Simulation game design

Simulation game design specifications questionnaire

Condensed version published in: Wenzler, I. (2008) Is your simulation game blue or green? In De Caluwe, L., Hofstede, G.J., Peters, V. (eds) Why do games work: In search of the active substance. Kluwer, Den Haag. Copyright Ivo Wenzler for Accenture 2001-2012

This document has been devised to depict the design choices made for the Light Rail Simulation game.

A. Context

1. What is a current name for the simulation game initiative?

TUtram Sim

2. Who is the client?

   Macomi B.V. working on a tram simulator for HTM

3. What is a problem or opportunity that is driving the need for this initiative?

   To solve disruptions of tram operations, tram controllers typically use procedure-based guidebooks, often resulting in sub-optimal decisions. A transition process towards them making more flexible decisions is desired to improve their decision-making skill and overall performance.

4. To what extent is this problem or opportunity well recognized and understood by all key stakeholders and is there a shared commitment to action?

   The problem is well recognised by Macomi and the management of HTM. Both parties have strong desire to enable a transition process towards more optimal solution. Yet, it is unknown whether there is any such desire of tram controllers themselves. It is possible, that the change could be enforced on them as the given game is to be played during workshops and trainings.

5. What are the key business issues that have to be addressed or resolved with this initiative?

   By employing students to create a demonstration game, Macomi is expecting to gain competitive edge and better convince HTM of their choices and simulation tool usefulness.

6. What are the boundaries (scope) of the problem or opportunity (how deep into the organization and how broad in terms of the business environment)?

   The problem is rather marginal for both Macomi's simulation tool and HTM business activities. Yet, it constitutes for important reputability issue for HTM, as passengers are sensitive to tram operation disruptions. Improved handling of such, not so rare, events could prevent or decrease travellers irritation and possibly avoid excessive expenditure.

7. Why should we use a simulation game to address this problem or opportunity?

In order to evaluate the consequences of one's choices a mechanism calculating and displaying situation after a decision was made is needed. An immediate feedback, with scoring mechanism is best suited by a game with simulation elements.

8. What is the larger context within which the simulation game will take place?

9. Who is the client person that took the ownership over addressing or resolving this problem or acting on this opportunity?

10. What is the primary purpose of the intervention: a) creation of insight, understanding, or knowledge; or b) transfer of knowledge, skills or behaviours?

11. What is the value proposition of the simulation game (who will be benefiting, how much, when, and how are the benefits to be realized)?

12. What are the specific objectives to be achieved: a) increased level of awareness or insight into a particular issue; b) increased level and quality of explicit knowledge about something; c) increased level in mastering a particular skill; d) measurable change in behaviour; e) quality of the decisions resulting from the simulation game; or f) other?

13. How will the achievement of these objectives be measured, by whom, and when?

14. Are there any other (besides objectives) success criteria against which the simulation game will be measured? If yes, what are they and how will the measurement be done?

15. Who is the client person responsible for evaluating the success of the simulation game?

16. What are the stakeholder agendas in relation to the objectives and how do they manifest themselves?

17. What are the potential barriers (risks) for delivering the expected benefits: a) behavioural; b) procedural; c) technological; and/or d) organizational?

18. What is the nature of the underlying model we need to develop as the basis for a simulation game: a) qualitative; b) quantitative; or c) combination of qualitative and quantitative (to what extent)?

19. Which model of reality will be the basis for development of the simulation game: a) present (existing) reality; b) future (desired) reality; or c) transition from the existing to desired reality?

20. How is that model of reality to be treated during the run of the simulation game: a) as the only reality; b) as a framework for development of alternative realities; or c) other?

21. How will the main elements of reality be brought into the simulation game: a) by designers during the development process; b) by participants prior to the run; or c) by participants during the run?

22. How many different business scenarios should be played out during the run and how will they be introduced into the simulation game run?

23. What is the right level of detail (level of complexity) for these scenarios?

24. What is the nature of the story being told by a simulation game: a) it is based on the realistic representation of actual reality; b) it is based on a metaphor that to a large extent differs from the reality of the issue; or c) it is based on the mix of a reality and a metaphor (what should be real and what should be a metaphor)?

