Beyond reality training

• 1. Beyond Reality: Aspects of Business Simulation Design and Use that Deliver Learning Jeremy J. S. B. Hall Training 2010 Conference February 3 rd -Session 706

2. Purpose

• Explore:

• • The elements and structure of a business simulation designed for learning.

• • The appropriate level of reality to ensure learning and engagement.

• • What is required beyond the simulation model for a simulation that focuses on learning rather than just replicating thereal world.

• Strategic simulation design issues

3. Audience

• Users of business simulations?

• Designers of business simulations?

• Choosers/authorisers of business simulations?

• None of the above?

4. Agenda

• Introduction me

• Simulations what they do

• Why doyouuse simulations?

• What doyouwant from them?

• Reality: the reel problem and the cat, the kitten the hysterical bird and the naked man

• Beyond reality: design for learning issues, focus and waste

• Case Study the DISTRAIN SIMULATION

• Summary

5. Jeremy Hall

• Designer of business simulations

• • Over the last 40 years have designed 60+

• User of simulations for training

• • Run them around the world 2,000 + times

• Believe passionately in their use and how to improve their design.

6. Simulations: What they do PREPARE REVIEW SIMULATE P-2 P-1 P-3 P-4 P-5 MAKE DECISIONS ANALYSE RESULTS SIMULATE REPLAN 7. Why doyouuse simulations?

• Explore Knowledge and Challenge Understanding

• Develop and Practise Skills

• Motivate and Engage

• Assessment and Evaluation

• Enhance Learning

• Churchill Fellowship Study (Hall, 1996)

What are simulations best for? 8. What doyouwant from them?

• Your wish list for a business simulation?

• • A Model of your business?

• • Bling?

• • Effective, efficient & consistent learning?

• • Transfer

• • • Replicate your issues?

• • • Use by in-house trainers?

9. Reality the holy grail?

• A commonly held view is that an exact replica of reality is the ultimate goal of business simulation design.

• Designers of business simulations all have the common objective of making their model as realistic as possible (Decker et al, 1987)

• Management simulations are valid pedagogic tools provided they are complex and realistic(Miller & Leroux-Demers 1992)

10. Exploringreality

• Two cases

• The Simulator: The Reel Problem!

• The cat, the kitten, the hysterical bird and the naked man!

11. The simulator: the reel problem Would reality be better? And this from someone who finds tail chasing valid. Ive got my new bird simulator But its a cotton reel! UK: Cotton Reel US: Cotton Spool Its less funny in American But the shape, structure, flavour & colour are not valid. 12. The cat, the kitten, the hysterical bird and the naked man. Reality is confusing, complex, uncontrolled and messy! squawksquawk squawk squawk squawk p u r rr r r r mew squawk 13. What sort of reality?

• The degree to which the game corresponds with the real life situation(Norris, 1986) ( External Validity)-aprecise mathematical model of the business?

• Orthe extent to which the training environment prompts the essential underlying psychological processes relevant to key performance in the real-world setting (Kozlowski and DeShon, 2004) . (Psychological Fidelity)-the extent to which the simulation elicits the appropriate Cognitive Processing develops wisdom.

14. Beyond Reality Design

• • Strategic Design Issues

• • Purpose

• • Focus

• • Tactical Design Issues

• • Simplicity & Stylisation

• • Beyond the Model - Interactions

• • Dynamics

• • Engagement

• • Design for Use

15. Learning, Learning, Learning

• Forbusiness simulations , the learning purpose in todays turbulent and ever changing world is to learn how to approach and solve business problems rather than know the best solution (as in the past?).

• So, I see simulations being concerned with developing Business Wisdom rather than BusinessKnowledge .

• Design Aspect

• • Base simulation design on what needs to be learned rather than what is real.

Learning Ladder 16. Focus

• B + C = Learning Need (purpose)

• A + B = Issues addressed by the simulation

• Ideally

• • B >> A (as A iswasteandprolongsthe simulation)

• • B > C (learners time is used productively)

• Design Aspect

• • Only build in decisions, models and results that address learning needs not because they arereal, coolorneat!

A B C 17. Stylisation & Simplification An Iconic Model of Reality - The London Underground 18. The Model: Stylising & Simplification Increasing simplicity Surreal Real Business Imaginary Generic Business Increasing stylisation Corporate Cartooning(Hall 2008) Industry Specific 19. Beyond the Model Decisions The Model Results Need to relate to issues, stimulate thought and not be obvious. Need to link to decisions, stimulate thought and not be obvious. Interactions are as important as the model! Issues Actions Outcomes 20. Interactions Decisions & Results Decreasing Ambiguity less detail (granularity) Ambiguity affects cognition Granularity affects workload Corporate Cartooning(Hall 2008) 21. Dynamics

• Simulations aredynamicand thismustbe allowed for.

• To ensure deep thought decisions must be appropriatelyambiguous.

• Cognitiveworkloadmust be taken into account.

• Interactions must bestableandreasonable .

• Design Aspects

• • Ramp complexity and challenge as the simulation progresses.

• • Test the modelsbehaviour.

Computer Simulations: Design for Process(Hall 2008) 22. Engagement

• Days of tedium in front of a computer: corporate gaming is just like real lifeTimes 6 thDec. 2008

• Design Aspects:

• • Challenge and purpose

• • Appropriate workload (not too much or too little).

• • Evolving experience (cognitive and affective).

