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Are Business Games worth the money?

Guest post by: Ian Windle

Article Overview: Business Games are booming in organisations today. So what are they and why should we use them?

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Are Business Games worth the money?

What are Business Games?

Business Games come in all shapes and sizes. A growing number are known as Business Simulations, as they try to simulate the workings of a business from many different angles. They can tackle subjects like strategic thinking, finance/ratios, market analysis, operations, and leadership. At the lighter end of the market, games can be shorter and more fun-based and are used primarily to bring out team dynamics.

An area that is becoming more and more popular is that of Scenario Simulations, often used to address the desired behaviours that leaders are looking to see demonstrated across the business. They can also address what are traditionally more tricky subjects to quantify, such as Brand, Corporate Values and Leadership Frameworks. In Scenario Simulations a scenario is played out in a simulated environment and the participants are asked to make decisions on how to act. Often multiple-choice alternatives are used, participants choosing the most appropriate action and the behaviours they believe would be demonstrated.

A simulation can mimic a whole company on a high level or it can be more detailed and mimic specific organizational units or processes. It can be competitive or not; those that are often use financial performance or simple scoring mechanisms to track performance.

Media and engagement

A key issue to consider is the media and format through which the game or simulation is delivered. The crucial questions you need to ask before choosing one are:

Is it based on sound pedagogical principles (how people learn
Is it customised to your business (or is it just off-the-shelf)?
· How engaging will it be for your people (the right level of intellectual challenge and fun)?

Ask these questions regardless of the media you decide on. As a rule of thumb, electronic delivery costs more and may deliver ‘closed box’ outcomes. This means that participants may not be able to see exactly what caused the outcome of their decisions (as these are based on hidden formulae in the programme). This of course can be highly frustrating if you believe the outcome should have been more favourable to you.

Electronic games or simulations also often require you to interact with a computer, often on a one-to-one basis, thus taking away the advantages of team-based discussions. Board based games or simulations are nearly always completely ‘open box’ and participants can see the impact of their decisions. They often use boards, or learning maps and combines these with cards that contain the scenarios, outcomes etc.

Why use business games?

Let’s face it, most companies still run their training and development function and conferences using the ubiquitous PowerPoint. The trouble is it can become a way of recording all the presenter knows on the subject, rather than a way to engage people in what they need to know.

The best Business Games are a great way to get people engaged in important subjects that are sometimes difficult to grasp. They are usually fun to be involved in, especially when an element of competition is introduced. Business Games also have the advantage that they allow you to debate real issues for the business in a safe environment, where you can try things out, debate them and make mistakes. The valuable lessons learned can then be applied back in the business the following day.

Who uses business games?

There is no doubt that for many of the reasons given above, business games of one sort or another are increasing in popularity. They are used in many corporate and public sector settings at conferences, for leadership teams, for divisions of businesses or for the whole workforce. For many years they have also been used at business schools, universities, colleges and schools.

Are they worth the money?

The answer of course is that it depends. It depends on how they are built, how engaging they are for the people who are participating, how grounded they are in the reality of the business (bespoke rather than off -the-shelf) and whether they are built on sound pedagogical principles. Also once they have been created for your business, how many people are benefiting from them? You will get a greater return on your investment by running it with a wider audience than just your top team.

In summary, Business Games are a great way to engage people in key business issues. Just make sure you choose the right one for your business!

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Article Tags: Business Games, leadership, management, organisational development, simulation models, training and development

About the Author: Ian Windle
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Ian Windle. Owner and Managing Director, LiveChange Ltd LiveChange Ltd www.livechange.co.uk Founded LiveChange in 2006. At the heart of LiveChange is a behavioural change model that is applied to the way we think and therefore the way we design and deliver all our client programmes. LiveChange works with leadership teams, and middle management through to whole organisations to create alignment behind their vision, goals and strategies. This is achieved through a team of consultants, learning designers and graphic designers who work in partnership with clients to really get underneath their key issues, agree a pla n and create a programme that addresses their issues and delivers success. LiveChange work covers a number of areas including the Improving sales, Leadership development, Innovation, Vision and strategies, Product launches, Organisational and brand values, Organisational systems and processes and Mergers and acquisitions.

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