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To Hold a Simulation

  1. Question the situation that you are simulating.
    • Subject: What are you simulating? What roles do different people play within the situation? What goals do people in the situation have? What rules are they bound by?
    • Purpose: Why are you simulating the situation? Do you wish to reenact events? Explore ideas? Predict outcomes? Model complex systems?
    • Audience: Who will participate in the simulation? Who will view the simulation? What should the group get out of the experience? Should the simulation be somehow recorded and shared to a wider audience?
  2. Plan your simulation by completing a planning sheet. (See page 361.)
    • Goal and objectives: Write your goal, and then unpack it by answering the 5 W’s and H about it.
    • Tasks, time, team, and tools: Consider the work that needs to go into creating the simulation; the people involved; and the resources, equipment, and information that the group needs.
  3. Research your topic and the roles different people will play.
    • Topic: Find out as much as you can about the topic.
    • Roles: Determine what roles different simulators will play. (For example, an interview needs an interviewer and an interviewee; a trial needs a judge, a prosecution, a defender, a defendant, witnesses, and a jury.)
    • Rules: Decide how the different people involved will interact. (For example, in a trial, each counsel needs to give an opening statement, present evidence, call and question witnesses, cross-examine witnesses, and give a closing statement.)
  4. Create your simulation.
    • Assign roles to participants.
    • Ask some participants/observers to document the event in writing, photos, videos, and/or play-by-play commentary.
    • Explain the rules.
  5. Improve your experience by reflecting on what happened.
    • Reviewwhat happened and how the events made people feel.

      Ask participants and observers what they learned.

    • Connectthe simulation to the real world.

      Ask “what if” and “what now” questions.

      Document the debriefing with more writing, photos, and/or video.

  6. Present the simulation by posting your documents in a format that allows others to share the experience.


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Example Simulations

Below, you’ll see simulation games you can run to explore many different scenarios.

Social-Process Roleplaying

Peer-Pressure Scenario

Bullying Confrontation

Persuading a Parent

Customer Service Issue

Job Interview

Employee Evaluation

Apologizing to a Friend

 

Tactical Simulations

Miniatures Combat

Civil War Reenactment

Pencil and Paper Roleplaying

Capture the Flag

Laser Tag/Paint Ball

MMORP Games

War-Room Briefing

 

Crisis Simulation

Evacuation Drill

First Aid Application

Hostage Negotiation

Escape Scenario

Pandemic Scenario

CPR Practice

Pool Rescue

 

Political/Economic Game

Constitutional Convention

Session of Congress

United Nations Session

Stock Exchange

Treaty Convention

Propaganda Office

World Peace Game

 

Trial Simulation

Trial of Historical Figure

Trial of Literary Character

Trial of Mythological Figure

Trial of Scientific Theory

Trial of Political Theory

 

System Simulation

Resource Management Games

City Building Games

Biome Simulations

Flight Simulator

Business Games