Countdown®
A Strategy Game for Project Teams
This clas starts off with a half-day simulation of a team project called "Countdown." Countdown features a strategy game for project teams which provides not only fun but a real-life challenge. In the first five minutes of the game, participants are plunged into the thick of the simulated project. Within the hour, they are working with a Gantt Chart, estimating potential delays and costs, evaluating the critical path, assessing project risks and making decision trade-offs.
Following the simulation, the rest of the day will include exercises that focus on company-specific project management issues, concepts and expectations. This part of the class can be customized to support major project kick-offs or other company initiatives. Lastly, a visual model of the project success will be reviewed to wrap up the day, which helps participants pull together what they've learned and provides them with a tool to take back to their project teams.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This course is intended for project team members.
COURSE FEATURES
Upon completion of this one-day course, project team members will be able to:
- Understand the five key processes of project management listed in PMI's Project Management Body of Knowledge.
- Manage the constraints of time, cost and requirements
- Recognize how project kickoff meetings and scope statements are used to launch a project
- Use approaches to address project risk evaluation and contingency planning.
- Understand the purpose and importance of seven widely used project management tools.
- Comprehend the impact of resource constraints and approaches for successful resource allocation
- Understand the best team responses to scope creep and changing sponsor expectations.
- Understand the significance of a project's critical path
- Utilize effective team behaviors for managing and controlling a project
- Understand what an effective project manager does to guide teams to success
- Evaluate project success.
COURSE OUTLINE
Countdown Simulation:
- Break into teams of three
- Review Discovery Map
- Move through Project Milestones
- Make Critical Project Decisions
- Communicate with sponsors and stakeholders
- Use Gantt Charts and evaluate Critical Paths
- Assess Project Risks
Job-Relevant Exercises (Company-Specific)
- Explore project management tools
- Understand the company processes and resources
- Apply Countdown simulation lessons to their own project terms
Project Success Model
- Review visual model of project success as a takeaway tool for project teams
KNOWLEDGE AREAS ADDRESSED
This program addresses the five key processes of project management covered in the Project Management Institute's A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge.
Duration: 1 Day
Earn: 8 PDUs