This course has definitely given me a better understanding of how contract research organizations (CRO) are managed, which is of particular interest to me since I have been working in a CRO for almost a year now. Knowledge of a project's life cycle from initiation to closing should assist anyone entering a project-based work environment because it promotes communication in the workplace in that everyone knows what's going on (i.e. what's currently being done in initiation/planning and how it will carry over to the execution phase). Entering a CRO straight out of college can leave that individual in a state of bewilderment upon starting their position, which can be prevented by educating themselves in the role of each department (i.e. manufacturing, QC, QA, engineering, R&D, etc). Further education in the field of project management can give an understanding of what the managers in charge are going through, which can ideally result in them requesting your opinion on certain matters.

The simulations and mini-sims were the most vital, interactive aspect of this course. How did they contribute to your knowledge in project systems management? The simulations were more group/team based while the mini-sims were individual, which did you rather prefer? Do you think your preference between the simulations and mini-sims say something about your work style? I personally preferred the mini-sims over the simulations because there is no confusion and convolution among collaboration and I personally have more of a say in the outcome? Do you feel the same way?

As transitioning from academics into industry, this course is incredibly valuable in teaching what to expect. I have a far better understanding of the differences and overlap of the standards followed in Project Management processes and medical device Design Controls. The learning was supplemented by the weekly contribution to conversations. By being actively engaged in understanding the course material and exploring it beyond the lecture through forum discussions and simulations, there was a degree of ownership to the learning. Just like a good work culture, we learned collaboratively. I loved the simulation projects because it brought students together into teams to solve a real life industry problem by assuming the responsibilities of a project manager. No other course comes close to placing you in the same environment that would be expected in real life.

I have learned a lot about project management techniques and methods related to medical devices and practical problem solving simulations based on real-world examples of medical device projects. I learned how to work in a team on a commercial medical device projects and the project management processes and all the PM knowledge areas applied to medical devices. I was able to understand how the FDA regulations related to medical devices and how to use them in a project. I gained experience with using medical device project management concepts to solve simulated problems. Overall it is a great course and I would suggest it for people who need some knowledge with real world problems.

This class taught me a great deal. From the definition of a project, all the way to finalizing a project. I learned about risk assessment, about the project life cycle, about different departments and their roles. What was most intriguing about this course were the simulations. They allowed us to take all the material we were learning in lecture and applying them to real life scenarios. We were challenged to think critically and provide different feasible solutions. We were given great feedback that carried our research right along and allowed us to reach more comprehensible solutions. These simulations gave me insight into what really goes in creating a product and putting it out on the market. It allowed me to see potential obstacles and how to handle them.

This course was definitely a very fun and interactive one. It taught me a great deal and the lessons will be in my life for a great while.

This class is quite helpful in providing insight as to what problems you will encounter in the future as a project manager or an engineer through the simulation reports. The simulation reports are complex problems that require careful thinking and analysis in order to solve them. Obviously, the feedback that we get from the professor on the proposed experiments to test for certain things, often causes the problem to become harder as new information is acquired even though it may not help you. I think that the overall content of the material was quite informative and concise. The lecture material covers a lot of information on different topics such as the FDA, the project cycle phases, and different calculations (e.g. schedule variance, cost variance) that are made in projects. I think that this course is absolutely essential for people who wish to work in industry as it covers a great of material regarding the different roles of the job titles. besides that, the course covers the paperwork and regulatory hurdles that one must address when working on a project. This will help students make a more informed decision as to whether they wish to work in industry or academia.

For me, it was very helpful in a way that it taught me about the real life of a biomedical engineer in industry and after school, since most classes focus only on the technical part of being an engineer, neglecting how to become an "excellent" engineer. Learning about projects and how to manage them successfully and project stages and phases intensely made me understand the importance of learning different aspects of management and business besides being an engineer. This could be explained by the strong interpersonal skills one could have. Another thing I liked in this class is the mini simulations. It was very helpful for me I think I learned a lot from the way they were presented.

I appreciated the practical simulations of this course. While there was also a academic component, the practical component that allowed us to experience what happens in the industry gave great experience. I feel that I will be more of an asset to a project team after taking this course.

I got to learn the working process in the project. The simulations taught me alot and made me of from the vendors prespective point of view and from the customers point of view. This course is definitely going to help me in the future as well.

I absolutely appreciated this class and what its taught me. Particularly, the mini-sims really gave me a sense of what it's like to work and think as an engineer. Even though I work in the field, I do not encounter such specific and troublesome issues and working with a team to brainstorm, research, and come up with solutions was an experience I will always think back to when I encounter similar ones throughout my career. I believe this class has geared me to think like an engineer and understand what I can expect in my future.

I learned that project management was more than just planning out gantt charts and timelines, but also monitoring and maintaining the project timeline as it is undergoing. The mini-sims really showed real life scenarios where project managers needed to deal with people and vendors to solve problems. I really enjoyed the content of this class and can apply it to the industry.

At the term of This course, my views of project management slightly changed. I used to think that it mainly revolves around filling out chart and assigning works to team members. Now i realize that it involves a much deeper interaction that previously thought. It teaches how to plan and organize, communicate with team members, utilize various management tools, apply leadership skills, use methodologies such as agile, collaborate with cross-functional teams, estimate cost, facilitate meetings, and manage multiple projects. I like this course because it is tailored to industrial skills and you can actually apply knowledge obtained here in your industrial job position.

This course helped me to see the overall picture of how Projects get done. For someone who has no experience in PM and the rules and regulations in the US, I have learned a lot.

This class was very helpful in allowing me to understand the various aspects and steps needed to successfully manage a project, from the necessary documents needed for each PM process, to the soft skills required in a project team. I found the simulations and mini-simulations to be the most fun and interactive, since they replicated real-life situations. More specifically, the simulations allowed me to see the various challenges that could appear in real-life situations and which possible routes would be best to to take to handle the challenges. I think in the future, if presented with similar situations, I can look back at the simulations and see which actions worked best. Additionally, two core concepts from this class that can be applied to various aspects of life, not only in project management, are communication and organization. A project lacking in communication and organization will have much difficulty being successful. 

I am actively pursuing a career in product development for a medical device manufacturer and this course has provided an excellent foundation of project management. Prior to this course, I was unaware of the project management institute and the body of knowledge behind managing projects. This course opened the door to my career aspirations by detailing the five process groups, ten knowledge areas, and the fundamental structure of project management used in every industry. After completing this course, I plan to become a certified associate in project management through the project management institute. I am fortunate that I already read half of the book that the certification exam is tested on, The Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide, as assigned as homework for this course. If it weren’t for this course, I probably would not be pursuing a career in product development.  

As someone who has been working in the medical device industry for a few years now, I found the material in this course to be very relevant to my day-to-day life, much more so than any other course I took as an undergrad. While listening to the lectures, posting on the forums and figuring out the simulations, I could usually relate the coursework to real situations I've experienced in the industry. Plus, I have been a team member on various projects as an engineer, but this course allowed me to better understand projects from the project manager's perspective instead. This will be especially useful in any engineer's career going forward, since oftentimes the career path of an engineer will eventually lead to some sort of management role.