The PMzone Digital Board Game
Project Priority: High (COVID-19 is an additional trigger)
What?
Develop an online Project Management game – based on the PMzone simulation board game, to allow participants to experience the challenges of managing projects while learning key elements in project management and improving their overall project management skills.
Why?
In the last few decades there is a growing trend in business and social organizations to manage by projects. The modern project management organizations deal with high levels of uncertainty and complexity and traditional education methods of project management are simply not enough anymore.
Projects are heterogeneous by nature and require an understanding of a wide range of topics as well as interpersonal and soft skills.
The actual complexities involved in managing initiatives and making decisions on an array of interrelated issues, under uncertain conditions, call for a simulation tool that will enable prospective – and present project managers, to experience the practice of managing projects in a sandbox environment.
The PMzone simulation board game is a serious game and is complex. Learning how to play the game is not easy and players struggle with all the rules implemented in this game.
Transforming the physical game to a digital game will enable a friendly, guided platform that will assist players to learn and to play the game and therefore, to generate greater value and faster. Also, playing the physical game is suitable for small groups of players sitting together around tables in one room, and as such is not very scalable. The digital game will allow a large number of players to play simultaneously from anywhere in the world.
What will happen if the project is not implemented?
If the physical board game is not developed as a digital game, simulating project management using the PMzone simulation board game will remain confined to classrooms in small groups.
The business model would rely mostly on local training provided directly by PMzone Ltd. or by our business partners. This model is difficult to implement and to scale.
Project Requirements
| The Need | Priority |
|---|---|
| Implement game mechanics, elements, and assets according to the game design document (GDD) | Must Have |
| Support a multi tables game with multi players assigned to a table (program) | Must Have |
| Manage user roles with different permissions (Admin, Instructor, PM Player) | Must Have |
| Support the PMO player in each table | Won’t Have |
| Develop basic game reports | Must Have |
| Develop advanced game reports and dashboards | Should Have |
| Provide in-game alerts, messages, and tooltips | Must Have |
| Implement game route including gates, milestones, known tasks, unknown tasks, constraints and risks | Must Have |
| Implement game currencies (resources and money) | Must Have |
| Implement project sheet which includes known tasks that needs to be planned before and during the game | Must Have |
| Implement game cards including unknown tasks, constraints, risks, and delays | Must Have |
| Implement dependent tasks (known and unknown) | Should Have |
| Implement special action cards | Should Have |
| Implement gate control check resulting in one of four outcomes: good to go, delay, return, cancel | Must Have |
| Implement game reset/start over when gate control fails, or player is out of money/resources | Must Have |
| Implement milestones and reward players with money and resources according to each milestone terms | Must Have |
| Implement value that players earn when completing tasks in the game | Must Have |
| Send game summary reports to instructors immediately after each game | Should Have |
| Send game summary reports to players immediately after each game | Should Have |
| Send periodic usage reports to admins | Should Have |
Project Goals & Objectives
Generate revenue from automatic services
| Objective | Success Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Develop a tool for self-learning in project management | Have a digital project management simulation tool by the beginning of the next academic year |
| Market the tool in academic institutions around the world | Secure 3 new academic institutions in the first year and then 4 more each year |
| Market the tool in organizations and companies around the world | Secure 3 new companies in the first year and then 4 more each year |
Scale training activities
| Objective | Success Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Increase training activities in Israel | Increase training activities from existing clients by 40% • Increase training activities from new clients by 20% |
| Provide worldwide training activities | Increase training activities around the world by 20% each year |
Create international reputation
| Objective | Success Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Present at international conferences | |
| Deliver training activities in person at a company from abroad | |
| Advertise the company in magazines and websites in the field of project management |
Critical Success Factors
- The game will allow for a synchronous multiplayer environment.
- The game will support hundreds of players simultaneously.
- The game will support effortless setup by the instructor.
- The game will be as self-explanatory as possible so that it can be played without professional guidance.
- The game will provide a great gaming experience.
Project Stakeholders
- Vered – Local Academic representative
- Shai – EU Academic representative
- Yael – US Academic representative
- Joe – Partners’ representative
Benefits to Project Stakeholders
| Stakeholder | Benefits to Stakeholder |
|---|---|
| Academic representatives | Adding value to academic programs Receiving recognition as an innovative professor Raising the reputation of the academic institution |
| Partners’ representatives | Creating differentiation from competitors Achieving a competitive advantage in the market Creating an additional revenue stream Creating a funnel to sell additional services |
Working Assumptions and Constraints
- The game will be played on tablets or desktop computers (medium to large screens).
- The game will be developed for the web.
