Description:

This simulation workshop teaches students simple tools helpful in the management of projects. The tools are implemented by student teams that simulate the shooting of a movie:

"Imagine you work for 'WSOM Rainbow Productions' and you are going to manage a picture with the assistance of your [team] members. You will have to first decide the type of movie you want to produce. Depending on whether you shoot for a Drama, Action movie, or a Comedy, Oscar awards are conferred at the end of the year (i.e., the workshop) to make you and your [team] a household name! So, creativity and quality are important. As usual, you do have time and budget limitations, however, and hence the "iron triangle" of time-cost-performance is at work; you can't expand one side without affecting the other two. You can accelerate production but the project costs more and its performance may suffer. You can improve performance but you may need to spend more time..."

Some of the topics covered are:

• Defining success measures
• Cost estimation
• Resource selection
• Using Gantt charts; work breakdown stuctures
• Project plan development
• Risk Management