Author: David Priestley

Participants have to work together to get the marble(s) from the start to the finish line without touching the floor or exposing them to daylight using the piping provided. The activity can be set up with or without a course consisting of obstacles. Equipment Required: 14 x 40cm lengths of tubing, 10 x large marbles (in a bag) For course: 6 x blue stakes, 6 x 4m lengths of rope, 12 x wooden pegs, 4 x traffic cones Space Required: Medium. Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8-15 people (depending on the size of the area used). Total Time: 35 minutes 5 minutes to brief and set up 20 minutes to…

Read More

Participants must work together in smaller teams to create and perform their own radio play – this means no acting is necessary. Once they have planned and prepared their play, they must then perform it in front of the other teams. Equipment Required: Flip chart paper, markers, and a box of props to create a variety of sounds Space Required: Very low. Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: Any from 10 through to 48. Working groups of 6 to 12. Total Time: 90 minutes 5 minutes to brief and set up 50 minutes to plan, prepare, and practice radio play 20 minutes to perform plays 15 minutes to review Suggested Learning Outcomes…

Read More

The RASCI chart is a planning tool. This means that you should use it at the very beginning of a project once you have determined its size and scope and your project team. The meaning of each of the letters is as follows: R = Responsible (the person who must ensure that the task is completed) A = Approval (the person/s who must sign off on the task) S = Support (the person/s who can help/facilitate in the execution of the task) C = Consult (persons you can turn to for expert information and advice: technical, administrative, legal, marketing, instructional) I…

Read More

Each activity in your Work Breakdown Structure now needs a precise specification. This should detail exactly what is to be achieved and who is responsible. The levels of competence and motivation on your project team will decide how much detail these specifications require. Where confidence and motivation are low the specification needs to be very detailed stating not only what outcome is required but also how it is to be achieved. If you judge competence and motivation to be high then all you will have to do is describe the outcome that you desire, let the individual team members take responsibility for delivering it. As a…

Read More

Produce A Work Breakdown Structure The work breakdown structure is a tool project managers use to clarify the sequence of events and the activities linked to them and breaking down the project into manageable activities. This is often used at the start of a project during the planning stage and acts as the foundation of the project. So why create a Work Breakdown Structure? Gives a solid foundation for planning and action planning Breaks down projects into manageable tasks with task priority Aids project managers with resource allocation Ensures that no important deliverables are missed Provides a proven approach to planning projects that can be used…

Read More

Essentially at this stage you are creating the skeleton or super structure of the project. You should identify each main event in your project (an event is a major step or milestone in your project). At this stage it is worth brainstorming the events with colleagues to make sure that you have covered every event. Brainstorming The Osborne Parnes method The type of brainstorming that most people are familiar with, a group of people around a flipchart shouting out ideas. Like all brainstorms there is more to it than random association. The following guideline will help you to run a productive meeting. Start with…

Read More

In the book, ‘A Systematic Approach To Getting Results’, writer Surya Lovejoy identifies eight standards or tests which a project must meet in order to be fully scoped. The tests work as an useful and practical check-list for the Project Manager to help define what the project is and perhaps more importantly, what the project is not. The success of your project rests upon the foundation which is your project scope. Without a clear understanding of what is to be achieved, by when, by whom, for whatever reasons and with what resources the project is doomed to failure almost before it begins. If your project has been sufficiently well…

Read More

Projects come in many shapes and sizes. Project Management came about initially from the military and from heavy industry. It was generic term to cover all the planning and management processes required to achieve a specific result. For example the production of ships, heavy plant, aerospace, buildings and feats of civil engineering etc. Most recently project management has come to include a wider range of tasks including implementation of new technologies or computer networks, the delivery of product to meet a specific client brief, product development processes, launches and many more. Here are some definitions of a project: “A plan, scheme, undertaking for the presentation of results at a…

Read More

Recently, there has been growing demand for team building activities to be delivered at a client’s office. Who am I to argue? Not only is this a great way to work on key learning outcomes, it can also be fun and give your employees a much needed break from office life. Here are some benefits : improves team communication increases morale and motivation good ice breaker to help get to develop working relationships and rapport improves productivity helps team members learn about strengths and weaknesses plus much, much more… Out of the above, the most common request I receive is to deliver a team…

Read More

Delivering Team Building activities doesn’t have to be difficult – whether you are teaching a group of young people or providing a seminar workshop for execs – the aim of this article is to help you out and ensure your next programme is a complete success. Below I have listed some tips for facilitators to consider before delivering a team building or training workshop. Pre-Workshop: Select challenges appropriate to your group Understand the groups learning objectives – Speak to the event organiser and define what they’re hoping to achieve and why it’s important for the group (for transfer of learning and relevancy…

Read More

Energisers are short activities intended to stimulate the minds of learners and keep them engaged on the training programme and are used typically as a break between sessions – energisers are fantastic for groups that have either been in training a long time or immediately following a long break in your programme such as meal times. The most difficult time for most trainers is the post meal time shift, when our learners slide into siesta mode and it becomes hard for them to retain information. Using energisers can be a great way to wake them up and get them focused…

Read More

If you’re looking for some quick and easy team building activities to try with your team then you’ve come to the right place. This article is aimed at managers and team leaders and will give you some ideas on activities and challenges to try in the workplace. All activities require little or no equipment and can be provided in a meeting room. Great businesses are built on the concept of teamwork – teamwork that promotes cooperation and cohesiveness over competition, teamwork in which everyone contributes a part to make a stronger whole. Every ‘team’ in our society, whether they work for…

Read More