Engineering Leadership (SEB724)/Assignment 1 – Interim Report

write a report according to the Case Study Scenario given in Section 4. Please read all instructions and requirements carefully.
2.0 Learning Outcomes
This assignment allows you to demonstrate progress towards achieving the following unit learning outcomes:
At the completion of this Unit, you will be able to:
ULO 2
Communicate with teams and the community at large to investigate and present different engineering leadership techniques.
ULO 3
Describe the importance of delivering business value to clients via engineering leadership, and appreciate how this is achieved.
ULO 5
Explain the challenges of managing complexity and uncertainty in engineering leadership.
ULO 6
Demonstrate knowledge of engineering leadership skills.
GLO 2
Communicate: use oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform, motivate and effect change
GLO 4
Apply critical thinking: evaluate information using critical and analytical thinking and judgment
This assignment will also help you demonstrate learning achievements towards other unit learning outcomes. I encourage you to review those to discover additional learning opportunities that will enhance the quality of your submission and final results.
3.0 Weighting
The report represents 25% of the Unit’s grade.
4.0 Report Requirements
Leadership Case Study
You are working for GREENWAYS, a leading company in the development and manufacture of a broad range of sustainable, eco-friendly, energy solutions. The company prides itself, and is well known for, being honest and straightforward in its dealings with customers and employees, and in its ability to deliver difficult projects on time. Page 2 of 4
School of Engineering: T2-2015
You have been with GREENWAYS for four years and have worked in the Project Development Team of the company. This team has been under huge pressure the last 12 months with increased friction between the team leader and most team members. This resulted in poor team performance and finally led to the team leader’s resignation.
Given your record, your manager has just asked you to lead the Project Development Team. Despite a history of conflict, your team has been assigned a complex and challenging client project to be completed in a very tight time frame. It is a difficult assignment. The team will require longer work hours than normal, some new roles and responsibilities for some team members, and a few changes in their usual processes. It would also require close coordination and cooperation from other parts of the organization.
Your task
Aware of the team’s history, its current challenges, and the importance of this project, your manager has asked you for a Report on the leadership style you will adopt and the strategies you will put in place to ensure completion of these crucial deliverables, on time, and on budget.
Your response to this task should:
• Identify an appropriate range of leadership models
• Propose a leadership approach which you think is best suited to your situation;
• Justify your approach based on the leadership models available, and supported, when possible by some examples from real-life achievements;
• Recommend a range of strategies that will help you improve your team’s performance to meet your company’s expectations;
• Be written in a report of 1000-1500 words.
5.0 Submission Requirements
You must upload your Assignment Submission on CloudDeakin under the Assignment 1 Dropbox link by Monday 17 August 2015, 5pm.
Report:
Each student must submit a Report that does not exceed the maximum length of 1500 words. (1000-1500)
File:
Your submission should be as a .pdf file.
Use the Assessment Guide (below) to ensure you meet all requirements
Page 3 of 4
School of Engineering: T2-2015
Assessment Guide – Assignment 1: Team Leadership Report (25%)
Scoring Criteria
Total Points
25
Organization (GLO 2, ULO 2)
4
Score
Overall, the written report is clear, well organized and appropriately scoped.
Introduction is attention-getting. It establishes a clear framework for the report by laying out the problem and its relevance, identifying key aspects of the topic, including its outcomes
Presents information in effective, logical order. Line of reasoning is interesting and easy to follow.
Uses relevant subheadings throughout enabling readers to move easily through the text and good structure of paragraphs and transitions enhances comprehension and readability
Conclusion succinctly summarizes the outcomes or research results based on the literature and/or actual research, including its strengths and any limitations and offers suggestions for future research or action
Knowledge Base (ULO 3, ULO 5, ULO 6)
9
Score
Provides good, relevant background information. Defines technical terms and acronyms clearly, and demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the topic
All claims made in the report rely on compelling evidence from a wide range of reliable and authoritative sources, Quotations are well chosen, and choice of illustrations (graphs, tables, images, etc.) truly enhance understanding of the topic and are effectively framed by the text
The findings are based on report demonstrates a robust knowledge of the field that is accurate and current , and has a sharp distinct focus that enhances the impact of the report
Explores the topic in detail and in depth, information is focused, rigorous, and accurate, makes scientifically valid arguments supported by reliable evidence
Critical Thinking (GLO 4)
8
Score
Thoroughly identifies and addresses key aspects of the problem and is astute in using facts and relevant evidence from analysis to support and defend potentially valid solutions
Perceptively interprets information; identifies obvious as well as hidden assumptions, establishes credibility of sources on points other than authority alone
Insightfully relates concepts and ideas from multiple sources; uses new information to enhance chosen solution; recognizes missing information; correctly identifies potential effects of new information.
Identifies strengths and weaknesses in own thinking: recognizes personal assumptions, values and perspectives, compares to others’, and evaluates them in the context of alternate points of view
Written Presentation (GLO 2, ULO 2)
4
Score
Accurately and consistently cites all sources in the accepted citation format and referencing style and all references in the list match the in-text citations
Vocabulary and tone are consistently precise, accurate, professional and appropriate for an academic research paper. Sentences are well-phrased and flow smoothly from one to another.
The writing is free of grammatical errors and word length is within the range specified
Page 4 of 4

