Streamline Training & Documentation: Debriefing a Simulation

Friday, January 12, 2007

Debriefing a Simulation

Use of simulations in business training is increasing. This is true both for relatively technical training, such as in aviation, and for training in which soft skills are an essential factor. It's the latter type of simulation, which I'll refer to generically as management simulations, that I want to discuss here.

Benefits of management simulations include:

Helping people think several steps ahead as they plan how to approach a situation. For instance, participants find that they fare better when they anticipate the likely reactions of competitors and other interested parties.

Affording an opportunity to try out ideas without having to worry about real-world consequences if things don't pan out as hoped.

Investigating the ramifications of landing in a worst-case situation.

Putting oneself in other people's shoes, e.g., people from a different culture or with different life experiences.

In order to realize these benefits as fully as possible, good debriefs are essential. In the Streamline spirit, I'd suggest the following short outline for a simulation debrief, with the understanding that a good facilitator will pose appropriate follow-up questions to ensure that participants share and reflect on all the valuable insights the simulation has produced.

Debrief questions (for both teams and individuals):

What are your strongest impressions of how the simulation played out? What did you put the most energy into?

What was frustrating for you? How did you cope with the frustration?

What strategies did you try? How did they work out for you — short-term and long-term?

What other strategies might you have tried? Based on your own experience and what you've heard from others, where do you think those strategies would have led?

What decisions were especially difficult to reach? How did you handle these decisions? Did certain types of decisions get easier as you went along?

What trade-offs and compromises did you make? Are there any that you would change?

Did you make any assumptions that proved useful? misguided? If yes, explain your thinking and, if applicable, how you adjusted your thinking as you went along.

How did your values influence your decisions?

What lessons learned are you planning to take back to your job and/or your personal life?

A final note: For a simulation that lasts more than a half-day, it's generally best to have interim debriefs so that people can get their impressions, reflections, and insights articulated before they fade.

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Labels: Simulation

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