IT and Business Simulations: Not Just a Game

IT and Business Simulations

Have you ever walked away from a certification course with the lingering question, “How do I readily apply this newly gained knowledge?” It is a question more common than one would expect because, despite understanding the information, many still struggle to put the concepts discussed and learned into practice. That crucial next step, adopting the lessons and models immediately and efficiently, is frequently hard-won, but there is experiential learning in response to such demands. More widely known as IT and Business Simulations, these educational workshops use gaming dynamics and mirror realistic scenarios to help bring concepts and ideas out of the classroom and into the real world more quickly.

Hands-on Learning with IT and Business Simulations

IT and Business Simulations are not new to the industry; however, the value and accelerated learning they promptly produce are the key driving factors in their demand. Generally, we are lectured and told what to learn in a classroom setting. In a Simulation, rather than interpreting what the course’s models and concepts are trying to achieve, the participants partake in exercises living out the instruction and role-playing the theory, engaging in hands-on experiences and learning in the moment. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, many organizations have faced significant challenges when addressing optimization and proper organizational collaboration. Simply put, working holistically across the organization has become more complex. Still, now that the restrictions associated with the pandemic have changed/lessened, Simulations can deliver an impactful remedy for teams needing to collaborate and regain the loss in productivity seen in many different industries over the last 2+ years.

IT and Business Simulations for Team Building

Over four rounds of immersive exercises, IT and Business Simulations are conceived of as an interactive approach to team building. During the highly engaging training activities, participants can measure and analyze their progress from one round to the next. After reviewing what worked and thinking about what did not, we discuss together how to make the next round better, learning what it takes to move the organization from a chaotic state to a more mature, business-focused one, as attendees adopt, adapt, and embrace new ways of aligning more closely with overarching business needs from a strategic perspective.

How Can IT and Business Simulations Help Organizations?

• Clearly defines roles and responsibilities
• Clarifies how to efficiently integrate tools and technologies
• Enables consistent processes and policies
• Ensures your team performs in a more proactive manner
• Aligns strategic IT and business objectives
• Assists in supporting all governance aspects

There are many types of Simulations tailored toward industry-standard methodologies, such as DevOps, Lean, Agile, and ITIL®, which can complement organizational practices and improve the execution of those practices. After participating in a Simulation, IT and business verticals across the organization now have new impactful techniques to bolster collaboration channels, bust down operational silos, and assess how and where to implement process improvements efficiently and effectively.

ITSM Simulations

The Simulations most popular with our customers center around ITSM knowledge, lifecycles, and service delivery. For organizations requiring further guidance in project management, cloud services, security, organizational change management, root cause analysis, or business continuity, the ITSM Simulation itself can be the means to the solution. With the session focusing on the organization’s everyday challenges, these types of Simulations are designed to demonstrate the value of ITSM best practices, processes, and tools within the context of the organization’s business and technology model. By speaking directly with the attendees, the Simulation and the facilitator focus on improving team morale and adding increased synergies and growth opportunities to the organization.

With a one-day session, participants can take home a greater understanding of service management practices and the value of knowledge transfer among teams. One might even realize more value in the Simulation environment because it offers participants a way to engage with and see mature ITSM practices explicitly brought to light instead of focusing solely on its theoretical concepts. Besides everyone walking away with an entertaining and educational experience, it assists in better clarifying the all-important questions, “What is next? How can we better align services? Where can process and service improvements be implemented?”

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Mike Vikdal is an IT expert, co-author of ITIL® 4 Strategist: Direct, Plan, and Improve, and President of Auslyn Group. In partnership with Flycast Partners, Auslyn Group is able to assist Flycast customers with achieving business value with ITIL® adoption. Since 2006, Auslyn Group has conducted over 1,200 Simulations around the globe.