Knowing what to do and actually doing it are not the same thing

I love training games for many reasons. Above all, because they have repeatedly made me realise that knowing what, how, and why to do something—and even being able to do it—is not the same as actually doing it in practice. I enjoy offering participants of my training sessions a safe space in which, much like in real life, hidden and often unconscious beliefs about how one should behave in specific situations come to the surface.
If we were to ask questions such as “What should a manager do in a crisis situation?” or “Which tasks should be prioritised to work effectively?”, most participants would come up with thoughtful answers, and we could easily remain at this declarative level. However, when they are confronted with such a situation or dilemma in real life—or in a well-designed simulation or game—the actions they take rarely align with those ideal models.
So what does all this have to do with project management?

Build your own district in an ancient city

In project management training sessions, I usually use a game Projectopolis. This is one of the newer additions to our collection of original training games. The game allows workshop participants to experience firsthand the key challenges of project management, whether they typically work with traditional or agile projects. It transports players to ancient times, letting them step into the role of architects of an ancient city.

Building a district is a significant challenge for a project team. Constructing two districts simultaneously is even more demanding. Players must navigate the complex expectations of their client—a local patrician—and sometimes decide that certain solutions should be discouraged. They need to manage the construction of buildings from various suppliers, adapt to the district’s diverse terrain, and provide adequate staffing—all within budget constraints and under tight deadlines.

A game that makes you think, “Alright, you got me—now I really understand…”

Projectopolis is a significant challenge for training participants. Players are challenged both at the decision level (e.g. project scope) and at the operations level (e.g. how to make sure they meet their commitments on time). The sheer number of initial requirements, the variety of possible approaches, and the pressure of looming first deadlines act as a catalyst, bringing out habitual behaviors, routines shaped over months or years of professional experience, and subconscious beliefs about what should or ought to be done in such situations. Typically, the first few dozen minutes determine whether participants have a chance to achieve a good outcome or—without even realizing it—are setting themselves up for a struggle to survive…

It has to hurt a little at the beginning—or… a lot at the end.

I won’t reveal the details, so as not to spoil the fun for those of you who find the time to play Projektopolis. However, if you have heard of the “pain curve” or recall the quote about it from Marcin Żmigrodzki’s book… Project Management for Beginners (The third edition of this very well-written and handy starter for PMs has recently been released—I highly recommend it!) From this, you can imagine how crucial the first rounds of the game can be. Gameplay rarely unfolds exactly as every project manager—or certainly every sponsor—would like: smoothly, easily, predictably, and… boringly. Usually, emotions rise quickly, discussions spark, and ideas clash. If a few rookie PM mistakes are made at the start, the first crises, change management challenges, and really tough decisions tend to appear quickly—in short: the previously mentioned struggle for survival.

You don’t have to like it, but you will probably end up thanking it 😉

Today, it is relatively easy to acquire knowledge about project management and learn about best practices and useful tools. Ready-made standards and methodologies, numerous publications, blogs, courses, and training sessions—there is no shortage of resources. You can then share this knowledge with your project team, facilitating collaboration to achieve project goals or across the organization, and building or developing a project management culture.
However, I am convinced that the hardest challenge is influencing beliefs—your own or those of your colleagues—that these best practices, while requiring extra effort, discipline, and a “cool head,” are an investment that pays off many times over. If you feel your people know what to do but aren’t putting it into practice—play… Projectopolis. Nothing motivates action quite like a good nudge. And if it comes in such an engaging and enjoyable form, like this game? I highly recommend it!

If you want to learn more about the game, check it out here: Projektopolis

If you want to learn more about the training with the game, visit here: Management Training with Projektopolis

About the Author

Wojciech Płuciennik

A business trainer and consultant with 15 years of experience in development and HR. He most often supports managers in enhancing their leadership skills and building cohesive teams. He also actively conducts personal development projects, train-the-trainer (TTT) programs, and training sessions in project management, negotiation, and public speaking.