• • Appropriate ambiguity (linking cause and effect).

• • Appropriate competition winning and not losing!

23. Design for Use

• Use by In-house Trainers - Transfer

• • Training by Schneider employees was more about having local market knowledge than cost.

• • Each simulation was tutored by a Gambro senior manager because this person would have the necessary in-depth knowledge of the business.

• Tutor Support System Ease of Use

• • A system that provides additional reports to help reveal and explain the operation of the simulation, to allow the trainers to reactively answer questions and proactively manage the learning process.

24. DISTRAIN Case Study

• Improve Sales Engineers Business to Business knowledge

• Replicate a Schneider Distributor

• Be run by Schneider staff

• ProvideActive Learning

• Last no more than a day

• Existing simulation extensively customized

25. DISTRAIN - Issues

• Replicate an electrical distributor

• Interactions across whole enterprise

• Distributor objectives and measures

• Finance profitability, liquidity etc.

• Marketing customer needs and influences

• Purchasing inventory management

• Human Resources skills and availability

26. DISTRAIN - Simplification

• One day duration limited complexity.

• Markets limited to three sectors.

• Only 15 separatedecisions .

• Somedecisionswerelow granularity .

27. DISTRAIN - Stylisation

• Decisionsdesigned to link to Issues

• Decisionsand Issues introduced in stages.

• Interactions: Decisions and Results.

• Somedecisionscompany wide.

• Profit levelslikeindustry but better.

• Limited types of customers, promotions and resources.

• Customer Service dynamic removed.

28. DISTRAIN The Outcomes

• Feedback from Schneider Electric/Square D after the first years use (multiple runs).

• Recalibration ensured the simulation wasreal world.

• Continuous introduction of new ideas kept everyone interested.

• Training by Schneider employees was more about local market knowledge than cost.

• Each decision needed to be accounted for by another to maximize impact. Schneider has been trying to teachthinking through the process for years this class helped them understand.

29. Beyond Reality - Summary

• Three Aspects

• • From Reality to Simplification & Stylisation

• • Engagement from Content to Fun

• • Learning: Support and Process

• Does and Donts

• • Dont add stuff because it isreal.

• • Do create aramped, evolving experience.

• • Do spend time on designing the interactions.

• • Do link complexity to duration.

30. Jeremy J. S. B. Hall Phone+4420 7537 2982 E-mail:[email_address] Web Site:www.simulations.co.uk from knowledge through simulated experience to wisdom 31. Bonus Slides The slides beyond this point are to explore issues and are not part of the main presentation 32. Exploring knowledge & challenging understanding

• Business Appreciation

• Basic Finance

• Business Strategy

• Etc.

• Learning issues

• • Knowledge Acquisition

• • Comprehension

• • Application

• • Synthesis

• • Evaluation

RETURN Simulation SIMULATION: Virtual Business Experience (Hall 1996) Lower Order Thinking Higher Order Thinking 33. To practice & develop skills

• Decision-Making

• Analysis & Diagnosis

• Handling uncertainty & ambiguity

• Present, promote & negotiate ideas

• Team Working

• Learning Issues

• • Share Experience & Knowledge

RETURN SIMULATION: Virtual Business Experience (Hall 1996) 34. To motivate & engage

• Break fromlectures

• Get sales people tothink profit

• Break downinhibitions

• Fun!!!

• Learning Issues

• • Business people are action oriented

• • Competition is a two edged sword

RETURN SIMULATION: Virtual Business Experience (Hall 1996) 35. To Assess & Evaluate

• Assessing Learning (the learners view)

• • Self-Assessment

• • Informal Assessment

• • Formal Assessment

• Evaluating Training (the providers view)

• • Prior Learning

• • Delegate Needs

• • Remedial Needs

• • Course Needs

• Learning Issues

• • Life-long learning issues

• • Explicit assessment can detract from learning

RETURN SIMULATION: Virtual Business Experience (Hall 1996) 36. Enhance Learning

• Link Theory & Practice

• • Adult Learners concerned with using learning

• Integrate

• • Both with past learning and elements of course

• Assimilate (memorise)

• • Deep Processing

• • 15 x more effective than lectures

• Revise, Review & Reinforce

• Learning Issues

• • Adult Learners are concerned with process

• • Active Learning

RETURN SIMULATION: Virtual Business Experience (Hall 1996) 37. Systems Dynamics Model RETURN Computer Simulations: Design for Process(Hall 2008) Time Understanding Confusion Cognition Time Happiness Unhappiness Affection Time Too much work Too little work Workload 38. KNOWLEDGE BUSINESS SUCCESS WISE DECISIONS WISDOM EXPERIENCE Shared Experience Managed Experience Simulated Experience Learning strategy must extendbeyond building knowledge to encompass gaining experienceand through it wisdom Simulations provide for this! RETURN The Learning Ladder (www.simulations.co.uk/ladder) 39. DISTRAIN Decisions Quarter 5 Quarter 5 Quarter 5 Quarter 5 Quarter 4 Quarter 4 Quarter 3 Quarter 2 Quarter 1 Quarter 1 Quarter 1 Introduced Yes/No Small Project Initiative Yes/No Demo Room Yes/No Demo Equipment Yes/No Electronic Linkage Company Receivable Days Company Number of Products Company Training Days Company Staff Numbers Company Marketing by Market Inventory Purchases by Market Percent Markup Granularity Decisions 40. DISTRAIN: Tutor Support