Hands-On Learning for Aspiring Project Managers
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Platform/OS | Windows/Mac/Android/iOS |
Subjects | Project Management, Stakeholder Management, Corporate Development |
Cost | $16.25 for the coursepack |
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Students nowadays navigate a challenging corporate landscape where academic knowledge alone isn't enough. They need practical skills to be successful. Recently, I had the opportunity to take the Project Management Simulation offered by Harvard Business Publishing Education. The resource immerses students in a realistic business scenario and aims to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace requirements.
Students take on the role of a project manager at a fictional NGO, Romero Humanitarian Relief Service on a remote Pacific Island. This densely populated island faces tropical storms and mudslides, threatening its inhabitants' lives. Participants are tasked with building an emergency protocol to deliver food, medical, and other humanitarian assistance to help the victims of this natural disaster.
Figure 1: Simulation Dashboard
The simulation emphasizes the following key aspects:
Project Management: It offers students a comprehensive real-world experience in project management by requiring them to plan, execute, and oversee disaster response initiatives. Students must manage resources, timelines, and stakeholders, mirroring real-world project management challenges.
Collaboration: Another major aspect of the simulation is working with people and ensuring their motivation is high. It closely mirrors the real world by focusing on stakeholder management and teamwork.
Innovation: It challenges students to think creatively and develop innovative solutions under pressure. As the levels progress, they are given random alerts about internal and external mishaps and are expected to make quick decisions to reduce their impact.
The Experience:
The Project Management Simulation has seven different scenarios, each comprising four levels. As participants progress through these levels, the project difficulty increases, and it challenges you to balance three crucial elements: scope, budget, and time. Each scenario has a fixed budget and timeline, but the deliverables (scope) increase as you progress through the levels. This is the challenge of managing increasing demands without additional resources.
Figure 2: Scenario Description
The interface is clear and concise, with the scenario brief always accessible for quick reference. A comprehensive dashboard allows for informed decision-making, covering aspects such as team mood, budget status, timeline, and time spent on each activity. Every five levels, participants receive recommendations that guide them in the right direction, although these helpful suggestions are not provided every week.
Figure 3: Recommendations
As the simulation advances, participants are notified about internal challenges like team members' absences and external challenges such as unexpected crises that require fast-tracking the timeline by five months.
Figure 4: Alerts
Throughout the simulation, students must make critical decisions every week about time management, budget allocation, team size, team skills, and the hours required for stand-up meetings and coaching sessions, resembling a corporate workspace environment. The simulation provides weekly progress results, enabling participants to see the impact of their decisions in real time and change their strategy if required.
Figure 5: Progress Report
At the end of the simulation, typically spanning 17 weeks, participants receive a final score along with a detailed report analyzing their decisions. This report offers insights into their project management approach, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
Figure 6: Project Report
Conclusion:
I found the product to be a powerful tool that complements the curriculum by providing students with practical business experience. By incorporating this simulation into courses, faculty equips students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the corporate world. As a student, I thought the entire course pack, offering hands-on practice to enhance the overall learning experience, was worth the $16.25 price tag. While on-the-job skills can be learned over time, having a clear foundation is crucial, and this simulation helps with that. Students can take it multiple times, allowing them to learn from their mistakes, aim for a better score, and deepen their understanding of project management concepts. I also thought it was fun, challenging, and impactful.
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