Gamification in project management: experiences from business and training

Cada vez se aplican más conceptos de gamificación o ludificación en los más diversos ámbitos desde la salud, la enseñanza, el mundo empresarial, etc. En la misma forma, se pueden aplicar estrategias de gamificación para la Gestión de Proyectos. Este documento refleja la experiencia de aplicar distintos conceptos de gamificación en la práctica como la aplicación de lego serious play en las distintas etapas de la gestión de un proyecto: iniciación, planificación, ejecución y cierre de un proyecto en una empresa de ingeniería. Igualmente se muestra experiencias de aplicación de juegos de tablero en cursos de Gestión de Proyectos.More and more concepts of gamification or ludification are applied in the most diverse areas from health, education, the business world, etc. In the same way, gamification strategies can be applied for Project Management. This document reflects the experience of applying different concepts of gamification in practice such as the application of lego serious play in the different stages of project management: initiation, planning, execution and closing of a project in an engineering company. It also shows experiences of application of board games in courses of Project Management

Building capacity of small-medium cities’ local authorities to implement MaaS and other innovative transport schemes

Sustainable development requirements in combination with extreme technological evolution have changed the way mobility is considered, creating challenges to Local Authorities (L?s) both in planning and implementation phases of mobility solutions. This paper focuses on the capacity building of LAs to deliver Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and other innovative transport schemes as part of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs). It presents a methodological approach for the design and employment of an integrated learning tool that intends to increase the adoption rates of measures’ packages through LAs knowledge strengthening. The learning tool consists of a detailed facilitator guide to run an one-day classroom course along with the conceptual background and necessary training material. The methodological approach consists of a multilevel and multicriteria process that integrates the results/outcomes of the assessment of the cities capacity to implement SUMP through an evaluation framework. The classroom course has been structured in order to clarify the value of MaaS and other innovative measures for small-medium cities, analyze successful case studies under the spectrum of overcoming challenges efficiently, present tools and guidelines supporting collaboration between team members. The results of this work have been validated through the pilot application to six LAs. The overall evaluation of the pilots showed that content’s accuracy and achievement of workshop’s objectives was more than satisfactory (more than 50% of the participants gave the highest rate) and participants became more engaged with SUMP measures implementation.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

THE DESIGN AND STRUCTURE OF A RESOURCE-BASED LEARNING ACADEMIC STAFF DEVELOPMENT MODEL

ThesisSleutelwoorde: akademikus, brongebaseerde leer, fasiliteerder, hoer onderwys, personeelontwikkeling, personeelontwikkelingsmodel, transformasie. ereldwyd, asook in Suid-Afrika, word die reputasie van hoer onderwys bepaal Wdeur die vermoe om gehaltepersoneel te werf en te behou. Hoer onderwys benodig dus mense met vakkundigheid en toegewydheid om die werkverrigting van instellings binne 'n kompeterende omgewing te handhaaf en te verbeter. Kwaliteit menslike hulpbronbestuur sal die sleutel tot sukses wees. Doeltreffende kennisoordrag en -produksie is die sentrale doel van die SuidAfrikaanse hoer onderwys. Die leerkonteks het as gevolg van transformasie-eise verander. Een so verandering is die paradigmaskuif van keenisoordrag na leer. Die sleutel in beter en verskillende benaderings tot leer en leiding Ie, bv. nie slegs nuwe vorme van leer nie, maar ook transformasie van rolle en nuwe aanbiedingsmetodes - waarvan brongebaseerde leer een is. Hierdie studie het dus gepoog om die hoeronderwyspraktyk te verbeter - waar brongebaseerde leer beskou word as een van die mees bruikbare, suksesvolle en aanvaarbare benaderings tot kurrikulumaanbieding. Dit is ook maklik aanpasbaar vir verskeie style van instruksie en metodes van leer. Die doel van hierdie studie was om bogenoemde komplekse uitdagings aan te spreek, 'n brongebaseerde akademiese personeelontwikkelingsmodel te ontwerp, asook die struktuur te bepaal. Hierdie voorgstelde model ondersoek drie areas van personeelontwikkeling, naamlik brongebaseerde bekwaamhede/bevoegdhede (bv. kennis, vaardighede, houdings en toepassing), rolle en verbeteringstrategiee. Die resultate van hierdie studie is gebaseer op vraelysresponse van 46 brongebaseerde akademici, fokusgroepe, asook kommentaar van brongebaseerde deskundiges. Die belangrikste resultate is 5005 volg: oDie meeste van die deelnemers het hul gebrek aan brongebaseerde bekwaamheid bevestig, wat die behoefte aan die voorgstelde model en ge'identifiseerde verbeteringstrategiee beklemtoon. oDie meeste brongebaseerde akademici het probleme ondervind met die balansering van hoeronderwysdruk en druk van die regering. o Hoe werkladings en beperkte tyd verhoog die druk, wat die moontlikheid van stres verhoog. o Houdingsfaktore be'invloed ook brongebaseerde bekwaamheid. Diegene wat sterk gemotiveerd is, vertoon inisiatiewe ten opsigte van innovering en vordering. Die voorgestelde model het nie net die brongebaseerde akademikus ingesluit nie, maar ook die institusionele profiel wat op 'n strategiese en sistematiese wyse deur middel van 'n sikliese proses uitnemendheid op die gebied va n , brongebaseerde onderwys bereik

