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Welcome to SuprasiteTMMethodologyManaging Training ProjectsThis workshop focuses on the roles and responsibilities of a designated project manager. The communication skills and administrative abilities involved in managing projects go beyond simply delegating work. In this workshop, participants will be reminded that meeting their clients’ needs requires more than completing activities and producing deliverables in the four phases – Analysis, Design, Development and Delivery. They will learn that key elements must be in place. These building blocks include effective communication skills, planning, leadership and time/resource management, all of which are united by one’s professionalism and accountability to the project and those involved with it. In this session, they will have opportunities to explore the key elements that must be in place to effectively manage training projects. They will also be able to use the Training Guidelines to expedite development of project workplans and to facilitate management of training projects. Workshop Purpose and GoalsThis session is designed to help participants: · Organize and prioritize work for themselves and those involved in a project. ·
Use the Training Guidelines to… ·
Expedite developing project workplans. ·
Facilitate managing projects. ·
Build project plans that they can use as tools
for managing simple or complex projects. ·
Use specialized software applications for
creating work plans, managing project resources, monitoring project progress,
and responding to issues. · Become familiar with methods and behavior characteristic of effective project managers. Participants’ GoalsIn the space below, record participants’ reasons for attending this workshop and what they hope to achieve or learn in the Managing Training Projects session. Session OverviewActivity PurposeThis activity is designed to help participants think beyond the typical assumptions regarding project management. Procedure
·
Ask the participants turn to page F-2 of their
participant guides. ·
Summarize the purposes and goals of this
workshop, described on the previous page. ·
Ask participants for their input: ·
Why they’re attending this session. ·
What they hope to achieve/learn. ·
Note: You might want to post their responses. Be
sure to review them at appropriate intervals during the workshop. ·
Emphasize that this session does not teach how to
manage projects… there are other courses that address general project
management. ·
The focus of this workshop is on the aspects of
project management that are more specific to training projects. ·
This workshop examines how project managers can
use the Training Guidelines as a framework for organizing work and resources on
a project. ·
This session also introduces the key elements of
effective project management. ·
Do not name the key elements…yet. ·
Point out that they will participate in several
activities, each targeted to one of the elements. The activities are designed to
enhance the participants’ existing project management skills; to introduce new
concepts; to encourage participants to be introspective about their own project
management strengths and areas for development. ·
Explain that during the workshop they will create
a project plan for the MBEU project, and they will use project management
software tools to assist them in this task. ·
Distribute the building blocks Materials
·
Building blocks Transition
·
Explain that in the first activity they are
introduced to these key elements. ·
But ask them not to turn the page yet. Building BlocksThis orientation introduces the key elements that are the underpinnings of effective project management. As the participants construct the sculpture, they discover in this workshop session they will explore: 2. Communicating clearly ·
Managing resources ·
Planning the project and managing time ·
Leading effectively and decisively The thread joining these elements in place is accountability… of a project manager to the team and to the client. Joining the middle layer of project elements to the top (completion) is evaluation. Activity Purpose‘Building Blocks’ challenges the participants to assemble a three-dimensional puzzle and, in doing so, discover the four elements for successfully managing projects. This activity will also review the four phases and major tasks as detailed in the Training Guidelines. It illustrates how their skills as supervisors and managers are there to support the instructional design team as well as to meet their clients’ needs. Procedure· Introduce the activity. ·
Each participant gets a ‘building kit:’ a set of
labeled blocks and dowels. ·
They will be given 5 minutes to build a
structure/sculpture with their building kits. · The correctly completed structure should consist of: ·
A foundation of the four key elements. ·
The bottom layer is linked to the middle layer by
‘accountability links.’ ·
This is followed by the four phases described in
the Training Guidelines. ·
The middle layer is linked to the top by
‘evaluation links.’ ·
The sculpture is topped by a pyramid with a
‘completed project’ flag. Note: If the participants appear to have difficulty in completing the building, reiterate that this is a collaborative effort and others can “pitch in.” · When their sculptures are completed, ask the participants turn to page F-3 of their participant guides. · Discuss the completed sculptures: ·
Address the four elements of effective project
management. ·
Emphasize that the sculpture could not have been
completed without all components in place. And, that successful project
management also requires that the four elements are in place. ·
Draw their attention to the ‘threads’ of
accountability and evaluation. · Explain that these elements are the specific focus of the workshop. ·
Point out that during the next two hours they
will participate in activities that explore the elements and associated skills.
·
Explain the purpose and goals of the workshop.
