ppp of simulation development2
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
The Three P's of Simulation Development ROI:
Prototype, Prototype, and Prototype
Shon BayerManaging Partner
Bjorn BillhardtCEO
Ben KatzContent Developer
Session Agenda
Today we’ll talk about:• Horror stories from the trenches • How to develop a prototyping strategy• Who to get involved in prototyping• Hands-On examples of prototypesWe won’t talk about:• Prototyping software simulations• ROI Analysis
Who are You?• How many of you prefer the term game to
simulation? • How many of you are simulation developers?• How many of you are simulation consumers?• How many of you are new to simulations?
Simulation Types and Development Costs
Simulation Type
2D Game (10-15 min)
Team-Based Business Simulation (1 day)
Customized Board Game (4-8 hours)
Branching Simulation (30 min - 1 hour)
Spreadsheet Simulation (1-2 hours)
Average Price
1. $75K-$125K
2. $50K-$100K+
3. $250K-$500K+
4. $100K-$250K
5. $20K-$40K
Executive Challenge: Case Example• Executive Challenge™ -
Leadership Development Simulation
• Team-based, multiplayer simulation
• Used by organization such as Bank of America, Alltel, Pitney Bowes, and MIT – Sloan
A Cautionary Tale
Lessons Learned
• Think about the “experience” early– Team size 22?
• Be prepared for emergent features– Ethics Leadership
• Don’t develop in the echo chamber– Put the sim in front of “real” users soon and often
• Don’t lose focus on low-priority features• Throw out the design document
Two Process Models
Concept Beta Final
Standard Process
Iterative Prototype-Driven Process
A Different Way to Develop Simulations
What Does Failure Look Like?
• Interface and mechanism confusion • Difficult to learn, long ramp-up time• Boring, non-engaging experience• Doesn’t align with learning objectives• Doesn’t mesh into overarching program • Significant additional development effort to
“fix” sim
Tools to Prototype With
• Choose an approach that aligns with the goals of the simulation, development team skill sets, and resource needs
• There is no “right” approach:– Thought Experiments– Paper Based Prototypes– Excel Based– Iterative Computer Based– Hybrid Approach– Rapid Development Tool
Hands on Prototyping Examples
Paper + Excel Prototypes
Excel Prototype Paper + Excel + Web Prototype
Executive Challenge Supply Chain Management Simulation
Finance Leader Simulation
Best Practices for Prototyping
The Two Key Ingredients
• The right prototype• The right audience
The Right Prototype
Design team should have a clear notion of what needs to be tested:
Game mechanics
Data entry
Realism
Balancing
User Interface
Motivational strategies
Alignment with learning objectives
FunHow to Learn the Simulation
Pacing, Rhythm
Facilitation
Single player versus multiplayer
Difficulty
Paper versus computer-based
What to Test and When
Game mechanics
Data entry
Realism
Balancing
User Interface
Motivational strategies
Alignment with learning objectives
FunHow to Learn the Simulation
Pacing, Rhythm
Facilitation
Single player versus multiplayer
Difficulty
Paper versus computer-based
Prototype Stage
Early •Fundamental Game Design (Single player vs. multiplayer, paper vs. computer based)•User interface •Motivational strategies•Game mechanics•How to learn the simulation
Middle •Alignment with learning objectives•Pacing and rhythm•Facilitation•Fun•Realism
Late •Balancing•Difficulty•Program Integration
The Right Prototype (cont)
• Don’t be afraid to test a single game mechanic or learning objective in a playtest
• Build in complexity over time (but don’t be afraid to keep it out altogether)
What a Playtest Might Look LikeEarly Prototypes Later Prototypes
15 minutes Context and Vision Setting
15 minutes Articulate Learning Objectives
30 minutes Communicating Rules 15 minutes Communicating Rules
2 hours Play 1 hour Play
30 min Debrief Experience 30 minutes “Real” Debrief
1 hour Brainstorm New Ideas + Consensus on next steps
1 hour Play
1 hour Debrief Experience
The Right Audience
Prototype Stage Audience Profile
Early (Concept) •Designers (Visual and Instructional)•Gamers•Subject Matter Experts•Sponsors
Middle (Details) •Subject Matter Experts•Stakeholders•End Users
Late (Polish) •Quality Assurance•Expert Players•End Users
Case Example: Pitney Bowes• Simulation focused on changing behavior
of sales managers from a quota-based mindset to a P&L-based mindset
• What we did right:– Buy-in from executives, stakeholders and SMEs– Open design process, great communication
• What we did wrong:– No prototyping – expectation gap between
Design Document and Alpha was immense– Alpha was made up of executive sponsors with
collective P&L responsibility of $4B+ – Beta was made up of end users
Other Best Practices
• Have specific objectives for each prototype, but embrace uncertainty
• Always keep the goals of the simulation (learning objectives, experience) at front and center
• Be clear in communications as “reality” changes
About Enspire Learning► Enspire delivers exceptional simulation experiences that
help our clients address strategic learning challenges
► Our Austin-based team of 60+ learning professionals provides best practices in design, development, and delivery of e-learning, simulations, and blended learning
► Our award-winning solutions have delivered value to some of the most demanding and prestigious organizations around the world
“The Enspire team who worked with me from the initial point of contact through implementation was exceptionally professional, friendly, helpful and detail-oriented. The simulation itself was a big success.”
-Dr. Corrine Bendersky, Professor of Management, UCLA Anderson School of Management
