DEPARTMENT OF GEOMATICS

451-449 PROFESSIONAL AND RESEARCH STUDIES PART A -

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Note:

Part A is worth 50% of the overall mark for 451-449.

 
Location & Time

Tuesday, 11:00am - 1:00pm Lecture Theatre C1, 4th floor, Civil Engineering & Geomatics Building

 
Lecturer:

Professor Ian Williamson (Room B403).
(ianpw@unimelb.edu.au)

 

Tutor:

Mr. Neil Brown (Penthouse Graduate Room)
(neb@sunrise.sli.unimelb.edu.au)

 

Objectives:

Upon completion of this subject students should have an understanding of the functions and responsibilities of a geomatics engineering professional, and particularly professional surveyors and geomatics engineers in the community; developed skills in research, communication and writing by either individual or group investigation of a research topic and the subsequent preparation of a verbal presentation of a report; and received experience working both independently and in groups on a project and developed skills in planning and executing a project.

 

Content:

The subject will comprise four components: a) A series of lectures and tutorials covering topics such as the functions and responsibilities of the professional engineer and professional surveyor within the community; professional ethics; the role of the public, private and academic sectors in engineering, geomatics, surveying, mapping and spatial information industries; strategic planning; Quality Assurance and ISO 9000 certification procedures. b) A review of either a public or private sector organisation from the engineering, geomatics, surveying, mapping or spatial information industries and the preparation of a report on the organisation. c) Attendance and involvement in a 2-day workshop concerned with the operation and management of a private surveying practice organised by the Association of Consulting Surveyors (run outside the teaching semester). d) Lectures on research methods and analytical research techniques leading to the selection of a project topic, formulation of a project work plan, undertaking a literature search and/or background reading, evaluation of literature and commencement of a project. This component of the subject will include the presentation of a progress report on the project and a seminar presentation.

 

 

Week Date Topic
1 6 March Overview of course

Student evaluation and feedback.
SWOT and PEST analyses.
Review of Department of Geomatics Strategic Plan.
Review of the Universities Strategic Plan.
Selection of an organisation to review for assignment.
Overview of report and oral presentation requirements.
Discussion of personal career paths.

Tutorial:
Prepare a SWOT analysis for your professional future.
Itemise three career paths.
Select desirable career based on SWOT.
Outline 5-year plan to achieve career goal.
2 13 March

Surveying profession and private practice

  • Mr. Roger Green, President, The Institution of Surveyors Victoria - "The Professional Surveyor"
  • Mr. Alan Norman, Chairman, Association of Consulting Surveyors, Victoria (ACSV) - "The Consulting Surveyor and Ethics"
  • Mr. Patrick Meehan, Director, Max Braid Surveyors - "Managing a Surveying Practice"

Tutorial:
Debate of common ethical issues. Each industry representative to provide a written example of an ethical issue. Students to debate.

Summary to be submitted.

3 20 March

Professional Practice and Total Quality Management

Professor John Parker, Chairperson, Commission 1 (Professional Standards & Practice), International Federation of Surveyors
Professional Practice
Total Quality Management

Tutorial:
Total Quality Management

Summary to be submitted.

4 27 March

Geomatics profession and industry - a national and international perspective

  • International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) - Professor Ian Williamson
  • International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) - Associate Professor Mark Shortis
  • International Association of Geodesy (IAG) - Dr. Phil Collier
  • Australasian Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (AURISA) and Urban & Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) - Associate Professor Gary Hunter, Past President, AURISA
  • Associate Professor Gary Hunter - "Registration requirements of the Victorian Board of Surveyors"

Discussion: International opportunities for Geomatics professionals - what you should know - Mr. David Presley, Geomatic Technologies Pty. Ltd.

Summary to be submitted.
5 3 April

Engineering professions and examples of the geomatics industry

Tutorial:
Panel discussion.

Summary to be submitted.

6 10 April

Spatial information industry

Tutorial:
Panel discussion and debate. Two students to argue the case for government vs private sector in providing the State's SDI.

Summary to be submitted.

7 17 April Break - 19-20 April ACSV/ISV Business Management Workshop
8 24 April Visit to organisations for review report.
9 1 May Tutorial to review issues from visits to organisations.
10 8 May Careers Consultant - Resumé writing for impact.
Strategies for presenting well at interviews.
11 15 May Presentation of reports
12 22 May Presentation of reports
13 29 May Presentation of reports
Review of feedback and summary of course.

Tutorial List

Assignments:

ACSV/ISV Seminar and Report

This seminar is run through the generosity of the Association of Consulting Surveyors, Victoria and the Institution of Surveyors, Victoria.

