Gaming the System

One of the interesting insights acquired from the simulation was that decreasing the size of the workforce in the model had an immediate negative effect on compliance, but increasing the workforce also had an unintended effect of creating capacity bottlenecks. These are the kinds of insights almost impossible to obtain through traditional strategic planning analyses. In this case, Shell was able to anticipate the workforce requirements of changes to its maintenance processes.

Keys to Success
Although each of these types of simulations involves different kinds of models and has different uses, the following common steps are crucial for learning executives interested in developing simulation capabilities that can both transfer knowledge and create it:

1. Develop a clear understanding of the need and the value to be delivered.
2. Understand your stakeholders and develop effective sponsorship programs.
3. Make the objectives of the simulation clear, specific and measurable.
4. Communicate the results and translate the learning into action.

One of the objectives of most learning professionals today is to increase their impact on business performance. One way this can happen is to expand the domain of enterprise learning such that its charge is both to help individuals learn and to help the organization as a whole to learn. Simulations can improve organizational learning by creating insights about current marketplace and strategic challenges and opportunities, as well as the organizational and workforce capabilities needed to achieve high performance.