Academics
  /  
Courses
  /  
Descriptions
IEMS 394: IE Client Project Challenge


VIEW ALL COURSE TIMES AND SESSIONS

Prerequisites

IEMS 304, 313, 315, 317

Description

  • Large-scale, open-ended team projects from selected fields of industrial engineering. Systems approach requiring establishment of objectives and criteria, analysis and synthesis of alternatives, feasibility, trade-offs, testing, and evaluation. Written and oral reports.
  • This course is a major requirement for Industrial Engineering.
  • Enrollment is by permission only.

View Course Guide

 Learning Objectives

  • Apply the basics of project scoping and planning.
  • Employ the basics of project scheduling and resource planning as applied to complex unstructured problem solving.
  • Be proficient in data collection, planning, and analysis in a complex real-world setting.
  • Develop a problem statement working with a client and develop a scope of work and project plan based on the available resources and project duration while still meeting the needs of the adviser and client.
  • Recognize how real-world problems allow the application of the fundamental modeling and analysis techniques of industrial engineering, including statistics, optimization, stochastics, and simulation.
  • Implement the basics of client management and, when needed, directly observe client processes through site visits.
  • Experience the complexity and ambiguity of applying IE techniques in a real-world scenario.

 Topics

  • Project scoping and planning
  • Project scheduling and basic project controls
  • Client management
  • Problem solving in a client focused complex context
  • Resource planning
  • Risk management and risk assessment

 Materials

No textbook is required for this course.  However, you are responsible for the following:

  • Incidental costs and ground transportation costs to visit clients on site.  These costs will be reimbursed by the client.
  • Business attire.  For resources to assist with this requirement, see:

https://www.northwestern.edu/careers/programs-opportunities/development-fund/about/index.html

https://www.northwestern.edu/careers/programs-opportunities/cats-closet.html


Additional Information

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an experiential team based opportunity to solve complex client driven projects that are by definition forms of unstructured problem solving. Students will be required to apply team management and project management skills and techniques to solve a real world problem while applying technical skills and techniques learned through the IEMS undergrad program. Team sizes are 4 to 6 students.