Insurance · Cloud Migration · State Farm
Cloud Migration Project Manager Simulation — State Farm
Lead a $12.5M mainframe-to-cloud migration for the largest auto insurer in the US. Navigate vendor complexity, hidden integrations, and data migration risk across 27 simulated days as the true scope of a 40-year-old system slowly reveals itself. Gain hands-on project management experience over 27 days of real decisions, stakeholders, and PMO deliverables — no prior experience required.
The scenario
State Farm — the largest auto insurer in the United States — has commissioned a re-platforming of its core policy administration system from IBM z/OS mainframes to AWS using Micro Focus Enterprise Server. The mainframe has run continuously since 1987 and processes 40 million active policy records, 200+ nightly batch jobs, and 50 documented system integrations. The business case is compelling: the average z/OS developer at State Farm is 55 years old, mainframe talent is retiring faster than it can be replaced, and annual maintenance costs are $18M and rising. The digital experience team cannot build modern customer-facing applications on top of a COBOL backend. The board approved the migration with a $12.5M budget and a 16-month timeline. You have been brought in as the IT Project Manager to drive delivery. Accenture is the migration partner (team of 8, billing daily). AWS Professional Services is providing architecture support. The previous PM handed the project over cleanly — this is not a rescue. But as you will discover, the project's apparent simplicity is its most dangerous feature.
What you'll do as the project manager
- →Re-platform all COBOL policy administration workloads from IBM z/OS to AWS using Micro Focus Enterprise Server
- →Migrate 40M active policy records with zero data integrity loss — validated by actuarial sign-off
- →Maintain business continuity: zero unplanned downtime to claims processing during cutover
- →Complete migration within $12.5M approved budget and 16-month programme timeline
- →Decommission mainframe environment within 90 days of successful go-live
Project management skills you'll build
The challenges you'll navigate
- •Mainframe integration inventory may be incomplete — CMDB was last audited 3 years ago
- •Data migration complexity for EBCDIC-to-ASCII conversion of insurance policy records with packed decimal fields
- •Dual-run period ($9M) is unfunded — if required for business continuity, it creates a major budget gap
- •Mainframe skills concentration risk — two of three remaining z/OS developers are within 18 months of retirement
- •Accenture SOW scoped data migration as 'standard ETL' without insurance-specific data conversion provisions
Technology & stakeholders
You'll manage 7 stakeholders, including Ashley Pettit (Executive VP & Chief Information Officer), Rob Johnson (Enterprise Technology Executive), Jeffrey Lev (Chief Actuary), and more.
What you'll walk away with
A verified, shareable record of a completed enterprise project — plus the PMO deliverables you produced along the way (charter, project plan, SteerCo deck, closure document). It's real, demonstrable project management experience you can put on your resume and speak to in interviews.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need project management experience to start?
No. This simulation is built for aspiring and practicing project managers alike — you learn by doing. You make real decisions and get feedback, with no PMP or prior PM job required.
How long does this simulation take?
It runs over 27 days, roughly 27 minutes per day, covering the full project lifecycle from initiation to closure.
What will I learn?
You practice the core of project management — stakeholder management, budget and schedule control, risk, scope, and PMO governance — in the context of cloud migration in insurance.
Is this based on the real State Farm?
It's a realistic scenario inspired by State Farm and the Insurance sector. Details and names are fictionalized for training — it's a simulation, not a record of any actual project.
What do I get at the end?
A verified project completion plus the PMO deliverables you produced (charter, plan, SteerCo deck, closure) — proof of hands-on experience you can show employers.
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