High Value Learning using Business Simulations with in-company facilitation.

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High Value Learning using Business Simulations
with in-company facilitation.

• Jeremy J. S. B. Hall,
• Churchill Fellow, FRSA
• www.simulations.co.uk

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• Explore how in-company staff can facilitate
  computer business simulations to minimise cost
  and maximise learning transfer.
• See how and why companies use simulations with
  in-company facilitators
• Learn what you need to get up and running with
  minimum investment
• Understand how to run a simulation on your course
  for your staff
• Determine how to choose the right simulation for
  your needs

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Business Simulation the business training
equivalent of the flight simulator
REVIEW
SIMULATE
PREPARE
P-2
P-3
P-4
P-5
P-2
P-1
P-3
P-4
P-5
MAKE DECISIONS
SIMULATE
REPLAN
ANALYSE RESULTS
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Business Simulation the system
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The training managers survey results

• The two top issues
• Almost half of training managers have found their
  main challenge over the past 12 months to be a
  lack of budget
• Most see developing an understanding of a
  company's exact needs and culture to be most
  important in an external provider
• http//www.trainingzone.co.uk/topic/reed-learning-
  stats/146124
• Posted by Jon Kennard in The training cycle on
  Tue, 10/05/2010 - 1629

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Why in-company facilitation?

• Trivial answer Because external training
  consultants are expensive.
• But, more importantly, to ensure relevant and
  transferable learning, the trainer must
  understand the learners business and its
  issues.
• Jump to Case Study 2

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Case Study 1 Schneider Electric/Square D

• Schneider Electric is the worlds power and
  control specialist.
• American division sells via electrical
  distributors.
• USA Operation.

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Schneider The Needs

• Improve sales engineers Business to Business
  knowledge
• Replicate a Schneider Distributor
• Be run by Schneider staff
• Active Learning
• Last no more than a day

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Schneider A Solution

• Recalibration of an existing simulation to
  replicate a Schneider distributor.
• Progressive introduction of issues, decisions and
  results.
• One day, stand-alone activity.

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Schneider The Outcomes

• Customisation
• Pilot Train-the-Trainer
• Each simulation run tutored by Schneider staff.
• The simulation eight times across the USA in the
  first year (2004). Still in use (2010).
• Use extended from sales people to complete
  regions and Head Office staff.

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Schneider - Evaluation

• Feedback from Schneider Electric/Square D
• Recalibration ensured the simulation was real
  world
• Continuous introduction of new ideas kept
  everyone interested
• Training by Schneider employees was more about
  local market knowledge than cost
• Each decision needed to be accounted for by
  another to maximize impact. Schneider has been
  trying to teach thinking through the process for
  years this class helped them understand.

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Case Study 2 Gambro AB

• A large multinational medical company with over
  7,000 employees which, at the time, was organised
  into separate divisions
• Finance Business Development
• Three Sales Regions which encompassed the globe
• Global Marketing,
• Operations

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Gambro The Problems

• Little interaction between different divisions
• Only the Executive Committee had an overall view
  of how the organisation functioned as a whole.
• Executives were excellent in their specialities
  but did not have a good understanding of the
  entire entity nor of the financial impact their
  divisions.
• Looking to move from a product oriented
  organisation to a service oriented one.
• Wanted sales people to move from selling
  individual products tp selling complete systems
  and their associated services.
•  Also the Executive Committee was stressing the
  need for financial excellence and cash
  generation.

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Gambro A Solution

• Find a simulation that could be run in-house,
  replicate the business and its issues.
• To provide an Exploration of How our Business
  Might Function Under YOUR Leadership

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Gambro The Outcomes

• Each simulation run tutored by a Gambro senior
  manager.
• The simulation was run fourteen times around the
  world and 320 senior managers participated.
• In individual, stand-alone sessions or on a
  distance-learning basis via the Internet.

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Gambro Evaluation

• Participant Evaluations (scored 1 to 7)
• at 5.8 as a learning experience
• and 6.0 as a fun experience
• Pre-post Financial Knowledge Gain 40 50
• Participant Comments
• a better understanding of business decisions by
  Executive Management,
• understanding of conflicting priorities,
• balance the elements growth, profitability and
  cash
• it is real time learning
• And the programme deliver(ed) all that was
  expected and more
• Jamie Stokoe, Director, People Organisational
  Development

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Needs The Simulation

• Match Industry Structure Financials
• Address Issues Learning Business
• Consider Prior Learning Experience
• Focussed (lean)
• Has Tutor Support
• Off-the-Shelf?Customise?Bespoke

Increasing Cost
xxx
xxxx
xxxx
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Needs The Trainer
Industry Wisdom
Business Experience
Business Knowledge
Presentation Skills Traditional Instruction Coaching Challenging
Ideal
Problem
A role for a retiring baby boomer?
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Jeremy J. S. B. Halljeremyhall_at_simulations.co.uk
www.simulations.co.uk
Full Case Studies Schneider www.simulations.co.uk
/casestudies/case01.pdf Gambro
www.simulations.co.uk/casestudies/case02.pdf
from knowledge through simulated experience to
wisdom