Projects require human collaboration. How individuals interact impacts the outcome. Breaking down individual bias and building mutual respect is key to the result. Project managers must be able to lead teams of highly diverse people with different skills. Finding a universal language and toolkit to facilitate this process is an ongoing challenge, as each project is a unique combination of individuals and circumstances.

A project manager must create a team spirit at the start. This is key to early success. Otherwise, lack of mutual understanding can bog team members and a project down. Lack of motivation, commitment, and willingness to associate with the new project are additional challenges a project manager and team face.

Kim Liegel will share a new tool she’s discovered for project managers that helps bridge the divide between individuals. More specifically, this involves an interactive group learning game called Prelude. Prelude helps foster creativity, communication, collaboration, and appreciation for diversity. It’s been called a trust accelerator. Moreover, it’s fun to play.

Pre-registered attendees will be provided with a complementary online access code to play the first Prelude game module, called Keynote. Ideally attendees can play Keynote in advance. It requires about 25 minutes. Attendees will also have a chance to play the second Prelude game module, called iTag as well. There are four module activities in all. This will be a fun way to learn about and experience an important new PM tool.

Presenter - Kim Liegel, PMP, and author of Make It Happen! Project Success has more than 20 years of experience, including program and project management for companies such as Garage Games, Symantec, Oracle, Snap-on Tools, and Nike. Additionally, she has delivered project management training nationally and internationally to high-tech corporations and non-profit organizations. Ms. Liegel is principal owner of Liegel Enterprises, LLC, providing project management consulting and training services to small businesses, non-profit and public agencies in the Pacific Northwest since 2003. She is past-President of the Eugene PMI Branch of the Willamette Valley PMI Chapter, and served on many of the board positions since co-founding the branch in 2004.  Kim is also past-VP Communications of the international PMI Education & Training SIG, supporting project management educators worldwide. She has presented on a range of project management topics locally as well as nationally, including the PMI North America Congress in 2004 and 2007. 

Partner - Dr. Howard B. Esbin is the creator of Prelude and founder of Heliotrope, a social enterprise. Howard has over two decades of senior management experience in international development, philanthropy, and the private sector. Kim Liegel, PMP, and Dr. Howard B. Esbin have joined forces. They offer their complementary learning resources to interested educators and project managers. The goal of the partnership is to support the virtuous circle developing between students, educators, and the workplace.