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Project Management Simulation:
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Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.
, Table of Contents
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Quick Facts ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Key Information ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Running the Simulation ............................................................................................................................. 6
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Learn More ................................................................................................................................................ 6
Getting Started.............................................................................................................................................. 7
Teaching Note ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 7
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Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Synopsis .................................................................................................................................................. 8
Varying Project Scenarios ....................................................................................................................... 9
Learning Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 10
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Audience ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Topics and Analyses for Simulation Learning .......................................................................................... 11
Top-Down Versus Bottom-Up Objectives: A Fundamental Tension in Project Management ............. 12
Top-Down Versus Bottom-Up Tension in the Simulation Scenarios .................................................... 14
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Preparing to Use the Simulation: Project Management Basics............................................................... 14
Starting the Simulation: Project Management Causes and Effects (Scenario A) ................................. 15
“People Factors” in Project Management (Scenarios A, B, and G) ...................................................... 17
Managing Risk and Uncertainty (Scenarios B, C, F, and G) .................................................................. 18
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Making Tough Tradeoffs (Scenarios D and E)....................................................................................... 20
Teaching Plan........................................................................................................................................... 21
Introducing the Simulation to Students (and to Yourself) ................................................................... 22
Deciding Whether to Use the Simulation in Class or Assign It as Homework ...................................... 22
Using the Simulation Individually or in Pairs ........................................................................................ 23
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Session 1: Play and Debrief of Scenario A (Project Management Causes and Effects) ........................ 23
Session 2: Play and Debrief of Scenarios B, C, F, and G (Managing Risk and Uncertainty) .................. 27
Session 3: Play and Debrief of Scenarios D and E (Making Tough Tradeoffs) ...................................... 30
Session 4: Summary Debrief (Developing a Project Management Framework) .................................. 33
HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule 2
, Sample Course Outline with the Simulation Integrated.......................................................................... 33
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Teaching the Simulation in an Online Setting ......................................................................................... 33
Playing in a Live Synchronous Online Session ...................................................................................... 34
Playing in an Asynchronous, Student-Paced Manner .......................................................................... 34
Practical Considerations When Students Play in Pairs (or Teams) Online ........................................... 35
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Final Thoughts about Online Play ......................................................................................................... 35
Technical Guide................................................................................................................................... 37
Adopting the Simulation and Enabling Student Access........................................................................... 37
Simulation Overview ................................................................................................................................... 39
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Student User Screens .............................................................................................................................. 39
Welcome Page ...................................................................................................................................... 39
Prepare Page ........................................................................................................................................ 39
Tutorial ................................................................................................................................................. 40
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Decisions............................................................................................................................................... 41
Analyze Page......................................................................................................................................... 45
Alerts .................................................................................................................................................... 47
Final Score ............................................................................................................................................ 49
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Playing Again or Playing Additional Scenarios...................................................................................... 51
Team Play ............................................................................................................................................. 52
Scenario Progress Page and Leaderboard ............................................................................................ 53
Faculty Administration Screens ............................................................................................................... 54
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Manage Users and Teams .................................................................................................................... 57
Assign or Schedule Scenarios ............................................................................................................... 57
Customize Scenarios............................................................................................................................. 61
Class Results ......................................................................................................................................... 63
Facilitator Materials ............................................................................................................................. 66
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Appendices.................................................................................................................................................. 67
Appendix A: Prepare Tab Text ................................................................................................................. 67
Summary: Printer Cover Story .............................................................................................................. 67
Summary: Software Cover Story .......................................................................................................... 67
HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule 3
, Summary: Process Cover Story............................................................................................................. 67
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Managing Your Project ......................................................................................................................... 67
Appendix B: Scenario Point Totals ........................................................................................................... 70
Scenario A ............................................................................................................................................. 70
Scenario B ............................................................................................................................................. 70
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Scenario C ............................................................................................................................................. 71
Scenario D............................................................................................................................................. 71
Scenario E ............................................................................................................................................. 71
Scenario F ............................................................................................................................................. 72
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Scenario G............................................................................................................................................. 72
Appendix C: Casual Diagrams of the Model ............................................................................................ 72
Appendix D: Calculation of User Scores .................................................................................................. 77
Appendix E: Scenario F Model Description ............................................................................................. 78
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Prototypes ............................................................................................................................................ 78
Unexpected Events ............................................................................................................................... 78
Failure of Core Technology................................................................................................................... 79
Change of Staff ..................................................................................................................................... 79
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Change of Scope ................................................................................................................................... 79
Component Shortage ........................................................................................................................... 79
Appendix F: General Guidance for Successful Plays ................................................................................ 80
Overview of Scores ............................................................................................................................... 80
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General Best Practices .......................................................................................................................... 80
Scenarios .............................................................................................................................................. 80
Appendix G: Unanticipated Events Messaging ........................................................................................ 81
Appendix H: Team Morale Messaging ..................................................................................................... 84
Appendix I: Complementary Resources .................................................................................................. 86
Appendix J: Sample Course Outline with Simulation Integrated ............................................................ 88
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Class 1: Course Introduction (1 hour)................................................................................................... 88
Class 2: The Challenges of Project Management (1–2 hours) .............................................................. 88
Class 3: Project Management Basics (2 hours)..................................................................................... 88
HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule 4
os
7703
rP
JU N E 1 6 , 2 0 2 1
TEACHING NOTE
Project Management Simulation:
Scope, Resources, Schedule V3 yo
op
tC
No
Do
Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.
