In celebration of International Project Management Day (IPM Day), PMI Switzerland brought together project management professionals from across the country for a unique experiential event, "IPM Day 2024: Level Up Your PM Skills – The Ultimate Project Management Challenge." This gathering, hosted by the PMI Swiss Chapter, offered project managers a rare opportunity to sharpen their skills through hands-on learning and competition, making it a compelling showcase of PMI Switzerland's innovative approach to project management development.
A First-of-Its-Kind Event in Switzerland
The Lausanne session was one of three simultaneous events across Switzerland, with additional sessions taking place in Bern and Zurich. The entire challenge was hosted on the same platform, allowing participants from all three cities to engage in a unified project management simulation. Sponsored and hosted in Lausanne by STS, a prominent project management training company, the event emphasized practical application in real-world project scenarios. Known for supporting both standardized and customized training solutions, STS was an ideal partner, bringing their unique SimulTrain platform into the spotlight.
SimulTrain: A Real-Time Project Simulation Platform
STS introduced SimulTrain, its proprietary online project simulation platform, as the central tool for the event. SimulTrain replicates the pressures and demands of a real-life project, enabling participants to navigate through a project’s stages with comprehensive information on project duration, milestones, team composition, and initial objectives. This structured immersion allowed participants to put theoretical knowledge to the test.
Participants, grouped in teams of three to five, faced the challenge of acting as a unified project manager, responsible for budget management, Gantt chart adjustments, team availability planning, risk assessment, and consistent communication with stakeholders. The exercise spanned two hours, divided into a 50-minute planning phase followed by a 70-minute execution phase. Each team was required to plan the project meticulously, allocating team members to tasks, setting up communication strategies, and preparing a detailed risk register. Once the simulation moved into execution, project managers had to make fast-paced decisions as new challenges emerged, managing their virtual teams in response to the project’s real-time evolution.
Competing to Win: Lessons in Teamwork and Quick Decision-Making
Throughout the game, a progress line displayed the simulated 12-week project timeline, advancing in real-time to simulate the project’s lifecycle. By the end of the simulation, each city announced a winning team, with one group crowned the national champion. The competition was fierce, yet participants walked away with a fresh perspective on project management’s demands.
Several key takeaways emerged from this immersive experience. Winning teams excelled through effective collaboration, adaptability, and responsiveness. Rapid-fire messages from stakeholders and constant requests from team members underscored the need for prompt decision-making, clear communication, and strategic resource management. These elements underscored the challenge of aligning team competencies with project requirements, underscoring the real-time adaptability required in effective project management.
A Platform for Networking and Knowledge Exchange
Beyond the competition, IPM Day 2024 also served as a rich networking opportunity. Participants represented a diverse array of industries, bringing together a variety of project management styles and methodologies. The event fostered a vibrant atmosphere of knowledge sharing and professional camaraderie, capped with a relaxed networking aperitif. It was a rare chance for project managers to connect, exchange ideas, and discuss the practical challenges they encounter in their respective fields.
For project management professionals interested in learning, networking, and testing their skills against real-world scenarios, PMI Switzerland’s events offer unparalleled opportunities. Stay tuned for future gatherings, where ideas, techniques, and experiences are exchanged in a community dedicated to advancing the project management profession in Switzerland.
For more on PMI Switzerland’s upcoming events, visit: PMI Switzerland Events
By the same author:
Exploring International Project Management with Tarun Sankaran, Head of ICRC PMO
Navigating the Future of Project Management: Key Insights from the PMI Switzerland Conference 2024
Project Management: A Guide for Effective Contract Management
Images: PMI
