Challenging puzzles to create a positive attitude and interest to real projects and Project Management Profession. The starters can be used at the beginning of a class or a competition. The most difficult challenges are at the end of the presentation. The answers can be found in Gerry Geek's ebook at Amazon : Find the answers in http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Breakers-Project-Managers-Brainteasers-ebook/

1. Project Starters
challenging puzzles to create
positive attitude to real projects
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

2. 1. Repair Project
John is going to repair his house.
There are three major activities:
electrical installation takes 3 man-days;
sanitary installation takes 4 man-days; and
garden work takes 5 man-days.
His girl-friend Mary agrees to participate in the project.
They have the same skills and productivity, but refuse to
work on the same activity at the same time.
What is the project duration if they work together?
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

3. 2. Completion Strategy
John works on three projects.
He can complete the first project in 10 days.
He complete the second project in 20 days.
He can complete the third project in 30 days.
What is better: to launch all three projects at the same time or completing it one by one?
How long does the execution last if three other people join him?
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

4. 3. Magic Words
A manager pays John $80 for each customer feedback
and fines him $20 for each input that does not include
the phrase “completely satisfied”.
This month, John received $1500 as a result of 50
customers’ responses.
How many responses include the magic words?
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

5. 4. Mentors and apprentices
Three mentors and four apprentices produce
as many devices in five days as two mentors
and four apprentices do in six days.
Who is the best performers :
mentors or apprentices?
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

6. 5. Mary works faster than John
Mary can complete a job in 40 days.
John can complete the job in 50 days.
Estimate for how many days they work on two such
activities if they change them at the best moment.
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

7. 6. Communication
John sent an email to his three partners.
Everybody answered and copied the answer to all
others.
A total of 12 emails were sent.
How many emails are sent if there are 40 people
communicating in the same manner?
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

8. 7. The Best Performer
Anna (A), Bill (B), Cindy (C), and Daniel (D)
work on a project.
Together, A, B, and C can complete it in 10 days.
Together, B, C, and D can complete it in 11 days.
Together, C, D, and A can complete it in 12 days.
Together, D, A, and B can complete it in 13 days.
Who is the best performer?
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

9. 8. More People
One hundred workers complete a project in 100
working days.
Adding ten more people decreases the productivity
of every worker by 1%.
How many days would it take to complete a similar
project using 110 people?
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

10. 9. Errors
John detected two errors and
Mary three errors in a code.
There is one error in common.
How many errors are still undetected?
(This looks like a joke. However, there is a mathematical solution to the problem that
shows the number of undetected errors. We are sure that you can easily find it. 99.9% fail
or refuse to solve it.)
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

11. 10. Busy Boss
CEO of a start-up company Big Money, James Jones, is
expecting two important 10-minute phone calls from
two investors today at a randomly selected time from
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
What is the probability that the two calls don't overlap?
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com

12. 11. Project Duration
The picture shows a project
plan. Arrows indicate where
an activity must be finished
before the next activity can
start. The number shows
the duration of the activity
in days.
20016, © Gerry Geek geek.aplusclick.com
What is the duration of the project in days?
Answer: http://www.aplusclick.com/t.htm?q=5808

13. Project Starters
challenging puzzles to create a
positive attitude to real projects
Find the answers in
http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Breakers-Project-Managers-Brainteasers-ebook/dp/B00KKU4BUA