Simulation Based Training

"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)


 

Why Simulation

Simulation allows students and trainees to learn project management by actually doing rather than by just listening. Making good decisions requires experience. By practicing in a safe, controlled environment, students and trainees gain hands-on project management experience.

 The PTB™ simulator allows for managing real world case studies. Users make decisions and see how they affect project outcome by advancing the simulation time.

Integrating theory with an interactive, practical, game-like computer simulation leads to lasting benefits. It’s a fun, engaging and energetic way to improve learning.

 

Research shows that simulation significantly increases student retention.


 

Students Remember...

 

 

Magennis, S. & Farrell, A. 2005. Teaching and learning activities: expanding the repertoire to support student learning

 

The PTB™ Training Simulator

The PTB™ Training simulator is a family of software solutions that enable users to practice managing projects in a safe simulated environment.  The simulator has pre-defined project use cases as well as the ability to create new ones.

Simple scenarios are deterministic and are used to teach how to schedule, how to develop a budget and how to trade off time, cost and performance. Advanced scenarios introduce uncertainty and risk management and are used to teach how to plan a complex project, including a risk management plan and how to monitor and control the project during its execution in a dynamic, stochastic environment.

The Scenario Builder™ is used to develop scenarios of real projects. The process of building and simulating a project with the PTB™ leads the trainees through the life cycle of their real-life project and lets them manage the project in a lab like setting, working on mapping the stake holders, understanding their needs and expectations, searching for alternative ways to perform project activities and defining performance measures for the project scope and the product scope.

 

Why Use the PTB™ Training Simulator?

  • The simulation engine has scientific foundations that are based on reality.
  • Variability – users can choose between different modes of execution for the project.
  • Real world case studies are built into the PTB™ database.
  • The PTB™ links the project's objectives and requirements to the schedule and enables analysis of different tradeoffs.
  • Simulation makes project management training efficient and enjoyable.
  • Trainees advance simulation time to receive immediate feedback and see the impact of decisions made.
  • The history mechanism assists in learning from past mistakes and duplicating successful solutions.
  • Users acquire knowledge that is not easily forgotten with the "learn by doing" approach.
  • The PTB™ integrates different topics of project management into one complete tool. Trainees get a chance to see how everything connects through active hands-on training, rather than by listening to lectures.
  • The simulation is controlled by a simple user interface and no prior knowledge of simulation or simulation language is required.
  • The Scenario Builder™, a user-friendly case study generator, facilitates the development of new case studies that suit specific industries.

 

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