How to mobilize knowledge-based Innovations in Service Industries? A Tourism Example

Service industries as tourism, cultural industries, finance, and retail are considered as under-represented in the trade and industry portfolio. This paper centres on the tourism industry and pay particular attention to Small and Medium Enterprises (SME). The purpose of the project was to identify SMEs' need for research-based knowledge, relevant topics, and to prioritize R&D ideas suitable for innovation and/or as a cooperation between academic and industry partners. Three virtual workshops were arranged in the period May – September 2020. All participants represented Norwegian destination associations, regional businesses, and SMEs. As a result of reflections in groups and plenary, specific tourism challenges and knowledge needs were identified. The tourism industry is characterized by many small businesses with few employees, tight finances, and limited resources for development. Challenges are related to seasonal employment, high workforce turnover, lack of strategically market insight, and limited ability to exploit new technology. Businesses are generally vulnerable to changes in demand from the market, which was reinforced by the outbreak of COVID-19. Three topics were emphasised for developing mutual project concepts and joint applications as a collaboration between the industry and scientific partners: (1) Partnership collaboration, (2) Virtual Tourism, and (3) All-Year Destinations. This paper discusses potential theoretical perspectives and empirical approaches for creation of future joint innovations and studies . Discussions are related to: How suitable are virtual workshops for joint reflection on common challenges and cocreation of prioritized actions? Which challenges and needs are tourism confronted with? What should the tourist industry emphasise in face of the Covid19 pandemic? An additional result of the workshops is the establishment of a tourism network among the participants, and with an intention to incorporate even more relevant actors. Further, the project has been significant for developing a program for SMB innovations, including both the service industries and additional sectors.acceptedVersio

Implementing Total Quality Management in Business and Academe: A Case Study

Total quality management (TQM) is a philosophy and process that has been successfully implemented in many business firms. Other organizations, including institutions of higher education, have become increasingly interested in adopting it. It is likely that facilitators need to be cognizant of organizational differences and adjust facilitation methods and strategies accordingly. This dissertation is an exploratory study designed to examine the role of the TQM facilitator in diverse settings. Specifically, the study is an in-depth two-case research study of TQM implementation in an international manufacturing firm and a regional institution of higher education. The primary foci of this dissertation are to (1) investigate differences in context and processes of each organization, (2) compare implementation events, (3) examine the facilitator\u27s role at various stages of TQM implementation, and (4) identify barriers involved with TQM implementation in each organization. Conclusions of the study are that the facilitators\u27 level of involvement in TQM implementation varied over time and at different stages of team development. Facilitators at the manufacturing firm used TQM tools and techniques more frequently than did facilitators in the academic setting. Lastly, outside facilitators had to adjust language, stories, and examples in the academic setting. They also relied heavily on an internal steering committee to plan agendas and assess the degree of acceptance by those involved in early stages of implementation

