Project Simulation Workshop

Knowledge is power! Proclaimed, Sir Francis Bacon. On today’s projects, you get results only when you exercise that power. An advanced project management course, this workshop will help you sharpen your project management skills by exercising the knowledge you acquired in previous courses offered in our curriculum. The workshop basically involves a project simulation and is designed to give you a hands-on experience on best practices used by best-in-class organizations. Considered the capstone of our project management curriculum, this workshop will prepare you to select the right project first and then successfully launch, manage and complete it.

In this workshop, you and your project team will compress and manage a six-month project in three days. You will simulate different real-world situations faced by project managers and apply different tools and techniques to manage a project. These simulations represent the key phases of the project life cycle: initiation, planning, execution/control and close-out. First, y ou will build a business case for a project case study. You will apply strategic, economic and risk assessment tools on a go/no go decision. Next, you will develop an integrated project plan using estimation tools and MS Project ®. In the execution/control phase, the simulations will include a project kick-off meeting, team building, scope changes and project status reporting. Also, you will track and monitor the project cost and schedule using the earned value management (EVM) technique and MS Project ®. Finally, you will simulate project closure activities and capture lessons learned.   This workshop is designed such that you can immediately apply the tools and techniques you learned here to a real world project.

Workshop Format

This is a three-day advanced workshop where the participants are divided into small teams, each consisting of four or five members with a maximum of four teams. Every simulation exercise starts by a review of the background material related to the exercise. Each team works independently and prepares the deliverables expected for the given exercise. During this activity, the team will receive additional information simulating real-world project scenarios. After preparing the exercise deliverables, the teams make “mock” presentations as if they are addressing their upper management or customer. A group discussion will follow each presentation. Each exercise builds on the previous one maintaining continuity through out the whole project simulation. The participants are required to bring their own lap tops loaded with MS Project ® and general word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software.

Workshop Materials

You will receive a binder consisting of the case study materials, copies of the slides presented in the class and a CD containing key project management tools and templates and the solutions to the case study exercises.

Workshop Duration

Three days

Prerequisites

Since this is an advanced workshop, it is important that you have a minimum of five years of project management or team lead experience; understanding of common project management terms, tools and techniques; and basic knowledge of Microsoft Project ® .

Who Should Attend

• Experienced project managers
• Project team leads
• Program managers
• Project planners

What You Will Learn

• How to manage a project using practical tools and techniques.
• Apply standard project management methodology to a real world project.
• Build a business case using Project Business Plan.
• Use risk assessment tools to identify and mitigate business as well as project risks.
• Create a comprehensive WBS to describe scope of work, develop a network diagram/Gantt chart to outline the project schedule, and build a detailed cost estimate.
• Develop a project plan that includes the baselines for scope, schedule, resources and budget using Microsoft Project ®.
• Get the customer/project sponsor buy-in on the project baselines.
• Build a highly motivated, creative, results-oriented project team.
• Create a shared vision starting from the project kick-of meeting.
• Track project progress and evaluate status relative to scope, schedule, resources and budget using Microsoft Project ®.
• Process, negotiate and manage scope change requests and incorporate them into the project plan using Microsoft Project ®.
• Forecast future resource and budget needs and project completion time.
• Create and maintain a Project Control Book (PCB).
• Close out a project effectively and document lessons-learned. 

Outline 

• Build the business case: Go/no go decision
  • Evaluate strategic fit
  • Assess financial potential
  • Analyze risks vs. opportunities
• Develop an integrated project plan
  • Build WBS
  • Develop risk management plan
  • Create network diagram
  • Allocate resources
  • Develop Gantt chart
  • Estimate costs
  • Establish project baseliine
• Execute/control the projecct
  • Conduct project kick-off meeting
  • Track costs using EVM
  • Track schedule using Gantt chart and EVM
  • Forecast future budget/schedule needs
  • Report project progress
  • Negotiate and manage change
• Close out the project
  • Submit Project Control Book
  • Capture lessons learned
  • Celebrate success!