The seminar is held at the University of Melbourne during the mid-semester break (Thursday 19 April and Friday 20 April). Attendance was compulsory. RMIT students and industry practitioners also attend the course.

Each student is required to submit a report on the Seminar of about 1000 words (worth 10% of the assessment for Professional and Research Studies). The report is to be submitted by 5 p.m. Tuesday 1 May. In your summary you are required to address the following questions:

  1. What is the value of the seminar to a professional surveyor, engineer or geomatics practitioner?
  2. Discuss the three most valuable lessons you learnt from the seminar.
  3. Discuss the three best aspects of the seminar and the three areas where either the content or presentation could be improved or expanded.
  4. Discuss how the seminar may assist you personally in your professional career noting your own strengths and weaknesses.

Neil Brown (Tutor) will be present and will provide assistance as required.

Report of review of organisation

You and a colleague working as a team have been awarded a consultancy to review the operations and organisation of a surveying, geomatics, GIS, engineering or related organisation, in either the private or government sectors. Each team will submit a written report of the investigation to your client at the lecture on 15 May. The report must be presented in a professional manner, as discussed in the first lecture, as would be expected from any professional person.

One student will review the professional and technical aspects of the organisation while the other will concentrate on the management aspects. Part of this exercise is to encourage working in teams.

The team is responsible for allocating all tasks. It is suggested each team appoint a team leader. Each student will make a separate presentation. Each student presentation will be separately marked. A joint report will be produced.

The report will be marked as an individual submission with the same mark going to each student. The report will include a common SWOT analysis. This will account for 50% of the mark.

The two students will indicate in a separate page at the beginning of the report, which student had the major responsibility for which sections; either the administrative or technical perspective. The other mark out of 50% will be marked on the quality of individual contributions as indicated by the students.

In addition, each student is to make an oral presentation, lasting 10 minutes exactly plus 2 minutes questions, outlining the results of the investigation. The two presentations for each company will be scheduled one after the other with the technical presentation being given first. The oral presentation must be to a professional standard. It is expected that professional graphics displays will be prepared, which may be either overhead transparencies, slides or using the full multi-media facilities. One of the presentations from the team must include the SWOT analysis.

If you wish to choose your own organisation then you must inform Professor Williamson by 13 March.

Members of the organisation which you reviewed will be invited to attend your presentation.

Report due by: 15 May 2001
Presentations:

15 May 2001
22 May 2001
29 May 2001

Issues for possible discussion in the Report:

Technical

Major activities of the organisation
Strategic planning; Mission statement; Short, medium and long-term objectives
Technology strategy
Computing strategy
Total Quality Management
Research and development
Undertake a SWOT analysis of the organisation (at least 20% of the report)

Management

Management, personnel and new staff strategy
Strategic planning; Mission statement; Short, medium and long-term objectives
Cost accounting, time management, financial management
Marketing - segmentation, positioning
Staff training, retaining
Unions and professional bodies
Undertake a SWOT analysis of the organisation (at least 20% of the report)

Don't attempt to obtain the annual balance sheet or annual turnover of the organisation - private firms are sensitive to such matters.
Remember it is also not polite nor appropriate to use a tape recorder for interviews.

Lecture and Tutorial Summaries:

Each student is to submit a one-page summary of the lecture and/or tutorial discussion at the completion of each lecture. Submissions will be checked to ensure they cover the material but will not be marked. Late submissions will not be accepted. If students do not attend the lecture they cannot submit a summary! During the student presentations, all students will undertake peer review of all other student presentations.

Assessment:

Assessments will be based on involvement in the lecture program and submission of summaries, the report of the investigation of the organisation, the oral presentation and the report of the ACSV/ISV Workshop.

REPORT - 20% (Content and expression - 10%, Technical content - 10%).

ORAL PRESENTATION - 15% (10% will be lecturer assessment and 5% peer assessment)

LECTURE SUMMARIES AND SUMMARIES OF ORAL PRESENTATIONS - 5%.

ACSV/ISV Seminar Report - 10% (5% content, 5% presentation)

References:

Surveyors (Registration) Regulations 1992 - Statutory Rule No. 99/1992
(Australasian Legal Information Institute http://www.austlii.edu.au)

Australian Standards http://www.standards.org.au/
(Total Quality Management)
o ISO 9000:2000
o ISO 9001:2000

Guide on Quality Assurance Principles and Practices for the Surveying Industry - Aim for Perfection (Association of Consulting Surveyors Australia)
http://www.surveying.org.au/cgi-bin/other.exe?action=publications

Code of Ethics of The Institution of Surveyors Australia - http://www.isaust.org.au/about/backgrnd.htm#ethics

 

Professor Ian Williamson

6 March 2001