Fun and games - Use simulations and training games to boost your teaching power

By: K. C. Warner

Have you ever been in one of these situations?

1. You just conducted a training seminar on your new product. Your audience was receptive to the information in the morning, but was noticeably losing interest in the afternoon. You figured a brief game would help to liven them up, so at the break you quickly put one together. Participants played the game with enthusiasm, but the discussion afterward did not go the way you thought it should have. Participants noted on the workshop evaluation form, "Great game! Need more of them!"

2. You have crafted an excellent training program called "Super Selling Techniques" and have spent a great deal of time incorporating a game to reinforce the ideas. You get approval to take this a step further by creating a simulation of the selling process for participants to go through right there in the training room. Some are excited by the prospect; others aren't. Your manager informs you right before the program that to justify the expense of the simulation, trainees had better know the simulated information very well before they leave training.

If you've been in situations like these or any others involving games and simulations, you know the potential pitfalls. However, when used well, these tools can be powerful teaching and learning aids to take participants far beyond the training room in their comprehension of the material.

Games – to play or not to play?

Engaging learners in a variety of ways is sound learning theory. One of the best ways to engage learners is by tapping into what motivates them, and having fun while applying information in a meaningful way motivates many adult learners. Well-designed games and appropriate debriefing sessions afterward are a great way to teach or reinforce concepts.

Incorporating a training game is like any other consideration when creating a workshop. The fundamental question to ask is, "Will it help reinforce the objectives of training?" If the answer is, "No, but it would be really fun and engaging and could sort of be linked to the objectives," then don't use it!

Here are some guidelines to follow when using games in training:

1. Make sure the game will help teach or reinforce the objectives of training. If the objective of the game is to break the ice, that's okay too! The point is that games are not placed erratically for the sole purpose of doing something different.

2. Know your audience. Some groups may like or be more receptive to games than other groups. Know what makes your audience tick when considering building in a game. One group of managers may not like playing a version of concentration to remember the steps in a sequence. Another group may appreciate this simple reinforcement. Consider their needs and the complexity of the task at hand.

3. Create games that are easy for you and the participants to use. Many times games go wrong because they were set up improperly, had too many steps or were hard to play. After all, one of the main reasons for playing games is to …

4. Have fun! If it's not fun, it may as well be a mini-lecture or a discussion based on the same information. The word game connotes fun. Practice playing it ahead of time with a few volunteers to see if it is!

5. Build an effective debriefing into the design of the game. If, as you play and afterward, you can clearly answer the question, "Why are we doing this?" then you are more likely to have a successful game. Having a debriefing at the conclusion of the game helps reinforce the reason for the game and helps participants take away the message you intended.

6. Consider the time it takes to create an effective game. Not that this should deter you from using games; just plan accordingly! Plan for an equal amount of time for the debriefing as for the activity.

Not just sophisticated games

One of the reasons we use games is to create an experience for learners that will engage and teach them. This is also a key reason for using simulations to train. Simulations put people in realistic situations to teach or benchmark performance. They can range from role-plays of sales situations to customized virtual reality experiences. The point is that they provide a real-world application to help trainees perform better.

When we create simulations for sales experiences, there are a few guidelines to follow. Here are some questions to guide your design:

1. Is it too expensive? In the age of high-tech miracles, we often get wrapped up in the possibilities simply because they are available. Do we need to have a mock clinic created in a hotel with sets and props and real doctors? An interactive CD? Or would the same result be achieved with a simple, well-designed role-play that allows for meaningful practice? The question to ask is, "Can I accomplish the same end result with another type of simulation?"

2. Does it serve as realistic practice for participants? Remember, the goal is to teach or benchmark in a meaningful way. This is the same as meeting the learning objectives of training.

3. Is it appropriately timed? Ask yourself if participants have enough background information to get the most value from the simulated experience.

4. Will what we are simulating be communicated to others? Managers need to know what is happening in training in order to adequately support the same messages on the job.

5. Do we have the right people involved? For example, when conducting a role-play simulation with participants, placing them in a situation with real doctors may help them overcome feelings of intimidation or nervousness. However, you may want to use sales training personnel if you expect coaching from the "doctor." Carefully select the players to get the most out of the simulated experience.

Facilitating games and simulations

When conducting games and simulations, there are three main steps: introduce, monitor and debrief.

1. Introduce the activity. Introducing or setting up a game or simulation can make or break the experience during a training session. If you don't provide enough information, the participants will flounder and may or may not achieve the desired results. With enough information, they can concentrate on reaching the objective rather than struggling through and asking, "What am I supposed to do?" In addition, modeling what they are supposed to be doing during the activity gives them more direction. Go through a sample question, model role-play, etc. before turning the activity over to the group. Introduce the activity by answering the following questions:

• What is the activity?
• How is the activity related to objectives?
• What should participants look for?
• Why should the group do this?
• What are the rules?
• What is the process?

Then model the activity.

2. Monitor the activity. After you begin the activity, your role is to facilitate the process and monitor the activity.

• Watch and listen.
• Take written notes.
• Stay sensitive to the emotional climate.
• Focus on desired results.
• Intervene only if things get completely off track.
• If you must intervene, use only questions.

After you've monitored the activity to its conclusion, you are ready to debrief.

3. Debrief. After the activity has concluded, it is imperative to debrief the participants about what just occurred. Without debriefing, they may go away without being clear about what they achieved during the meeting or what they are taking away. Debriefing is a tool used to reinforce what happened during the activity.

Why is debriefing so important? It fixes what participants learned during the activity. It allows you the opportunity to correct misconceptions and provides trainees with a chance to talk about any discoveries they made. Plan to ask open-ended questions, such as:

• What did you find successful?
• How did it feel?
• What did you find difficult?
• What did you find different from the way you expected it to be?
• Where do you need more practice?
• What did you learn from the activity?

Try not to talk while participants are giving their answers. Respond instead with positive head-nodding and an occasional "Uh-huh." Listen and learn.

Great tools

Well-designed games and simulations can create and reinforce meaningful, applicable learning situations for training participants. When these tools are used well, participants will leave saying, "Hey, great game! I learned so much!" As a trainer, you will leave knowing how effective simulations and games can be and how creative you can be when designing them. PRTG

K.C. Warner is a market impact specialist who works with pharmaceutical sales training departments to increase market share and management performance. She can be reached at Warner Development at (800) 845-6108 or via e-mail at KCWarner@ WarnerDevelopment.com.