Assessment

This manual outlines how to assess the progress of literacy learners in whole language literacy. Literacy teachers in Massachusetts developed many of the ideas and assessment tools in the manual, which have been adapted to encourage experimentation and use by literacy programs in developing countries. Action Learning Manuals teach practitioners the theories and methods of community-based literacy education. The manuals are based on the assumption that literacy programs are most effective when local practitioners work closely with learners to create their own materials and curriculum. The Action Learning Manuals present basic concepts and guidelines to help practitioners analyze their own situations and design appropriate materials and learning activities. This manual is designed for facilitators, supervisors and trainers of literacy activities. The manual guides the facilitator in making and using assessment tools with their own classes. Supervisors and trainers can use this manual to provide in-service training to facilitators. Learners are critical to the action learning process. Learner input gained through interviews is used in the design and assessment of tools. This manual describes many ways to do learner assessment as well as the role assessment plays in the teaching learning process. The manual guides you through the sequence of examining the concepts of assessment, reflecting upon your experiences and then putting into practice what you have learned

Towards a Virtual Collaborator in Online Collaboration from an Organizations’ Perspective

In this empiric study, we present the specifications of virtual collaboration in times of the Covid-19 pandemic in an organization that worked mostly co-located beforehand, and requirements for a virtual collaborator (VC) resulting from those specifications. Related work shows that a VCs can support virtual teams in achieving their goals and promote creative work. We extend this with insights from practice by observing creative and collaborative workshops in the automotive industry and conducting interviews with facilitators and participants of these workshops. Subsequently, we identify the challenges that participants face in virtual collaboration, and derive design guidelines for a VC to address them. Main problems arise due to the virtual interaction lacking nonverbal communication and in the preparation phase that requires more planning and effort. A VC could help by influencing group cohesion and build networks between the participants, influencing the virtual working environment as well as contributing to the contents

Facilitation of Change in the Healthcare Context - Learning from an Action Research Project at an Operating Unit

Healthcare is under pressure and a development towards a more integrated and efficient healthcare requires better communication and collaboration across boundaries. This thesis is about facilitation of change process in the healthcare context with learnings from an authentic project, carried out with the clinic for reconstructive plastic surgery at the Karolinska University Hospital. The methodological approach was based on action research. The project deals with improving the utilisation of a clinic's operating rooms through promoting cross-boundary collaboration and finding new ways to structure work and counter deficient cultures. Through collection of qualitative data from interviews, workshops and observations a comprehensive picture of the organisation and its individuals was acquired, along with a legitimacy of the facilitator. By interpreting the data and concurrently facilitating a process of formulating and implementing change initiatives at the clinic, reflections could be made on the complexity of challenges in interprofessional teamwork and decisive factors in change processes. Based on participative leadership and empowerment the clinic staff was supported to enhance their cross-boundary collaboration and capacity to problem-solve. The clinic staff did, among other changes, improve the communication in the process of planning surgeries and introduce a systematic and formalised process on following up on the surgeries’ time consumption to deal with root causes for delays and cancellations. A representative challenge at the clinic, related to interprofessional teamwork, proved to be the difficulty of getting started in the morning in time with everyone present. This challenge requires cultural change with conviction of the problem and a willingness to improve the cross-boundary collaboration. Throughout the process of formulating the problem and solution paths as well as initiating implementation, the facilitator’s role constituted of gathering the group and guiding the progress with an approach of humbleness and diplomacy. The learnings from the study are relevant when discussing the approach and involvement of external actors in healthcare in order to pursue organisational development and change management

Absent voices- Women and Youth in Communal Land Governance. Reflections on Methods and Process from Exploratory Research in West and East Africa

An increasing number of African States are recognizing customary land tenure. Yet, there is a lack of research on how community rights are recognized in legal and policy frameworks, how they are implemented in practice, and how to include marginalized groups. In 2018–2019, we engaged in collaborative exploratory research on governing natural resources for food sovereignty with social movement networks, human rights lawyers and academics in West and East Africa. In this article, we reflect on the process and methods applied to identify research gaps and partners (i.e., two field visits and regional participatory workshops in Mali and Uganda), with a view to share lessons learned. In current debates on the recognition and protection of collective rights to land and resources, we found there is a need for more clarity and documentation, with customary land being privatized and norms rapidly changing. Further, the voices of women and youth are lacking in communal land governance. This process led to collaborative research with peasant and pastoralist organizations in Kenya, Tanzania, Mali and Guinea, with the aim to achieve greater self-determination and participation of women and youth in communal land governance, through capacity building, participatory research, horizontal dialogues and action for social change