Simulation games

The name says it all: the simulation of real-life situations.

The aim of a simulation is to provide a safe environment within which people can experience something that feels real, become aware of their responses, and practise alternatives. Back in the workplace this experience can be individually and/or collectively built on and extended. We create a theatrical reality in which actual organisational structures, processes and behaviour can immediately be recognised. Troje elects not to approach actual reality too closely but to present a closely comparable situation, so that participants do not react to this environment as they would in real life, constrained by the usual limitations, but can experiment freely and enjoyably with it. Participants work in small teams, with a competitive element being used both to raise the level of teamwork and involvement and to keep the atmosphere light-hearted. Each team plays out a given scenario. Sometimes the whole team does this, and sometimes it is up to a single member, with colleagues giving support, observation and feedback. Scenes are played out, but this is not a roleplay. We often support a simulation with one or more other techniques, such as an opening performance or a TOP©-model.

A simulation lasts at least half a day and can be applied as part of:

· a skills development training course

· awarenessness raising during change processes (how do we do what we do?)

· practising new situations (what happens when we do X?)

· team building (hands-on, learning from one another)

Cost-conscious Design voor Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch Department of Public Works

For the Bouwdienst (the engineering office) of Rijkswaterstaat, Troje organised a number of workshops as part of a program entitled 'cost-conscious design'. The core of these meetings was the simulation of a design process. Instead of having to design a bridge or a viaduct, the participants were asked to design a garden for a client (an actor) who was present during the entire process. The client drew up the design brief and the Garden Centre (another actor) functioned as expertise centre. The groups were encouraged to buy and sell knowledge between each other. Requirements and preconditions were adapted as the game progressed. A strict deadline was imposed, for time is money! When their time was up, each of the groups gave a presentation of their design to the client, who selected one. Each group was scored on a number of attributes, including customer orientation, negotiation skills, knowledge networking skills and teamwork. Afterwards the entire event was collectively evaluated, in a process whereby the links with the company's working practices were explored and the learning areas defined.