Learning Activity 11-2: Defining Project Management

GOALS

The goals of this activity are to draw on participant ‚ s intuitive understanding of the term ‚“project management ‚½ and reach a shared preliminary understanding of the concept.

MATERIALS

• Handout 11-1: What Is Project Management?

• flipchart

• markers.

TIME

• approximately 25 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS

Instruct participants to write out their individual definitions of ‚“project management ‚½ in the first section of the handout, asking them to use a single sentence ‚ without bullet points. (Give them three minutes, but adjust time based on your reading of the group as they proceed with the assignment.)

Once they complete the individual definition, ask each team to appoint a coordinator in any way they see fit, ‚“drafting ‚½ one of their members if necessary. Each team coordinator is to have each team member read his or her individual definition of project management and finally let the team hear the coordinator ‚ s own definition. Each team is then responsible for coming up with a composite definition of project management upon which they can agree ‚ again without using bullet points or lists. Once they have their definition, they should transfer it to a flipchart page for discussion. Allow about five minutes for this activity. Each individual can retain his or her team ‚ s definition by using the second section of the handout.

Ask each coordinator to read the team definition from the flipchart, having each individual retain a copy of the definition by copying it into the third section of the handout. Discuss similarities and differences, emphasizing the strengths of each definition.

Indicate that the next step would be to consolidate the definitions into a single definition. Leave this as a possible homework exercise or ask participants to think about what that definition would look like and write out one sometime after the workshop.

Handout 11.1: What Is Project Management?

Instructions: In the space below, enter in your own words your definition of project management. Use a single sentence rather than a bulleted list.

Use this space for your team ‚ s definition of project management.

Use this space for the other teams ‚ definitions.

After this workshop, create your own working definition.