SCOPE, RESOURCES, SCHEDULE

Project Management Simulation
SCOPE, RESOURCES,
SCHEDULE
By Robert D. Austin, University of New Brunswick
FOR COURSES IN:
Operations
Project
Management
Management
Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule
In this single-player simulation, students must
successfully develop and deliver a new product
for a small electronics and computer peripherals
manufacturer. Management requests a project
scope for new features and a delivery schedule
to confront a competitive threat. Attempting to
meet management’s objectives, students act as
lead project managers responsible for staffing the
project team, managing the team process, and
executing a successful project plan. Unanticipated
events and challenges threaten success and
students must consider the possible tradeoffs among
project resources to bring the new product to market
on time, on budget, and ahead of the competition.
Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule
prepare
dashboard
overview
project
overview
analyze
project
resources
decide
team
process
management
targets
Analyze
Dashboard Overview - Week 13 Results
Tasks Completed
Team Size
Cost
Tasks Completed: 147/185
Target Scope: High-Speed
Mgmt. Target Scope: High-Speed
Team Size: 4
225
185
50K$
40K$
147
Tasks
30K$
20K$
10K$
0$
wk 1
0
Team Productivity
Schedule
New Tasks Completed: 22
Problems Discovered: 4
4
wk 12
wk 11
Completion Week
10
wk 10
wk 15
The team is in in good spirits.
20
0
wk 12
wk 13
Students analyze team progress in each simulated week and make decisions to keep the project on target.
hbsp.harvard.edu
wk 5
Team Morale
Expected Completion: Week 19
Target Completion: Week 19
Mgmt. Target Completion: Week 17
22
Cumulative Cost: $49,150
Mgmt. Target Cost: $29,992
dashboard
overview
project
resources
project
overview
team
process
management
targets
Analyze
Project Overview - Week 9 Results
MANAGING SCOPE AND SCHEDULE
Your Target Project Scope
Wireless
Unfinished Tasks
At the start
the Required
simulation,
management
Totalof
Tasks
to Complete
Project sets an
170 Tasks
expectation
for the
project scope along with the expected
Completed
Tasks
88 tasks
delivery schedule in weeks and a budget for the project.
Yourscope
Target can
Date range
for Completion
Week 17
The project
from producing a printer with
Your
Team’s
Estimate
of
Completion
Week 17
minimal noncompetitive features to producing a high-end
Management
Targetthe competition’s. The Week 18
printer with
featuresSchedule
that exceed
Management
Project Scope
project scope
and schedule
are Target
closely linked since the Wireless
Your team’s project is ahead of schedule
greater the
scope, the more tasks are required to complete
the project. During each simulated week, students must
If you stop your project today, you will
n/a
analyze the
progress and decide whether to increase,
haveteam’s
completed
decrease, or maintain the scope and schedule for the project.
New Tasks
Completed
38
22
Completed Tasks
New Problems
Discovered
147
4
Students analyze the team’s progress and decide whether
to increase, decrease, or maintain the scope and schedule
for the project.
New Tasks Completed and Problems Discovered
New Tasks Completed Problems Discovered
30
20
MANAGING10RESOURCES
Week 1 20
0
Week 2 24
9
10
Students are 0responsible for hiring the necessary resources
The
morale, stress level,
and workload
wk 1
wk 2
wk 10
wk 15
5
4 10
for the project. They can hire up to 12 team members with
directlyWeek
affect
their efficiency at completing
project tasks.
Tasks Completed
Problems Discovered
a specific skill level and also choose a level of outsourcing.
To help manage the team process, students can set up
Management
Scope,
Resources,
Schedule
TooProject
many resources
consume Simulation:
the budget while
too few
can one-on-one
coaching sessions and meetings for the team
extend the schedule.
members
to review project status. Students can also allow
prepare
analyze
decide
or encourage overtime to help the team meet the schedule.
dashboard
project
team
management
project
Week
3 15
team
members’
overview
overview
resources
process
Analyze
targets
Team Process - Week 13 Results
Comments From Your Team
“Just tell us what your target is and we’ll make it happen.”