, Table of Contents
t
os
Quick Facts ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Key Information ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Running the Simulation ............................................................................................................................. 6
rP
Learn More ................................................................................................................................................ 6
Getting Started.............................................................................................................................................. 7
Teaching Note ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 7
yo
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Synopsis .................................................................................................................................................. 8
Varying Project Scenarios ....................................................................................................................... 9
Learning Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 10
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Audience ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Topics and Analyses for Simulation Learning .......................................................................................... 11
Top-Down Versus Bottom-Up Objectives: A Fundamental Tension in Project Management ............. 12
Top-Down Versus Bottom-Up Tension in the Simulation Scenarios .................................................... 14
tC
Preparing to Use the Simulation: Project Management Basics............................................................... 14
Starting the Simulation: Project Management Causes and Effects (Scenario A) ................................. 15
“People Factors” in Project Management (Scenarios A, B, and G) ...................................................... 17
Managing Risk and Uncertainty (Scenarios B, C, F, and G) .................................................................. 18
No
Making Tough Tradeoffs (Scenarios D and E)....................................................................................... 20
Teaching Plan........................................................................................................................................... 21
Introducing the Simulation to Students (and to Yourself) ................................................................... 22
Deciding Whether to Use the Simulation in Class or Assign It as Homework ...................................... 22
Using the Simulation Individually or in Pairs ........................................................................................ 23
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Session 1: Play and Debrief of Scenario A (Project Management Causes and Effects) ........................ 23
Session 2: Play and Debrief of Scenarios B, C, F, and G (Managing Risk and Uncertainty) .................. 27
Session 3: Play and Debrief of Scenarios D and E (Making Tough Tradeoffs) ...................................... 30
Session 4: Summary Debrief (Developing a Project Management Framework) .................................. 33
HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule 2
, Sample Course Outline with the Simulation Integrated.......................................................................... 33
t
os
Teaching the Simulation in an Online Setting ......................................................................................... 33
Playing in a Live Synchronous Online Session ...................................................................................... 34
Playing in an Asynchronous, Student-Paced Manner .......................................................................... 34
Practical Considerations When Students Play in Pairs (or Teams) Online ........................................... 35
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Final Thoughts about Online Play ......................................................................................................... 35
Technical Guide................................................................................................................................... 37
Adopting the Simulation and Enabling Student Access........................................................................... 37
Simulation Overview ................................................................................................................................... 39
yo
Student User Screens .............................................................................................................................. 39
Welcome Page ...................................................................................................................................... 39
Prepare Page ........................................................................................................................................ 39
Tutorial ................................................................................................................................................. 40
op
Decisions............................................................................................................................................... 41
Analyze Page......................................................................................................................................... 45
Alerts .................................................................................................................................................... 47
Final Score ............................................................................................................................................ 49
tC
Playing Again or Playing Additional Scenarios...................................................................................... 51
Team Play ............................................................................................................................................. 52
Scenario Progress Page and Leaderboard ............................................................................................ 53
Faculty Administration Screens ............................................................................................................... 54
No
Manage Users and Teams .................................................................................................................... 57
Assign or Schedule Scenarios ............................................................................................................... 57
Customize Scenarios............................................................................................................................. 61
Class Results ......................................................................................................................................... 63
Facilitator Materials ............................................................................................................................. 66
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Appendices.................................................................................................................................................. 67
Appendix A: Prepare Tab Text ................................................................................................................. 67
Summary: Printer Cover Story .............................................................................................................. 67
Summary: Software Cover Story .......................................................................................................... 67
HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule 3
, Summary: Process Cover Story............................................................................................................. 67
t
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Managing Your Project ......................................................................................................................... 67
Appendix B: Scenario Point Totals ........................................................................................................... 70
Scenario A ............................................................................................................................................. 70
Scenario B ............................................................................................................................................. 70
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Scenario C ............................................................................................................................................. 71
Scenario D............................................................................................................................................. 71
Scenario E ............................................................................................................................................. 71
Scenario F ............................................................................................................................................. 72
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Scenario G............................................................................................................................................. 72
Appendix C: Casual Diagrams of the Model ............................................................................................ 72
Appendix D: Calculation of User Scores .................................................................................................. 77
Appendix E: Scenario F Model Description ............................................................................................. 78
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Prototypes ............................................................................................................................................ 78
Unexpected Events ............................................................................................................................... 78
Failure of Core Technology................................................................................................................... 79
Change of Staff ..................................................................................................................................... 79
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Change of Scope ................................................................................................................................... 79
Component Shortage ........................................................................................................................... 79
Appendix F: General Guidance for Successful Plays ................................................................................ 80
Overview of Scores ............................................................................................................................... 80
No
General Best Practices .......................................................................................................................... 80
Scenarios .............................................................................................................................................. 80
Appendix G: Unanticipated Events Messaging ........................................................................................ 81
Appendix H: Team Morale Messaging ..................................................................................................... 84
Appendix I: Complementary Resources .................................................................................................. 86
Appendix J: Sample Course Outline with Simulation Integrated ............................................................ 88
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Class 1: Course Introduction (1 hour)................................................................................................... 88
Class 2: The Challenges of Project Management (1–2 hours) .............................................................. 88
Class 3: Project Management Basics (2 hours)..................................................................................... 88
HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule 4
