number of years, and finishing my book on the topic ( The Data Imperative ), I had a clear idea of the pedagogical goals I wanted to meet when implementing this new software in the structure of the courses I teach. I applied for funding from my university and recruited two talented students: a programmer and a designer. After several iterations, each updated based on student feedback, I published the simulation, The Data Imperative Game (https://tdigame.com). The game is free to play and takes around 30 minutes to complete. The simulation has the following three central learning objectives: • To provide concrete information about the data sources and analytics processes in a digitalised retail context • To shine a spotlight on the complementary nature of high-quality data, algorithms, and changes in business processes in digital transformation • To demonstrate the relative benefits of data analytics in different business domains
The social interactions and immediate feedback, paired with the competitive setting, make these activities very memorable. I round off the experience, where appropriate, with a carefully designed debrief which allows the class to reflect on how this task relates to relevant theoretical and practical insights about business strategy. Simulations have been improving in a range of ways over the years and there are now at least 150 different virtual exercises available for use in business school teaching. Thanks to powerful software development tools, programmes run through web browsers are now much easier and cheaper to develop than before. For example, the new simulations that have come out of Wharton Interactive during the past two years, have better graphics, more intuitive user interfaces, and higher quality video content than anything I had seen up until that point. My experiences developing a business simulation Around three years ago, I decided to start developing my own business simulation. After teaching digital strategy for a
| 35
Ambition | BE IN BRILLIANT COMPANY
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online