Materials· Building kits Deliverables· A completed block sculpture Transition· Proceed to the first element: Communicating clearly Communication is often regarded as ‘typical interaction,’ but there are specific aspects inherent in excellent communication — communication skills, types of communication, ground rules of effective communication. Communicating clearly is the essence of solid project management. When team members know what is expected of them because it has been explicitly conveyed, they can focus on performance not on organizational issues or guessing what they should do or how the project manager wants it done. This section offers activities to help participants explore the characteristics of excellent communication so they can incorporate them in their management. He Said, She SaidActivity PurposeBy reminding participants of how easily spoken words are subject to (mis)interpretation, this two-part activity punctuates the need to practice effective communication. This activity also encourages participants to identify the skills needed for good communication. In addition to illustrating the importance of good communication skills, this activity shows how using different types of communication is essential to successful project management. (Work can be accomplished more efficiently; project managers can get the results they expect; the team can be successful; the client can be satisfied.) Procedure – Part 1· Direct participants to stand in a widely spaced circle around the room. ·
Whisper the following instruction to the first
person and ask that person to repeat it one time only to his or her neighbor.
·
The instruction is, “ Create a diagram that shows
your responsibility to your instructional design team and your client. Show that
they cannot stand without you.” · Continue this process around the circle until the last person whispers the message to you. ·
Repeat the final version of the instruction (as
you just heard it) to the class. Typically, it will be different than what you
had originally said. ·
Proceed to Part 2 of this activity. He Said, She SaidProcedure – Part 2·
Ask the participants turn to page F-5 of their
participant guides. ·
Ask the participants to follow the last
instructions you stated (in Part 1). ·
Distribute materials and allow 5 minutes for them
to create their overheads. ·
Ask each participant to share their overhead with
a partner. Check to see how closely their overheads reflected the stated
instructions. ·
Note: There will likely be different
interpretations of the directions, and therefore the overheads will vary. ·
After the participants have finished sharing
their overheads, repeat the instruction in its ‘final’ version. Then, show an
overhead with the instructions as you originally stated them. ·
Point out that even if the original instruction
had been communicated accurately around the room, it still was not an example of
effective communication. ·
Explain that you should have explicitly stated
what you wanted. ·
“Create a diagram that shows your responsibility
to your instructional design team and your client. What I would like
to see is a graphic representation of the triangular relationship with you at
the base supporting the other two. Here is a rough illustration for your
reference.” ·
Explain that being specific and giving a concrete
example reinforces the oral instructions. It effectively supports your
instructions, enabling individuals to more easily achieve the expected
results. ·
Ask what other actions they could take to clarify
the message. ·
Remind them that written follow-up is generally
appropriate for both clarification and to maintain ongoing project records
(i.e., working papers). Materials·
Blank overheads and markers ·
Overheads with the original and final
instructions Deliverables·
Finished overheads Transition·
Explain that, in the activity, they demonstrated
some components and rules associated with effective communication. ·
Ask for their input. They should mention
that… ·
there are various types of communication. ·
communication (directions) need to be
specific. ·
Introduce the next component – managing
resources. The next aspect of effective project management is organizing and guiding the resources, which includes… · Assigning roles and specifying team members’ responsibilities ·
Clarifying roles and responsibilities as
needed ·
Monitoring individuals’ progress ·
Providing guidance and direction ·
Being a resource and troubleshooter Match GameActivity PurposeThe purpose of this activity is to clarify the responsibilities of the project manager, the instructional designers, and instructional developers. Procedure· Ask the participants turn to page F-6 of their participant guides. ·
Introduce the activity as a match game. ·
Direct the participants to create teams of 4
people each. ·
Explain the game: ·
The objective of the game is to correctly match
roles with responsibilities within a specified time limit (TIME: ____
MINUTES). ·
The pair completing the most matches within the
time limit wins. · Introduce the game pieces: ·
Each team has a board divided into 16 squares.
Each square has a project role printed on it (4-project manager, 4-instructional
designer,
4-client,
3-instructional developer, 1-joker). ·
Each team has a deck of 16 cards, each of which
has a responsibility or quote on it. · Explain the rules: ·
THIS IS A TEAM (COLLABORATIVE) EFFORT. ·
Each team elects one person to take the cards
from the deck one at a time and match it to the appropriate space on the board,
while the other team members coach. ·
A fictitious responsibility or quote would be
placed on the joker. · When all teams have completed matching their cards… ·
Display a matrix of the roles/responsibilities
just covered. ·
Identify the “winning team.” ·
Ask if there are any questions about the roles,
responsibilities, or scope of their position. ·
Explain that because of their accountability to
the design team and the client that their role as project manager includes the
responsibilities of all the team members. Materials· Match Game Boards (3) ·
Decks of 16 cards (3) ·
Role/responsibility matrix poster Transition· Explain that in order to facilitate the handling of all these responsibilities there are tools that can help them along. Board One
Board Two
Board One
Board Two
Carefully planning the activities of the project and managing time are essential for successful project management, especially since time is often a constraint. Wheel of MisfortuneActivity PurposeThis activity directs participants to the administrative tasks associated with running a project. It encourages them to be thorough in project planning and time management, and to be prepared to implement contingency plans as “situations” arise during a project. Procedure· Ask the participants turn to page F-7 of their participant guides. ·
Introduce this activity by explaining how crucial
planning and time management are to successfully running a training project. ·
Engage them in discussion to… ·
Explore their opinions of planning and time
management. ·
Identify how they typically plan training
projects. ·
Identify how they manage and keep track of time –
theirs, team members, etc. – and progress on a project. ·
How do they typically keep track of and report
status? ·
Identify what, if any, software programs they’re
currently using. · Review the tables that are provided in the Training Guidelines (and on diskette).
