The $2005$ Canada Games: A Case for PMI$$s Volunteer Driven Project Management Model

The character of the Canada Games has changed little since the first torch was lit in $1967.$ The event itself, however, has changed significantly, and has grown in size, scope, complexity and cost. With $16$ sports on the program, the August $2005$ games in Regina, Saskatchewan, proved to be the biggest yet, with close to $12,000$ visitors. There is a great deal at stake in organizing a successful event$$ organizers must negotiate three levels of government funding, marketing contracts and stakeholder relationships. In addition, organizers must coordinate: $$ long$-$term capital projects$$

$$ multiple budgets$$

$$ venue retrofits$$ and

$$ accommodations for more than $4,500$ athletes and staff Because of this, $2005$ Canada Games organizers knew it was time for them to reach out to the professionals.

Due to this, the $2005$ Canada Games organizers knew it was time for them to reach out to the professionals.

Background

Since their inception in $1967,$ the Games have had a proud legacy of volunteer recruitment. Organizers in many of the previous host communities have successfully recruited thousands of willing volunteers to lend their time and expertise to help plan and share the host role. In $2003,$ in keeping with the volunteer tradition, organizers approached the Regina$/$ South Saskatchewan PMI Chapter and asked for help. The chapter reached out to its membership to gauge interest in volunteering as a project manager for the games and received an overwhelming response.

Challenges

A central challenge for the games$$ organizers and their project managers was that traditional project management could not be applied due to the volunteer nature of the games. A new model allowing for varying levels of formal project management practices among the volunteers would have to be created.

QUESTION $1(20$ Marks$)$

The case study indicates that professional project managers were utilised to manage the projects at the $2005$ Canada Games. Examine the project manager skills that you have studied and discuss how the skills could have benefited the project in the case study.