the Board Game: frequently asked questions
What is the Board Game?
The Board Game is a computerised business simulation. In other words it is a simulation using similar technology to that used in advanced financial modelling.
How does it work?
Having decided the course objectives we would design a programme which would combine face to face teaching with sessions involving the game. Having taught a selection of key learning points the participants would form groups and play a round of the game.
How does the Board Game improve financial learning?
The game is a stimulating alternative to more traditional approaches. The teams form companies and compete against each other to be the most successful. They achieve the learning objectives by applying newly learnt financial concepts to running a business. They get immediate feedback on how successful their decisions have been. As well as being used during a course the game can be played between course modules to help reinforce learning and maintain teambuilding links.
What is the game play?
The Board Game is based around the board game industry. This industry was chosen as it combines manufacturing and retailing. These lend themselves to scenarios that are easy to grasp quickly, providing opportunities to introduce a variety of financial ideas.
The groups each run a business. They make a variety of decisions (depending on which modules are selected) but which might include, production targets sales prices, salaries, credit terms, level of bank loans, share issues, capital expenditure, setting budgets, prioritising production in times of limited supply, outsourcing, advertising and acquisitions. Their decisions give rise to a year's results and they are provided with profit and loss accounts, cash flow statement, balance sheet and production information.
How is the Board Game different from other training business simulations?
Many simulations are available on the market and we at Aqhuman have run courses using some of these. In our view most have drawbacks as teaching aids. Drawing on these experiences we designed the Board Game to eliminate these weaknesses.
First. The Board Game is designed to only teach finance. Some business simulations also try to introduce other business topics, for example marketing and principles of human resources. The problem is that the packages are then used on courses where the facilitator will only have expertise in one of the subjects. This often means marketing or HR taught by a finance trainer or worse finance taught by a marketing trainer! The Board Game is designed to only teach finance. Simple (and obvious) marketing and other principles are included in order to make the simulation realistic (eg, drop wages and you will experience lower productivity).
Second. Another weakness with some simulations follows on from the point above. In order to force participants to consider non-financial issues the games provide too much information. This has two problems. A disproportinate amount of what ought to be teaching time is spent by groups processing data. Also this processing of large amounts of data (including non-financial) represents a real obstacle to learning for those on more basic programmes. Our game is simple and focuses on a business' finance drivers.
Third. Unlike all others we have seen, our game is completely flexible. The facilitator can switch on or off, for each round, up to sixteen different decision modules. This ensures that the use of the game is aligned to the overall course objectives and not simply "something different".
Finally. It does more. We have never seen a training business simulator that assesses outsourcing, evaluates an acquisition, provides variance analysis for the participants own budgets and can be used between course modules.
How much does it cost?
As we designed and own the rights to the Board Game ourselves we do not need to pay others a license fee. Thus on meeting you we would discuss your needs and objectives. If it is appropriate to use the simulation then we would include that on our proposal (alongside other interventions - eg web based learning). The cost quoted at that stage would include facilitator time, materials and the use of the game. To give you an idea of the savings involved, in the past we have been charged £500 per day for license rights to some other games. This we would need to pass on directly to our clients.
How do I find out more?
Contact us so we can further explain how this exciting innovation can help your financial training needs. Contact us