Introduction

Fast and Easy Simulation Design

Steve Semler

The Session in a Nutshell

• Figure out the business purpose and learning intent.

• Determine what actions or decisions the learners must handle.

• Choose a relevant scenario for the simulation.

• Design for 5 steps:

• Set the stage

• Open with a decision

• Make another important decision

• Make a concluding decision

• Reveal the outcome

• Use the Rapid Simulation Design Template.

What are Simulations?

Definition

sim·u·la·tion  [sim-yuh-ley-shuh n]: imitation or enactment, as of something anticipated or in testing.

For Learning…

Simulations simplify real-world environments enough for people to practice skills quickly, safely, and in a way that makes the learning points obvious.

Letting people try out new behaviors and choices in different contexts….

Winning Creative License – Simulation Background

Background:

• You are a training manager.

• You have to respond to a senior manager who is sponsoring some training on new sales procedures.

• Your needs analysis suggests that this is a perfect topic for simulation training—The trainees already know the basic facts, but don’t put their knowledge into practice.

• You know that the sponsor is comfortable with traditional instructor-led training, and has resisted any other kind of training methods.

Step 1What is the situation?

Winning Creative License Simulation

PROPERTIES

On passing, 'Finish' button: Goes to Next SlideOn failing, 'Finish' button: Goes to Next SlideAllow user to leave quiz: At any timeUser may view slides after quiz: At any timeUser may attempt quiz: Unlimited times

What are Simulations?

Intentionally-Designed Make-Believe

Simulations =

Good learning simulations have:• A situation to handle, or a problem to solve• A story, with a beginning, a middle, and an end• People acting out the story (in the 1st person)

Misconceptions and Related Tips

• Skill Practice is not a Simulation: Having a learner do a task doesn’t make the activity a simulation. Embedding the task into a meaningful context does!

• Design Tip: To turn skill practice into a simulation, add in the real-life challenges that the learners have to face as they perform the tasks on the job.

• Case Study is not a Simulation: While case studies include rich detail and learner decision making, they miss the first-person viewpoint that makes simulations effective.

• Design Tip: To turn a case study into a simulation, present the information in steps or chunks and have the learners make decisions at each step. The information they receive in the next step depends on what they did in the preceding step.

• Game is not a Simulation: Effective learning games require learner decision making, but the link to the job context is often too abstract.

• Design Tip: To turn a learning game into a simulation, put the decisions into a realistic context for the learners’ jobs.

What Makes a Good Learning Simulation?

Your thoughts…

What Makes a Good Learning Simulation?

Simulation Principles

Make the simulation feel like real work

Strip away excess complexity and focus on the key dynamic

Make the situations, choices, and outcomes believable

Allow choices to influence outcomes

Keep the rules in the background

Check out the White Paper: www.LearningSim.net/5-step-sims

Simulation Examples – Short and Simple Example

Giving Feedback – Mostly Positive, with One Correction

• Short, one-to-one role-playing simulation

• Give your employee feedback, with an appropriate emphasis on the positive and corrective feedback

• Step 1. Set the Stage. Background info, good job, one thing to do differently.

• Step 2. Meaningful Decision. “How do you open the conversation?”

• Step 3. Meaningful Decision. “How do you deliver a balanced feedback message?”

• Step 4. Meaningful Decision. “How do you conclude the conversation?”

• Step 5. Reveal the Outcome. Partner gives feedback, scores against list of yes/no competency criteria.

Simulation Examples – Team Example

Ethics Simulation – Handling the Pressure for Results

• Moderate, three-party group simulation with all three decisions being addressed at once in the activity.

• Make decisions about how to get results under time pressure

• Step 1. Set the Stage. Background info, each party has a different cost-reduction strategy and set of priorities.

• Step 2. Meaningful Decision. “How do you recognize the ethical implications of decisions?”

• Step 3. Meaningful Decision. “How do you handle the pressure for results?”

• Step 4. Meaningful Decision. “How do you balance ethics and results?”

• Step 5. Reveal the Outcome. Solution worksheet, with a matrix of possible risks and outcomes, depending on decisions made.

Simulation Examples – Complex Example

Sales Simulation – Major B2B Service Contract

• Long four-part simulation, including proposal writing and sales team presentation to a role-player panel

• Scope, propose, and sell the solution

• Step 1. Set the Stage. Background info about your company, the prospect’s company, the opportunity.

• Step 2. Meaningful Decision. “How do you understand and communicate the customer’s needs?”

• Step 3. Meaningful Decision. “How do you write the sales proposal?” (learners use their own proposal template and process)

• Step 4. Meaningful Decision. “How do you make a presentation to win over a group of decision makers?”

• Step 5. Reveal the Outcome. Panel gives feedback, awards business (or not), scores against list of yes/no competency criteria.

The Rapid Simulation Design Template

Rapid Simulation Design Template

Get Organized and Creative:

• Business Outcomes

• Audience Characteristics and Learning Objectives

• Simulation Topic or Scenario

• Challenges – What do they have to do?

• Feedback and Scoring

• Scoring Tiers (if used) – Best, Okay, Poor answer characteristics

Important Tip: Link the simulation to the ultimate business outcomes the training is supposed to address.

Rapid Simulation Design Template, continued

Add More Detail:

• Information and Resources for the Learner

• 5-Step Detail

• Step 1. Set the Stage

• Step 2. Make a Meaningful Decision

• Step 3. Make the Next Meaningful Decision

• Step 4. Make the Closing Meaningful Decision

• Step 5. Reveal the Outcome

Simulation Design – Your Turn!

Use the Rapid Simulation Design Template to work on a design for your own training need.

• Work by yourself or with others

• Use any ideas or resources you wish

• Try to complete the first page

• Move on to the second page to add detail, if you have time

• Be prepared to share some of your thoughts with others (if possible)

How Are You Going to Use This?

Take it home with some questions…

• What delivery method are you going to use for your next learning solution?

• What are some things people ought to know about creating or using simulations for this delivery method?

• What thoughts or observations do you have as a wrap up for this session?

And at the end…• Figure out the

business purpose and learning intent.

• Determine what actions or decisions the learners must handle.

• Choose a relevant scenario for the simulation.

• Design for the 5 steps.

• Use the Rapid Simulation Design Template.

Bring your training a step closer to reality.

Your learners are waiting.

Credits“Fast and Easy Simulation Design” is a course by LearningSim.

Based on the training product“5-Step Simulations™“

Visit www.learningsim.net/5-step-sims formore information about the 5-Step Simulation™

method and material

Facilitation, narration, and course design by:Steve Semler

Produced in Microsoft PowerPoint® 2007 andArticulate Studio ’09®.

© Copyright LearningSim, 2009. All rights reserved.