Engineering Leadership (SEB724)/Assignment 1 – Interim Report

write a report according to the Case Study Scenario given in Section 4. Please read all instructions and requirements carefully.
2.0 Learning Outcomes
This assignment allows you to demonstrate progress towards achieving the following unit learning outcomes:
At the completion of this Unit, you will be able to:
ULO 2
Communicate with teams and the community at large to investigate and present different engineering leadership techniques.
ULO 3
Describe the importance of delivering business value to clients via engineering leadership, and appreciate how this is achieved.
ULO 5
Explain the challenges of managing complexity and uncertainty in engineering leadership.
ULO 6
Demonstrate knowledge of engineering leadership skills.
GLO 2
Communicate: use oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform, motivate and effect change
GLO 4
Apply critical thinking: evaluate information using critical and analytical thinking and judgment
This assignment will also help you demonstrate learning achievements towards other unit learning outcomes. I encourage you to review those to discover additional learning opportunities that will enhance the quality of your submission and final results.
3.0 Weighting
The report represents 25% of the Unit’s grade.
4.0 Report Requirements
Leadership Case Study
You are working for GREENWAYS, a leading company in the development and manufacture of a broad range of sustainable, eco-friendly, energy solutions. The company prides itself, and is well known for, being honest and straightforward in its dealings with customers and employees, and in its ability to deliver difficult projects on time. Page 2 of 4
School of Engineering: T2-2015
You have been with GREENWAYS for four years and have worked in the Project Development Team of the company. This team has been under huge pressure the last 12 months with increased friction between the team leader and most team members. This resulted in poor team performance and finally led to the team leader’s resignation.
Given your record, your manager has just asked you to lead the Project Development Team. Despite a history of conflict, your team has been assigned a complex and challenging client project to be completed in a very tight time frame. It is a difficult assignment. The team will require longer work hours than normal, some new roles and responsibilities for some team members, and a few changes in their usual processes. It would also require close coordination and cooperation from other parts of the organization.
Your task
Aware of the team’s history, its current challenges, and the importance of this project, your manager has asked you for a Report on the leadership style you will adopt and the strategies you will put in place to ensure completion of these crucial deliverables, on time, and on budget.
Your response to this task should:
• Identify an appropriate range of leadership models
• Propose a leadership approach which you think is best suited to your situation;
• Justify your approach based on the leadership models available, and supported, when possible by some examples from real-life achievements;
• Recommend a range of strategies that will help you improve your team’s performance to meet your company’s expectations;
• Be written in a report of 1000-1500 words.
5.0 Submission Requirements
You must upload your Assignment Submission on CloudDeakin under the Assignment 1 Dropbox link by Monday 17 August 2015, 5pm.
Report:
Each student must submit a Report that does not exceed the maximum length of 1500 words. (1000-1500)
File:
Your submission should be as a .pdf file.
Use the Assessment Guide (below) to ensure you meet all requirements
Page 3 of 4
School of Engineering: T2-2015
Assessment Guide – Assignment 1: Team Leadership Report (25%)
Scoring Criteria
Total Points
25
Organization (GLO 2, ULO 2)
4
Score
Overall, the written report is clear, well organized and appropriately scoped.
Introduction is attention-getting. It establishes a clear framework for the report by laying out the problem and its relevance, identifying key aspects of the topic, including its outcomes
Presents information in effective, logical order. Line of reasoning is interesting and easy to follow.
Uses relevant subheadings throughout enabling readers to move easily through the text and good structure of paragraphs and transitions enhances comprehension and readability
Conclusion succinctly summarizes the outcomes or research results based on the literature and/or actual research, including its strengths and any limitations and offers suggestions for future research or action
Knowledge Base (ULO 3, ULO 5, ULO 6)
9
Score
Provides good, relevant background information. Defines technical terms and acronyms clearly, and demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the topic
All claims made in the report rely on compelling evidence from a wide range of reliable and authoritative sources, Quotations are well chosen, and choice of illustrations (graphs, tables, images, etc.) truly enhance understanding of the topic and are effectively framed by the text
The findings are based on report demonstrates a robust knowledge of the field that is accurate and current , and has a sharp distinct focus that enhances the impact of the report
Explores the topic in detail and in depth, information is focused, rigorous, and accurate, makes scientifically valid arguments supported by reliable evidence
Critical Thinking (GLO 4)
8
Score
Thoroughly identifies and addresses key aspects of the problem and is astute in using facts and relevant evidence from analysis to support and defend potentially valid solutions
Perceptively interprets information; identifies obvious as well as hidden assumptions, establishes credibility of sources on points other than authority alone
Insightfully relates concepts and ideas from multiple sources; uses new information to enhance chosen solution; recognizes missing information; correctly identifies potential effects of new information.
Identifies strengths and weaknesses in own thinking: recognizes personal assumptions, values and perspectives, compares to others’, and evaluates them in the context of alternate points of view
Written Presentation (GLO 2, ULO 2)
4
Score
Accurately and consistently cites all sources in the accepted citation format and referencing style and all references in the list match the in-text citations
Vocabulary and tone are consistently precise, accurate, professional and appropriate for an academic research paper. Sentences are well-phrased and flow smoothly from one to another.
The writing is free of grammatical errors and word length is within the range specified
Page 4 of 4