Are you looking for a Business Simulation, a Business Game, a Story, or an Exercise? Wait, what’s the difference? This has become a more common question or uncertainty. To be honest, it’s not an easy question to answer these days.
Let’s start with a branching story-
In summary, some business training can utilize a branching story more effectively than other training methods. A branching story is a linear story (from left to right) that contains various stops where readers (or participants) can make decisions (vertical movement). In general, there are only a few possible outcomes (not so good, good, better, best). By creating the opportunity for participants to actively engage in a story, they can more effectively live through a situation.
Branching stories tend to be effective for quick team building exercises where you want teams to solve basic problems through team work. These methods are incredibly easy to deploy, manage, and utilize minimal budget resources (they’re cheap!).
Business Games-
This is making learning fun. An example would be the late 80s/early 90s game “Where in the World is Karmen San Diego”. This is a game for kids that teaches all sorts of skills but you’d never know it. This is like eating your vegetables covered in Hollandaise sauce. They taste good and are good for you (sort of). The term Business Games is more often used to stand for simulation games that are challenging and have a component of competition. We tend to use games and simulations interchangeable even though we probably shouldn’t. This is probably because interactive simulations are fun, challenging, and competitive.
People may argue us on this one, but pure games are more often used by kids and not often found within business circumstances. Employees don’t want to feel childish. That being said, they are fun!
eSimulations-
This is the tough one to define. An IT simulation will often focus on a business problem, process, or management challenge. The form of this is often on the computer and is developed in anything from Spreadsheets through C/C++/Java or online utilizing various tools (i.e. Flash, SQL, Flex, etc). These are very non linear and can have an infinite number of potential outcomes. For the purpose of business training, these often take the form of teams driving a business in competition with each other in an effort to teach specific (or broad) business skills or strategies. Simulations are very effective at developing business acumen while helping participants learn and exercise intangible skills (ex: new strategy, process, or procedure). They are also very exciting, rewarding, and fun to utilize.
Electronic Business Simulations are exceptionally effective for management re-engagement, training, and team building. This is basically learning by doing without the risk. Sims can help businesses align employees behind strategies while enabling them to live through the experience of executing the new strategy and see first hand what happens if someone doesn’t.
The above examples are a generalizations. Like all generalizations, there are many exceptions to the rule. We decided to write on this because people have been asking us the difference between a business IT simulations, business game, or branching story. These are all forms of simulation and it can really come down to splitting hairs and preference of names. We accept all the above and don’t mind what you call them.
- SIMDEVGROUP