· Review the specific purposes of these tables – to identify tasks and subtasks, facilitate coordination of resources, and track project progress. ·
Explain that they must develop and maintain
project work plans to effectively manage resources and time. These plans are
dynamic records – accurate and up to date – of activities and progress. ·
Point out that they must be flexible and
resourceful as they respond to unexpected “situations” that arise during a
project. Discuss this with them, soliciting their experiences. ·
Explain the activity. ·
Direct participants to pair up. ·
Ask each pair to spin the ‘Wheel of
Misfortune.’ ·
Each space on the wheel has a work/project
related obstacle that they might encounter within a normal project. ·
Obstacles include: instructional designer quits 2
weeks before deadline, printer prints entire documentation backwards, and client
needs class 2 weeks earlier than expected. ·
They then must quickly identify a workaround to
this obstacle and present the solution. Note: If they land on an obstacle already selected, instruct them to spin again. · Encourage all the participants to add their insight on handling issues and situations that may arise. ·
Throughout the presentations and responses to the
Wheel of Misfortune, be sure to acknowledge their resourcefulness and
ingenuity. Materials·
Wheel of Misfortune Transition·
Ask if there are any questions. ·
Review the project management components
discussed thus far – communicating clearly, managing resources, project planning
and time management. ·
Explain that during this activity you were
demonstrating positive leadership skills in the form of positive feedback and
praise. ·
Ask the participants if they can think of other
ways they have used positive approaches to handling situations, obstacles,
morale, and just plain day-to-day work. ·
Segue to the last element of project
management. Reflection and DiscussionIn addition to communicating clearly, managing resources, project planning and time management, the effective project manager must be perceived as decisive and effective. this person must be able to guide, to lead the team and the client to successful completion/implementation of a project. Activity PurposeThis is a motivational, thought-provoking activity where participants explore and share what they admire in others. The purpose is to gain encouragement and inspiration through this personal sharing activity. Through discussion, they will identify qualities of leadership that can be useful in successfully guiding a team. Procedure· Ask the participants turn to page F-10 of their participant guides. ·
Ask each participant to reflect on people from
any walk of life (government, business, religion, education, entertainment,
politics, social, advocacy group) that they consider to be real leaders. ·
Ask them to jot down 5 or 6 names that “leap to
mind” when they think of a leader. ·
Then, after a few minutes ask them to write down
at least two reasons why they perceive each name they listed as a leader. ·
As a group, discuss the high-profile names that
they identified and the reasons for selecting them. ·
Record the reasons on a flip chart or board. ·
Then discuss the names that may not be as readily
recognized. ·
Engage the group in a discussion of
leadership: ·
Whether good leaders are born or made ·
What leadership is (refer to the list of
reasons) ·
What they’ve done as team leaders/project
managers that they believe has worked for them ·
Stress that there are no right answers. ·
If not already discussed, emphasize that good
leadership requires follow-through and follow-up, acknowledgment of individual
and team efforts, respect for individual contributions. ·
At the conclusion of the exercise, write the
names of each participant on the board as a leader! Materials· Flip chart / markers Deliverables· List of leaders ·
List of leader qualities Transition· Conclude this portion of the workshop and introduce Tools of the Trade. ·
Ask participants what tools (or software) they
have used to develop project plans or schedules. ·
Explain that in the next portion of the session
they will have the opportunity to see and use some project management software
applications. Hands-On Demonstration and DiscussionThis last portion of the Managing Training Projects workshop focuses on becoming acquainted with available project management software. This session consists of: · Demonstrations of a selected project management application (TBD – on both PC/Windows and Macintosh platforms). ·
Test drive opportunities for the participants to
try out the application. ·
Jump start opportunity for the participants to
begin developing a project management template using the selected program. Emphasis is on: ·
Creating a project workplan/project management
template/tool. ·
Incorporating the Training Guidelines in the
workplan. ·
Becoming familiar with a project management
application. The demonstrations are facilitator led, while the test drive and jump start are facilitator assisted. PresentationACTIVITY PURPOSEThis session closes with a discussion aimed at reinforcing the key elements needed for winning Management of training projects. PROCEDURE· In a class discussion, review: ·
The ‘Workshop Map’ for this session on the last
page of their participant books. ·
The support/productivity tools · Guide the discussion to ensure that the purpose of this wrap-up is achieved. ·
Distribute Management Phase Maps. Materials· Management Workshop Maps Transition·
Thank everyone for their attendence. |
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