This document discusses how game thinking can be applied to project management. It outlines that games have goals, rules, feedback systems, and voluntary participation. Games also motivate problem solving, learning, management skills, and social interaction. Current project management faces challenges from constantly changing environments and outdated practices. Applying game qualities like allowing failure to foster learning, encouraging creativity, and strengthening collaboration could help address these challenges. The document suggests integrating actual games into project management to train teams and provide meaningful feedback in a low-stakes environment. Games may help improve productivity, participation, and following guidelines.

1. Game Thinking in Project
Management
By Brendan Nash

2. Main Topics

Properties of games

Qualities games bring out in people

Challenges in the current PM environment

Applying game qualities to Project Management

Using games in Project Management

3. Properties of Games

All games have 4 defining traits:

Goal

Rules

Feedback system

Voluntary participation

4. Properties of Video Games

Video games have been refined to enhance
these four traits, especially feedback

Big additions with video games:

Global connectivity

Realistic/believable environments with no real life
consequences

5. Qualities Games Bring Out In
People

Main qualities discussed:

Problem solving

Motivation to learn

Management

Social interaction

6. Qualities Games Bring Out In
People - Problem Solving

Game rules limit available ways to approach a
situation

This causes the player to have to think in a
certain mindset that would not normally be used

Games encourage learning through failure

They also reward quick thinking

7. Qualities Games Bring Out In
People - Motivation To Learn

Many games take tens to hundreds of hours to
master

Mastery can be accomplished in two ways:

Playing the game (obviously)

Learning about the game (important)

Gamers have created huge knowledge bases
for many games that bring collective knowledge
to a higher standard

8. Qualities Games Bring Out In
People - Management

Many games require skills to manage:

Resources

Objectives

Time

Oneself

Others

9. Qualities Games Bring Out In
People - Social Interaction

Players in large-scale games meet and interact
with new people daily

Players also form long term groups with people
they might know in and/or out of a game

These games promote three major qualities:

Trustworthiness

Empathy

Team Building

10. Challenges in the Current Project
Management Environment

Constantly changing environment with
seemingly unclear direction

Outdated (reactive) practices/mindsets used

Requires PM's to constantly learn many soon-
to-be obsolete ideas

Proprietary standards/software usually required
to stay on top

11. Challenges in the Current Project
Management Environment (cont.)

2/3's of projects 'fail'

Most companies stick with long-standing
practices

Projects are not static and predictable, they are
almost always unique

12. Applying Game Qualities to Project
Management

Failure can foster learning and growth for a
person and a company

Encouraging creativity can potentially lead to
radical new ideas and greater success

Being empathetic and trusting of others will
strengthen the quality of the project and the
bonds between those involved

Collaborating on a massive scale to streamline
PM techniques and ideas would improve the
industry as a whole

13. Using Games In Project
Management

Why integrate actual games?

Games are used in other fields to train users and
give them a platform where failure is allowed

Feedback in the workplace can be lacking

They could make a job feel more meaningful

Games and game thinking have been implemented
in other companies and are being used heavily in
marketing

14. Using Games In Project
Management (cont.)

What kind of games would benefit projects?

Team-based games could strengthen groups

Games could be custom made to address different
aspects of an organization

Some areas that could be improved with games:
− Productivity
− Group participation
− Following guidelines

15. Conclusion

Due to the rate of improving technologies, the
workplace is moving at a faster pace than ever
before

Game thinking is being used to increase
productivity and involvement

As this trend gains momentum, project
management would benefit from adopting a
similar strategy

16. References

Castel, R. Game Based Learning for Project
Management. Athabasca University,
Athabasca, 2011

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality Is Broken: Why
Games Make Us Better and How They Can
Change the World. New York, The Penguin
Press.

17. Game Over
Questions?