Initially, strategy games were known for their connections to warfare, but they have now also been applied to other activities. In fact, the term "strategy games" has now widely replaced the term "war games".
The particular benefits of strategy games lie in their inclusiveness – the participants bring a lot of their own knowledge of the industry into the game. Discussions, debates, and justifications offer both valuable content and factual information that can be leveraged in learning.
In the game, you have a unique opportunity to understand how to use your own role to create impressive services.
Why strategy games?
All human activity stems from goals. Strategy games help create understanding of the goals from the operator's point of view and can be used to direct focus toward the big picture and the aspects that are in the process of change.
Strategy games help create understanding of the goals from the operator's point of view."
Based on the experience of Aalto University Executive Education, the games are particularly good for modelling the changes in the operating environment, understanding the dependencies, and observing the effects of operations and their leveraging effects.
In today's complex and changing society, modeling the operations of industries and organizations offers better opportunities to understand the changes in the field of business that are brought about by the operators themselves as well as external changes.
Who are strategy games suitable for as a learning method?
The strategy game method is particularly useful if you want to understand how, e.g., changes in legislation transform the business operations of different organizations and what kind of leveraging effects they may have. Strategy games are based on discussion, so the participants must be ready to be present, actively participate and influence the learning process.
What makes Aalto EE's Strategy Game so good and is playing a valuable way to learn?
Aalto EE's Strategy Game is a concept that has been refined over a long period of time. One of its essential aspects is a high-quality script, which is always specifically tailored to the organization or industry. The script and the person acting as the game facilitator play a big role in creating a good gaming experience.
Playing is a meaningful way for the participants to learn."
Aalto EE has already run nearly 80 games with operators of different sizes in the private and the public sector. The experiences gained have been positive; playing is a meaningful way for the participants to learn. Knowledge gained from the participants’ own experiences is more easily put to use in practice, and the participant can later use the gaming methods to challenge both themselves and their own organization.
The reasons for and benefits of gaming go back to the goals of human activity. The game helps you understand what drives different actors and how you can influence the outcome in your own role. Each operator familiarizes themselves with the changes from their own perspective, reflects on the possible reactions of others and makes their own decisions based on them.
The Strategy Game provides a fascinating opportunity to see the big picture.
Our Strategy Game concept is utilized in several Aalto EE programs and customized solutions. Read more about the Strategy Game in this article.