- Time to market must be before the start of the coming academic year in September 2021.
- The game will be developed in English however the development should allow translation to different languages.
- The game will use the graphic design of the physical board game unless a different design offer would be feasible for the MVP.
The Project Lifecycle
- Project Planning
- Design Game
- Develop Game
- Test Game
- Go Live & Support
Project Planning
Specify requirements
Plan the project
Prepare for development
Project Compass Document
Project Plan
Compass document approved
Project plan approved
Project planning phase completed
Perform a peer review of the compass document
Approve project plan
Design Game
Specify functional requirements
Specify technical requirements
Create wireframe mockups
Design UI/UX
GDD (Game Design
Document)
Visual Design Document
Functional requirements approved
Technical requirements approved
Wireframe mockups approved
Visual design approved
Game design phase completed
Conduct DR (design review) with a focus group
Develop Game
Create development plan
Develop Admin’s functionalities
Develop Instructors’ functionalities
Develop Players’ functionalities
Development Plan
Development Environment
Development plan approved
Game functionalities developed
Game development phase completed
Approve development plan
Perform development tests
Test Game
Create test plan & scenarios
Perform Admin’s functional tests
Perform Instructors’ functional tests
Perform Players’ functional tests
Perform UI/UX tests
Perform technical tests
Test Plan
Test Environment
Test Reports
Test plan approved
Functional tests completed
UI/UX tests completed
Technical tests completed
Game testing phase completed
Approve test plan
Review test reports
Go Live & Support
Plan the operation
Plan the marketing
Develop training materials
Develop marketing materials
Transfer game to hosting
Perform Go-Live tests
Operation Plan
Marketing Plan
Training Guide
Marketing Messages
Digital Game
Go-Live Test Reports
Operation plan approved
Marketing plan approved
Training guide approved
Marketing messages approved
Go-Live tests completed
Go-Live & Support phase completed
Approve operation plan
Approve marketing plan
Approve training guide
Approve marketing messages
Review test reports
Project Resources
- Project Manager
- Focus Group
- Marketing Consultant
- Technical Consultant
- Development Team Leader
- Game Designer
- Game Developer
- Design Team Leader
- UI/UX Expert
- Graphic Designer
- QA Leader
Resource Breakdown Structure
Roles and Responsibilities Matrix
| Project Manager | Focus Grp Leader | Dev Leader | Design Leader | QA Leader | Tech Consultant | Mrkt. Consultant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Compass Document | 1,6 | 2,6 | 3 | ||||
| Project Plan | 1,6 | 2,6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| GDD (Game Design Document) | 2,6 | 2,6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Visual Design Document | 2,6 | 2,6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Development Plan | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3,6 | ||
| Test Plan | 2,6 | 2,6 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Test Reports | 2,6 | 2,6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Operation Plan | 1,6 | 2,6 | 3 | ||||
| Training Guide | 1,6 | 2,6 | 3 |
1. Execution Responsibility; 2. Control Responsibility; 3. Must be Consulted; 4. Should be Consulted; 5. Must be Informed; 6. Final Approval
Project Risks
| Risk Event | Probability | Impact | Exposure | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fear that the development company will decide to change the terms of service and will not agree to transfer the code of the game to us | 2 | 5 | 10 | Securing rights in contract and maintaining periodic backup with us throughout the period of development and day-to-day operation |
| Fear of difficulties connecting to the game in real time due to various internet glitches | 2 | 4 | 8 | Provide real-time support and communicate this risk to clients |
| Fear of losing game reports due to technical glitch | 2 | 3 | 6 | Game report would be sent to Admin’s and to instructors right after each game |
| Fear of leaking sensitive information out of the game due to hacking | 2 | 2 | 4 | No sensitive information will be stored within the game |
| Fear of declining game value due to theft by hackers | 2 | 3 | 6 | Secure game against hacking and creating a reputation for the game associated with us |
Formal Communication Plan
| Communication Channel | Participants | Frequency | Report/Summary Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development Status Meeting | Project Manager, Focus Group Team Leader, Development Team Leader, Design Team Leader, QA Leader | Weekly | Periodic Status Report |
| Focus Group Review Meeting | Project Manager, Focus Group Members, Marketing Consultant | Once every two weeks | Periodic Status Presentation (including mockups and working software) |
| Technical Review Meeting | Project Manager, Focus Group Team Leader, Development Team Leader, Technical Consultant | Once every two weeks | Periodic Status Report |
| Marketing Brainstorming Meeting | Project Manager, Focus Group Team Leader, Marketing Consultant | Once every two weeks | Periodic Status Report |
