Design Prerequisites

I use the term development because experience running simulations more than two thousand times has shown that they address wider needs than just delivering learning. My experience shows that a management course or session involves more than just content (knowledge) or skills practice. Rather, its design must include deciding how to ensure and enhance learning, motivate the participants and assess what they have learned and what they must learn. So, I use a session needs model that encompasses:

KNOWLEDGE EXPLORATION

MANAGEMENT SKILLS PRACTICE

LEARNING ENHANCEMENT

MOTIVATION

ASSESSMENT

Knowledge Exploration: Like learning on-the-job, simulations are particularly strong at developing business understanding through the experiential exploration of business issues. But, unlike learning on the job this exploration is in a focused, controlled and coached environment. An environment where it is possible to reflect on actions and share and compare approaches with fellow managers. Our simulations explore business knowledge from simple concepts to advanced strategy.

Skills Practice: Management is not just to do with knowing or even understanding. It is necessary to apply and use the knowledge. To make decisions and solve real problems. Our simulations do this and allow participants to practice problem solving, decision-making, analysis, diagnosis etc. as a member of a team in an uncertain, dynamic and ambiguous world. But a world where the trainer can ensure and manage learning.

Enhancing Learning: For working managers their learning must involve drawing on prior learning and experience and allow them to integrate this with the new learning in a memorable manner. Also, since managers are concerned with doing. part of the learning process must involve challenging their understanding and force them to reflect. Our simulations do this.

Motivation: The active and competitive nature of our simulations ensure involvement and hard work! So they can be used to break down inhibitions, provide a change of pace or an exciting course finale. Also, with the focus on business success, profits and results, our simulations provide an activity that emphasises these values in a team building environment.

Assessment: Although the, traditional academic examination is unlikely to be appropriate for working managers assessment of learning is important. As managers take charge of the lifelong learning, they need an activity that tests and challenges their knowledge and skills and identifies needs. For the trainer, there is the need to assess development needs to tailor the course and to assess learning to determine remedial work and course redesign. Again our simulations provide for this assessment.

DURATION

The most common and major constraint we face when designing and providing simulations is time. With modal management course lengths a week or less, no course activity can be long. So, we specialise in short durations - from two hours to two and a half days. In fact, on one memorable occasion, I developed a business simulation lasting two minutes!

MANNER OF USE

The way a simulation is to be used influences its design. Over the years we have designed simulations to be used:

AS A COURSE FINALE

AS A COURSE STARTER

AS A COURSE THEME

TO REINFORCE A TOPIC

AS A "BREAK"

AS A STAND ALONE EVENT

AS A CONFERENCE "GAME"

ON ASSESSMENT/DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

TO PROVIDE "SPARE TIME" LEARNING

IN GRADUATE RECRUITMENT

AS A PROMOTIONAL CONTEST

TARGET USERS

We design and provide simulations for use on management development courses for in-company training, by training providers and training consultants. We have this focus because the requirements of this group is different from those of academic users on full time courses.

Most recent update: 05/09/08
Hall Marketing, Studio 11, Colman's Wharf, 45 Morris Road, London E14 6PA, ENGLAND
Phone & Fax +44 (0)20 7537 2982 E-mail jeremyhall@simulations.co.uk