1.
Kristin & Vinzʼs Criteria to Consider When Designing a Simulation
August 2011
1. How much immersion? Will you announce the simulation in the room, or
design a simulation environment into which people enter?
2. Crisis or opportunity? You need a catalyst. Negative situations (crises)
create urgency and focus, positive catalysts tend to invite creativity.
3. What is the activity you want participants to engage in?
a. Decision-making
b. Building
c. Designing
d. Planning
e. Problem-solving
4. What is the goal (from the point of view of participants—you should
already know the goal of the whole simulation)?
5. What are the incentives for people to participate? To complete the
exercise? To fully engage)?
a. Prizes
b. Peer-pressure
c. Fun
d. Making a contribution
e. Obvious connection between activity and real-life challenges
6. Time—What period of time is appropriate for the activity? (you want
people to feel pressure to finish)
7. What are the supporting materials?
a. Information (written)
b. Video
c. “Actors”
d. Costumes
e. Cues in the room (food, signage, etc.)
8. Rules
a. State/write them down (in letter, on flip-chart, on screen)
b. Ask a “plant” in the room to ask the questions you think people will
have
9. What are the roles of the instruction givers? Are they neutral? Will they
evaluate?
10. Roles of people participating in the simulation
a. Do you need to assign roles? What roles?
b. Are these roles similar or different from their real-world roles?
11. How do you create a sense of urgency? How much context do you
provide?