Development of a Project Risk Management Business Game

By Cecilia Xia, David Baccarini and Craig Caulfield

Risks are part of every project and no amount of planning can anticipate every contingency. Risk management, a major component in any project management training program, is the systematic identification, monitoring, and mitigation of risks so that projects have the best chance of success.

Risk management training has traditionally been taught in a class room setting, but this method can be expensive, slow and rigid. Business games— interactive learning environments in which players explore all the components of a complex situation— are a simple and efficacious alternative.

Objectives

This project aims to develop a business game, Simsoft, that has a particular focus on project risk management. Simsoft will help users to identify risk events and their impact; to develop risk response and contingency plans; and to have ready the resources necessary to deal effectively with the risks that do materialise. Simsoft will be unique in that it is dynamic, interactive and user-friendly.

Methods

The engine behind Simsoft will be a system dynamics model which embodies the fundamental causal relationships of a typical project. Java will be used to build the user interface and to save the results of each iteration of the game so that the project can be replayed and analysed. Pre- and post-game questionnaires will be used to assess Simsoft’s effectiveness so that improvements can be made based on users’ experiences.

1.  Domain Theories

The game scenarios will be based on accepted risk management theories and will used by Simsoft within a problem-based learning framework. Problem-based learning encourages participants to collaboratively work towards a resolution for the scenario and in this way reinforces the learning objectives of the course.

2.  Design Framework

·  Simsoft design and development

A software engineer will be hired to design and develop Simsoft. The engine behind Simsoft will be a system dynamics model which embodies the fundamental causal relationships of a typical project. Java will be used to build the user interface and to save the results of each iteration of the game so that the project can be replayed and analysed.

·  Risk management scenario design

Prof. David Baccarini and Dr. Jianhong(Cecilia) Xia will develop a range of risk management scenarios for their classes. These will be in the form of case study descriptions, tasks, and decision rules.

The classes include:

GIS Management 381/581 (10722/12452)

Total students: 20-30

Risk Management 641 (10898)

Total students: 50-60

Project Management 443 (309674)

Total students: 50-60

·  Scenario and Simsoft Integration

The software engineer will develop a simple administration console in Simoft that will allow the lecturers to tune the settings of the game to suit each scenario.

·  Simsoft implementation in the class

Prof. David Baccarini and Dr. Jianhong(Cecilia) Xia will run Simsoft during their tutorial classes.

Participants will be formed into small teams and will be given a simulated project to operate from start-up to the delivery of its objectives. Based on the starting scenario of the game, information provided during the game, and their own real-world experience, the volunteers make decisions about how to proceed— whether to hire more staff or reduce the number, whether to purchase certain equipment, what hours should be worked, and so on. After each decision set (one set per week) has been entered by the players through an on-screen ‘dashboard’, the game is run for its next time period. The game is now in a new state which the players must interpret from the reports or dials or other interfaces the game provides. A fresh set of decisions is entered and the life of the simulated project continues.

The game will be overseen by an administrator whose role will be to:

o  Explain the learning objectives to the participants. The participants will be made familiar with the decision-making environment created by the game, the type of decisions that will be required, and the quantifiable indicators of effective decision making.

o  Provide the participants with feedback and technical assistance during the decision rounds.

·  Interactive game survey design and implementation

Pre- and post-game questionnaires will be designed based on problem-based learning theory and these will be used to assess Simsoft’s effectiveness so that improvements can be made based on users’ experiences. A teaching and research professional will be involved in designing questionnaires and formulating a data analysis method (partially Prof. Shelley Yeo ). A research assistant will be hired to supervise the implementation of the survey.

·  Conference and Journal papers writing

A research assistant will be hired to analyse the survey result and write up the papers.

Timeline