Hours
Hours Worked per Person
40
32
24
16
8
0
wk 1
wk 5
wk 10
wk 15
Hours Worked
per Person
Team Morale
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
wk 1
Team Stress
Hours Spent in Meetings
High
One-on-One Coaching
Daily Standup
Med 1
Status Review
Tasks
Low
wk 5
Team
Morale
wk 10
Team
Stress
wk 15
wk 1
Hours Spent in
Meetings
wk 5
wk 10
wk 15
Hours Spent
on Tasks
Week 1
39
77%
.90
7.5
31
Week 2
39
86%
.90
7.5
31
Week 3
37
92%
.59
7.5
30
Week 4
37
86%
.56
7.5
29
Week 5
36
69%
.53
7.5
28
Week 6
35
68%
.50
7.5
27
Week 7
36
67%
.55
7.5
28
Week 8
36
78%
.55
2.0
34
Week 9
35
84%
.50
2.0
33
The team is in in good spirits.
Students monitor the number of hours that team members work, their morale, and their level of stress.
UNANTICIPATED EVENTS AND CHALLENGES
SCORING
Faculty have the option to introduce unexpected challenges for students to face at any point during the project.
A staffing crisis takes away team members and requires
students to figure out how to keep the project on schedule
with fewer resources. Another possible challenge requires
students to accelerate the project schedule following a
competitive announcement.
Students continue to make decisions until the project is
completed. They receive scores based on how well their
projects meet the expected scope, schedule, and budget
and how well they manage the project team. Faculty can
adjust the weighting of scoring attributes to meet
different learning objectives for project management.
ADMINISTRATION TOOLS ON NEXT PAGE ➜
Administration Tools for Faculty
Compares results fom best scoring run for each user. Shows completed runs only.
5
nderstanding how team skill level,
U
team morale, deadlines, and work
quality are interrelated and affected
by a project manager’s decisions
4
3
■■
■■
eacting to unanticipated events
R
and managing uncertainty
etting realistic project objectives
S
and minimizing scope changes
4
700 to 799
800 to 899
2
2
0
4
3
1
1
nalyzing the effect of poor-quality
A
work on project outcomes
nderstanding the importance
U
of appropriately timed changes in
allocating resources
Analyze
Distribution of Results
400 to 499
500 to 599
600 to 699
Score (Best Completed Run for Each User)
Compare Total Score
■■
correlation
graphs
from
All Scenarios
Copy to Clipboard
Scenario
Score
1
Curtis Hopson
Scenario C
837 / 1,050
summary
2
Chadwick Omalley
Scenario C
836 / 1,050
summary
3
Christine Pipkin
Scenario C
817 / 1,050
summary
4
Daron Dimond
Scenario C
807 / 1,050
summary
5
Beatrice German
Scenario A
795 / 1,050
summary
6
Brendan Ackley
Scenario C
793 / 1,050
summary
Detailed class summary results allow faculty to discuss different project management
strategies and outcomes.
CONFIGURING SCENARIOS
Students benefit from playing the simulation multiple
times. Faculty can choose among five pre-built product
development scenarios or create a custom scenario.
Scenario setup options include:
■■
Setting management targets
■■
Setting budget constraints
■■
Introducing unexpected events
Faculty can determine how students’ scores are calculated
by setting the number of points for achieving or exceeding
the scope, schedule, and budget set by management and
for managing the team process.
Web-based results and supplemental slides are available for
immediate debrief. Faculty can review summary results for
the entire class as well as detailed results for each student.
Product #3356 | Single-player | Seat Time: 90 minutes | Developed in partnership with Forio Online Simulations
FREE TRIAL ACCESS
Premium Educator access is a free
Visit hbsp.harvard.edu
service for faculty at degree-granting
A Free Trial allows full access to the
entire simulation and is available to
Premium Educators.
Educator Copies, Teaching Notes,
institutions and allows access to
Free Trials, course planning tools,
and special student pricing.
Customer service is available 8 am to 6 pm ET, Monday through Friday
Phone: 1-800-545-7685 (1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)
Fax: 617-783-7666
Email: [email protected]
Web: hbsp.harvard.edu
ALSO AVAILABLE
IN OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
■■
Global Supply Chain Management: #6107
Operations Management Simulation V2:
Benihana #7003
■■
Supply Chain Management Simulation:
Root Beer Game #3101
■■
MC169030811
■■
scenario setup
results
distribution
Product #M10922
■■
xploring trade-offs among the three
E
major project management levers:
scope, resources, and schedule
class summary
class
results
Users
■■
Project Management Simulation: Scope, Resources, Schedule
Printed on recycled paper.
A comprehensive Teaching Note
covers key learning objectives,
including: