I have been asked to run a 2-hour workshop on generic project management skills, as part of a conference, in late March. There will be an audience of around 20 people and I want to make it as interactive / funny / thought-provoking as possible. They will be a mixed age/experience group as well. Has anyone any proven hints/tips/methods for achieving this?
Tim Lane
One Response
Use as real life as possible
Tim,
I’ve found using examples and exercises that everybody can relate to helps.
For instance when it came to Networks I use the example of a F1 racing car coming into the PITS. The petrol can start to be put in before the car is jacked up, but the wheels have to wait. Similarly with 4 people they can change all 4 wheels at once with one person on each wheel, but then 2 might get in each others way. I facilitate the discussion that generates a set of tasks and durations. I them get delegates to construct the fastest route through the tasks and identify the risks with it.
There’s probably tons more one can come up with. Getting out of bed in the morning. Use examples that they look at every day like how they cook their tea.
There’s also an interesting couple of games. The baloon exercise was recently on this site I think. You have a set of baloons with everyday tasks that a PM has to do – planning, meetings, reviews. One baloon per task. Get one person to stand up and ask them to keep a baloon in the air, then throw them another one and so on till they drop one. This demonstrates the need for delegation.
Then there’s the boat simulation I saw a little while back once again on this site I think.
Hope that helps, if you want to discuss meore give me a call.
Regards,