Project Planning™ | Project Planning Training Activity

Project Planning is an easy-to-use team activity that tests participants' project management and planning skills in terms of:

• planning a schedule
• resource allocation (materials & labour)
• cash-flow smoothing
• cost control

Each team represents the management of the Log Cabin Company that designs and constructs wooden holiday homes. Teams must plan, and quote, for the construction of a log cabin. The client is, of course, looking for the cheapest approach but is also concerned about the quality of the plan.

Teams have details of the 7 stages of the project from clearing the land to putting the roof on and landscaping. They have a file of information about the labour required for each phase and the cost and delivery times of materials. Their task is to plan the build within the deadline and within the budget, allowing for contingencies such as rainy days. They have 90 minutes to plan their project and complete a Schedule, an Order Form and a quotation.

Their schedules are entered into a computer program that identifies the shortcomings of their plans and scores them out of 100. Can the team work together and come up with a feasible plan? The contract is awarded to the highest-scoring team!

This activity now includes a version for virtual training, in addition to the physical activity for use in face-to-face training sessions.

• Demonstrates the importance of a critical path
• Emphasises the need to schedule efficiently
• Highlights the need to plan for contingencies
• Covers labour planning and materials ordering
• Shows how cashflow is crucial to a project

1. Introduce the activity to the whole group in plenary using the PowerPoint presentation provided.
2. Explain that teams are going to plan a project - the construction of a log cabin.
3. Issue the Team Folders and allow teams up to 90 minutes planning.
4.  At the end of the planning phase, collect the Schedules and Order Forms and input the data into the computer program (very straightforward).
5. Issue Review Forms for teams to analyse their performance.
6. Conduct a debrief, getting teams to give feedback on how they worked together and how they approached the task.
7. Issue the final reports and award the contract to the highest scoring team.
8. Lead a discussion on the key points and summarise the lessons (supplied on the PowerPoint presentation).

Full guidance supplied in the Trainer’s Notes.

Hard & Digital Copy

• ☑️ Hard copy pack supplied
• ☑️ Program supplied (internet access required)
• ☑️ PDFs & PowerPoint supplied

Digital Copy

• ☑️ Program supplied (internet access required)
• ☑️ PDFs & PowerPoint supplied

Contents

• Trainer’s Notes
• Computer Program (internet access required)
• Trainer's PowerPoint
• Team folders containing: Introduction, Finacial Considerations, Material Requirements, Material Supplies, Workforce Requirements, Schedule.
• Planning Sheet (three options)
• Schedule
• Order Form
• Review Form
• Trainer's Sample Plan

This activity is for face-to-face and virtual classroom use. The digital files are supplied via the Northgate Trainerhub.

This Northgate Training activity comes with a five-year licence for repeat use with up to 24 participants at a time, for use by Trainers based at one licence-holding site.

All Trainers physically based at the same office location can access the Northgate resources during the five-year term, including the digital resources supplied on the Trainerhub via your own site-specific Trainer Dashboard. If you have Trainers based at other locations, and/or remote workers, who would like to access and use the Northgate resources, we can advise further depending on your requirements.

For further information on our licence terms please view the Northgate Licence Agreement.