via the Dean of Students: https://studentlife.gatech.edu/request-assistance.
Communication Policy: Students are responsible for all material and communications posted on Canvas, Basecamp, or sent via email, Slack, or other course communications channels.
Respect & Professionalism Policy: Show respect for your fellow students and instructors by being punctual, including in virtual meetings, and courteous and participating actively in course activities. The class norm is to turn on your camera in virtual meetings.
Academic honesty and plagiarism: You are required to familiarize yourself with and abide by the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Academic Honor Code in all aspects of participation in this course, including the section establishing student responsibilities with respect to academic integrity. Compliance with the Academic Honor Code is a condition of enrollment in the College of Business. If the instructors suspect that any student has violated that Academic Honor Code or the Honor Agreement, we will refer the matter to the Office of Student Integrity for appropriate action.
Change Policy: This syllabus expresses the instructors’ administrative policies and intentions for the subject matter for the course. However, the instructors reserve the right to change any policies and/or topics and assignments. The instructors further reserve the right to make changes without notice and within their own discretion.
Additional Student Resources:
- Dean of Students: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?GeorgiaTech=&layout_id=4/
- Disability Services:https://disabilityservices.gatech.edu/
- Belonging & Student Support: https://belonging.gatech.edu/studentsupport
- Veterans Resource Center: https://veterans.gatech.edu/
- Center for Mental Health Care & Resources: https://mentalhealth.gatech.edu/
- Voice (Sexual & Relationship Violence Prevention): https://wellnesscenter.gatech.edu/node/47
- General Resource Guide: https://students.gatech.edu/student-resource-guide
Disability accommodation: The Georgia Institute of Technology has established policies with respect to disability accommodation through Office of Disability Services. These policies may be accessed at the Office of Disability Services website located at disabilityservices.gatech.edu. Students seeking disability accommodation should refer to the student guide and documentation pages on this website. Students must comply with the requirements set forth by the Office of Disability Services to receive accommodation.
Questions?
Please Contact Charlie Clark, HAAG Head TA with questions relate to HAAG Policies.