A gamified approach to teaching project portfolio management

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El Raoui, Hanane and Finn, Dominic and Melissourgos, Anthony and Garnier Artinano, Adrian; (2025) A gamified approach to teaching project portfolio management. In: ICERI2025 Proceedings. International Academy of Technology, Education and Development (IATED), pp. 4384-4392. ISBN 978-84-09-78706-7 (https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2025.1278)

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Abstract

Managing multiple projects, commonly referred to as Project Portfolio Management (PPM), poses complex challenges due to the need for intricate decision-making in project prioritisation, resource allocation, and risk management. As project environments become increasingly dynamic with larger portfolios, there is a growing demand in Management Science education for innovative pedagogical strategies that equip students with advanced analytical and managerial skills. This paper presents a gamified pedagogical approach for teaching PPM to postgraduate students in business education through a PPM simulation game. The simulation integrates real-world scenarios and team dynamics into iterative, while challenging students to apply core PPM methodologies — such as Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, the Delphi method, and PERT — to make strategic decisions on project selection, prioritisation, and resource allocation. The simulation employs Werbach & Hunter’s 6D framework to specifically target authentic learning objectives and player engagement dynamics. Evaluation with a cohort of 45 students suggests improved engagement, motivation, and conceptual understanding, with participants highlighting the authenticity of the scenarios and the value of collaborative problem-solving as key benefits. Findings support the broader adoption of gamification to enhance experiential learning and competency development in project management education.

ORCID iDs

El Raoui, Hanane ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9079-3248, Finn, Dominic, Melissourgos, Anthony and Garnier Artinano, Adrian;
  • Item type:Book Section
    ID code:95195
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    10 November 2025
    Published
    14 August 2025
    Accepted
    Subjects:Education
    Department:Strathclyde Business School > Management Science
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:07 Jan 2026 11:00
    Last modified:26 Jan 2026 01:10
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/95195
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