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By Brian Friel bfriel@govexec.com Government Executive June 1, 2003
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    Having developed more than fifty computer simulations for management development and business training and seen them run thousands of times with tens of thousands of business people I disagree with several aspects of this article.

    You state "Simulation technology was once associated almost solely with with military training". I developed my first computer simulation for business training in 1970 and in the USA the Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning (WWW.ABSEL.ORG) has been in existence for more than thirty years.

    Re: the use of computer simulation for assessment, my computer simulations have been used on managerial assessment centres since 1978.

    Re: engagement, I remember in about 1972, a group of business people working overnight into the early morning - and this degree of engagement is typical.

    Re: design and the statment "designer try and recreate the real world as much as possible". No. What is required is only to recreate the aspects of the real world that are relevent - the aspects that relate to learning objectives, manner of use and the learner's background (prior knowledge and experience). Otherwise you get a confusing, unfocused and overly long simulation.

    Jeremy Hall Posted July 29, 2003 4:52 AM

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Managing Technology

Interview With a Computer

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