Experiential (not computer-based) learning in the form of board games and simulations is a growing means of educating adults in project management. Games are also a powerful means to help participants learn concepts and immediately apply them in a controlled environment where there exists no adverse consequence associated with making ‘mistakes’.

The Ultimate Route ™ is an experiential learning simulation that not only challenges participants to learn and apply project management concepts, but also reinforces the need to understand the dynamics of teams. This is important because making effective project management decisions in organizations requires the full involvement and commitment of all team members. To be successful, participating teams must understand the concepts of project management and demonstrate the soft skills necessary to interact effectively with colleagues in a team setting within a dynamically changing business environment.

As we all know, individuals (especially adults) learn best by doing. In a workshop where the participants listen (learning absorption rate of 5%), read (learning absorption rate of 10%), watch and listen (learning absorption rate of 25%) and then do (learning absorption rate of 75%) they get the full spectrum of learning environments that will produce superior retention.

As part of the workshop we focus upon the good principles of scope setting, project communications and good project decision-making. These elements, in concert with the principals of project controls and making sound controlling decisions during the execution of the project are highlighted during the initial workshop portion of this learning experience. The workshop sessions include case study exercises where the participants reinforce the discussions with practical exercises. We then further reinforce the earlier learning with the simulation.

In the simulation, participant teams are tasked with building a road. As part of the simulation they must make decisions surrounding scope, route (1 of 5 possible routes) and then are challenged as both anticipated and unanticipated positive  and negative events occur throughout the simulation. As each change is introduced, team participants can accept, avoid, transfer or mitigate each potential event. Each decision results in challenges to their overall project performance and progress in building their road. As you can imagine, there are tradeoff’s (both positive and negative) associated with any decision made, as in our real-world projects. Participants also discover that there is no one pre-determined pathway that leads to success.

The teams race against the clock and compete against one another to develop the most appropriate solution. They quickly learn the value of planning and of adopting a disciplined approach to the monitoring and managing of project results, to working as a team, to managing time, scope and project changes. Success falls to those who do the best job of integrating their knowledge and understanding the needs of their stakeholders in managing their projects.

It is possible to “win” the simulation game by doing a good job of assessing the information provided, making sound decisions, working closely with your team and by performing effective project planning and controlling. What is most important is that the participants get the opportunity to experience, reflect upon their experience and then translate this into action back on their ‘real-world’ projects.

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) areas covered:
Project Integration Management, Project Scope Management, Project Time Management, Project Cost Management, Project Quality Management, Project Human Resources Management, Project Communication Management, Project Risk Management.   

Who should attend?
Project managers, project team members and project leaders who are looking for a fun and creative way to increase their knowledge in project management and, as well, to create the opportunity to increase their overall knowledge of managing projects through a focus upon effective project decision-making.

How will I benefit?

Develop and enhance the contributions you make to your organization by being able to:

·          Immediate application of key project management concepts including project risk management, project scope change management project team management and project communications principles.

·         Assessing personal project management skills and discovering personal strengths and opportunities for improvement in a game simulation environment.

·        The opportunity to observe the dynamics of working groups and project teams and how these dynamics effect the decision-making in any project or organization.

·          Participating in discussions with experts in the field of project management with specific focus upon common points of success and failure in effective decision-making and team dynamics management.

·         The impact of effective project planning upon the ability to deliver that project within the parameters (on-time, on-budget and on-scope) demanded by the project sponsors.

·          That ‘the things you don’t know about or anticipate’ can truly hurt you in a project and how to anticipate and learn what ‘might go wrong’ in a project.

·          An examination of the decision-making process in a project and how we need to make focused decisions around project priorities using objective decision-making criteria during the execution of a project.

·   The opportunity to learn from your peers through focused lessons learned and reflection opportunities throughout the seminar.

·   The opportunity to participate in an engaging and fun learning environment.

What will my seminar experience cover?
The game simulation is divided into three phases, each addressing several key skills related to specific project planning, team building and risk management.

Phase 1 highlights the relationship between project planning, scope management and risk management. The team plans and makes scope decisions that, based on what they choose to include in the scope of the project, identifies potential risk events that might occur.

Phase 2 and 3 are focused on managing project scope, project schedule, project budgets, project quality, project human resource needs, project communications and project risk during the ‘construction’ of their road. The introduction of various scope changes and outside influences as well as the realization of various project risks challenge the teams performance and, eventually, the results attained during their project execution.

The simulation also has several reflection points built into the simulation. This is an opportunity for the team members to assess the events, the effectiveness of their decision-making processes, the effectiveness of their team and team roles and to consider if they wish to alter their tactics, role assignments or strategy during the remainder of the simulation. It is this thoughtful integration of their learning that allows them to further apply the lessons learned of the simulation into their back-at-home projects.

At the end of the simulation there is also a facilitated group session intended to allow all participants to reflect upon their lessons learned and how the simulation will create new opportunities in their real-world projects back at the office.

What instructional materials will be used??
Games, Lecture, Facilitated Group Discussion, Case Studies, Individual Exercises, Group Exercises, Role Playing.