25. What will be the abstraction level of the simulation game: a) high level of abstraction (simulation of basic concepts); b) medium level of abstraction (simulation of key relationships); or c) low level of abstraction (simulation of actual processes)?

26. What are the specific solutions or messages to be communicated to participants?

27. How should these messages be communicated: a) implicitly; b) explicitly?

28. Is the storyline presented from a holistic (objective) or a segmented (subjective) point of view?

B. Participants

29. Who will be the participants and what are their roles and responsibilities within the organization: a) operational level; b) managerial level; c) executive level; or d) mixture of levels?

30. What is the expected number of participants or users of this simulation game?

31. How are the participants interacting with the simulation game: a) as single individuals; b) as multiple individuals (roles) at the same time; c) as one team; d) as multiple teams (roles) at the same time; or e) other configurations?

32. What is the minimum and maximum size of the group playing at the same time and place?

33. Are the same participants expected to participate more than once?

34. What is the primary motivation for taking part in a simulation game: a) participation is mandatory; or b) participation is voluntary?

35. What is the nature of the roles participants will be assuming in the simulation game: a) Their own real-life roles; b) The real-life roles of somebody else (assumed roles); or c) imaginary roles?

36. What is the nature of the organizational and individual culture of the players: a) homogeneous; or b) heterogeneous? How would this culture manifest itself in relation to the simulation game

37. How would this culture manifest itself in relation to the simulation game?

C. Process

38. What is the expected duration of the simulation game run?

39. Is the duration to be fixed or should it be flexible and to what extent?

40. Which time horizon is to be simulated during the simulation game run: a) real time (one-to-one relationship with the time flow in reality); b) concentrated time (e.g. one hour representing one year); or c) a mixture of both (what should be real-time and what should be concentrated)?

41. Are there any simulation game related activities that need to take place before or after the run, what are they, and why are they important?

42. What is the nature of interaction between participants: a) directive (guided and controlled by a facilitator or a single role); b) self-organizing (participants evolving and rearranging the interaction between them); or c) mixture of both (what will be directive and what self-organizing)?

43. What level of freedom in creating new content should participants have: a) options and choices are prescribed as part of the simulation game; b) participants will develop their own content; or c) mixture of both (what will be prescribed and what will be developed b participants)?

44. What is the desired tempo (pace) of the simulation game run?

45. How far the comfort zones of participants should be stretched (in terms of content and/or process)?

46. Who are the facilitators and do they require some specific skills or knowledge (if yes how will they be trained or enabled)?

47. Who will communicate and discuss the relevance of what has been learned during the simulation game run: a) participants; b) facilitators; c) management; or d) other?

48. Is the information generated during the run to be used after the run and how?

49. What is the nature of the simulation game run process: a) sequential (there is a single iteration from beginning to the end); or b) number of nested iterations (e.g. playing five years, each with four quarterly cycles)?

50. What is the nature of the style of the simulation game: a) based on group dynamic processes; b) based on intellectual processes; c) based on physical processes; d) based on resource flows; e) based on information flows; or f) other?

51. What is the nature of performance indicators within the simulation game itself: a) qualitative; b) quantitative; or c) mixture of both (what will be qualitative and what will be quantitative)?

52. What indicators will be used to measure the success of participants during the run?

D. Environment

53. In how many locations (at the same time) is the simulation game taking place: a) one single location (everybody at the same place); b) a number of different locations (participants are at multiple places at the same time); or c) other arrangements?

54. What is the character of the place where the simulation game is being run: a) physical (real-life) facility; b) virtual (IT based) environment; or c) combination of both physical and virtual (which part is physical and which part is virtual)?

55. What is the level of transformation of materials during the simulation game run: a) static (not changing throughout the play); or b) transformable (changing as a result of use by the players)?

56. Are there any specific requirements on portability and reproducibility of materials?

57. What is the level of realism of simulation game’s material representation: a) very realistic (the representation and use is real-life like); b) symbolic or metaphoric (artefacts or symbols that will be attributed substantive meaning); or c) mixture of both (what should be realistic and what should be symbolic)?