The University expects its graduates to be educated, well-informed and able to contribute effectively to their communities wherever in the world they choose to live and work. It expects Melbourne graduates to gain the following generic skills from this subject:

1. profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of scholarship;
2. openness to new ideas and unconventional critiques of received wisdom;
3. extensive knowledge of a particular discipline or professional area, including relevant professional knowledge and skills, and informed respect for the principles, disciplines, values and ethics of a chosen profession;
4. ability and self?confidence to comprehend complex concepts, to express them lucidly, whether orally or in writing, and to confront unfamiliar problems;
5. leadership capacity, including a willingness to engage in constructive public discourse, to accept social and civic responsibilities and to speak out against prejudice, injustice and the abuse of power;
6. ability and confidence to participate effectively in collaborative learning as a team-member, while respecting individual differences; ability to plan work and to use time effectively.

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 (in this case Professor Williamson) at the lecture on 14 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 students to work in teams.

The team is responsible for allocating all tasks. It is suggested each team appoint a team leader. The team will make a joint presentation and will be given a joint mark. A joint report will be produced.

The report will be marked as a single submission with the same mark going to each student. The report will include a SWOT analysis.

In addition, each team is to make an oral presentation, lasting 15 minutes plus 2 minutes questions, outlining the results of the investigation. 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. The presentation must include a SWOT analysis (worth 10% of overall mark).

If you wish to choose your own organisation then you must inform Professor Williamson by 12 March.

You are also asked to prepare a copy of your report for the organization. As such two copies are to be submitted. Professor Williamson will mail a copy to the organization. Please note that the reports will be considered commercial-in-confidence for academic purposes only. They will not be made public noting students will be presenting their reports to the class as part of the subject assessment.

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

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.

Assessments will be based on involvement in the lecture program and submission of summaries, the report of the investigation of the organization and the oral presentation.

REPORT - 38% (Content and expression - 13%, Technical content - 15%, SWOT - 10%).

ORAL PRESENTATION - 30% (20% will be lecturer assessment and 10% peer assessment)

LECTURE SUMMARIES AND SUMMARIES OF ORAL PRESENTATIONS - 32% (8 submissions).

Surveyors (Registration) Regulations 1992 - Statutory Rule No. 99/1992

Australian Standards http://www.standards.org.au/
(Total Quality Management)
o AS 3900.4 - 1994
o AS 3904.2 - 1992
o AS 3904.4 - 1994

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

Created: 4 March, 2002
Last Modified: 10 April, 2002
Authorised by: Professor Ian Williamson, Head of Department
Webspace provided by the Department of Geomatics
Maintained by: Jessica Smith
Enquiries: jcsmith@sunrise.sli.unimelb.edu.au