Creativity, Innovation and Learning

Creativity in Business Simulation Design

Designing a simulation is a highly creative activity and this is especially true if it's duration is very short, if has an unusual scenario or an uncommon structure.

My most challenging.short simulation was one lasting  two minutes and I regularly design simulations lasting less than a day.

Besides designing simulations replicating normal manaufacturing, retail or service businesses, I have designed a simulation replicating a Casino and one where the product was an ulltrasonic, electronic concrete mixer!

Besides the normal simulation structure where the learner runs a business unit for several periods, I designed a simulation to replicate a Stage-Gate process and others that allow learners to explore planning and sales negotiation.

Innovation in Business Simulation Design

Besides extensive experience designing business simulations, I have had extensive experience running them on courses and this led me to incorporating my innovative Tutor Support System into my simulations. And, not only does this make the simulations exceptionally easy to use but ensure unsurpassed learning.,

My innovative award winning architecture and simulation platform not only ensures good designs but also cuts design time by eighty to ninety percent.

But having  aninnovative software  architecture is not enough. Besides this business simulation design methodology must be outstanding and my Rock Pool methodology was recognised as excellent by the world leading Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning .

Finally, there is my innovation in the art of business simulation design. where I see  the focus of design on a structure that delivers learning rather than just replicating the real-world in the hope that this will provide learning without any additional effort.  As a consequence I have developed the revolutionary Corporate Cartooning business simulation design structure. And, this was recognised by being asked to keynote the 2008 International Simulation and Game Association conference.

Learning about Business Simulation Design

Underpinning creativity and innovation is learning and I spend a considerable time each year enhancing and extending my knowledge of business simulation design and use. My focus is on  how to learning improve effectiveness, efficiency and consistency in the design and use of simulations for business training. The focus on business training rather than academic use is because simulations designed for academic use are very different from those designed to help businesspeople learn.

Besides learning how to design better simulations that are easier to use, my learning has been recognised with a Churchill Fellowship and a National Training Award. One outcome of  my Churchill Fellowship study was my book SIMULATION: Virtual Business Experience (unfortunately currently out of print). This book was a practical guide to "using and choosing computerised business simulations and experiential exercises for management development", And I am currently working on another book "Corporate Cartooning: the art, science and craft of business simulation design".

Besides these books, I share my knowledge of simulation with trainers, training providers and academics through conference presentations, papers and via my website.