Using Games to Promote
Creativity and Solve
Problems
Erika Flora, PMP, ITIL
Expert
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Agenda
• Introduction
• Why games?
• Let the games begin!
• Great Resources
• Q&A
Copyright 2014 Beyond20, LLC, All Rights Reserved
Introduction
• Erika Flora, PMP, PgMP, CSM, ITIL Expert
• Principal, Beyond20
• Beyond20
• PM/ITIL training, assessments, simulation
games, and process consulting
• GSA Schedule 70: GS-35F-137AA
• PMI Global Registered Education Provider
and ATO
Copyright 2014 Beyond20, LLC, All Rights Reserved
Why games?
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Why games?
• Complex problems arise that require us to
think creatively
• Games help teams:
• force people out of status quo
• explore alternatives in a fun way
• generate surprising insights
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Game components
• Rules
• Voluntary
• Time and space boundaries
• Alternate world
• Physical artifacts
• Goal
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The power of a Post-it
• Generate ideas silently
• One idea per sticky note
• Post your ideas and explain to the group
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Let the games begin!
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Anti-Problem
• Problem: We can’t get anyone excited or
engaged in our project
• Solution: Come up with as many ways we
can tackle the Anti-Problem
• Stakeholders are too excited, engaged,
and fired-up about our project!! How
do discourage them??!
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Other Games for Project Teams
• Planning Scope / Schedule:
Build a visual WBS
• Gathering Requirements:
Create a requirements tree
• Identifying Risks: Conduct
a pre-mortem
• Performing Lessons Learned:
Develop a Learning Matrix
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Great Resources
• Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators,
Rulebreakers, and Changemakers by Dave
Gray, Sunni Brown, and James Macanufo
• Gogamestorm.com
• Innovationgames.com
• Polestar Project Management Simulation:
www.beyond20.com/polestar-pm.php
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Questions?
Erika Flora, PMP, PgMP, CSM, ITIL Expert
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 866-856-3117
Twitter: @erikaflora
@Beyond20
Blog: blog.erikaflora.com
Copyright 2014 Beyond20, LLC, All Rights Reserved