Planit-Shared (How a simulation plays)

Planit-Shared learning simulation was developed with West Midlands IEP. The simulation looks at the issues of improvement and efficiency while dealing with financial limits. It also looks at the opportunity of shared services and considers the human resources ramifications of their introduction.

The sequence to the right shows screen dumps from Planet-Shared. Use the + and - buttons to move through the images. Note that in our workshops the delegates do not use the computer. Instead they use worksheets to make decisions.

Learning simulations are resource / risk management games. We run them in workshops where delegates are split into sub-teams to play the roles of departments or organisations.

The workshops are topped and tailed with other exercises such as action planning and can be factored into larger programmes.

The learning simulations run over three to four rounds (simulated years); depending on the simulation this can take between three to five hours.

Each round is split into four phases:

1. State of play - looking at reports and listening to explanations from the facilitator.

2. Purchase decisions - working with sub team to choose purchases that will deliver the strategy. And negotiating with other sub teams that might be able to help.

3. Input the purchase decisions - Once all the decisions have been made, the teams return to their seats, and the facilitator asks each team, “What have you bought and why?”

4. Deal with any incidents - Things go wrong and the teams need sort out these problems.

Learning simulations succeed because they are authentic and enable delegates to practice decision-making. They level the playing field, as everyone starts with the same knowledge. The informal nature of the workshop enables delegates to network.

But, we believe the most important factor is that the learning simulation is an anchor for conversations among team mates, across teams, and at a group level mediated by the facilitator.

Learning simulations create dialogue and build relationships.

The simulation nature coupled with the discussion with other ‘teams’ made a welcome change from the usual death by power point and sleep inducing presentations. A well run event, which really got the message across in a stimulating and innovative way.