Some learn by hearing, many by seeing but learning by doing is often the most powerful. Andy pioneered the use of business games within PowerGen/E.ON, designing and delivering 20-30 events. Since then he has worked with Mike Colechin to prepare two game formats which are ready to deliver today:

Understanding The Electricity System: This workshop is designed to give an experience of the commercial aspects of generating, trading and supplying electricity.  Participants will be exposed to strategic decision making, the business risks that commercial organisations face, and the day-to-day challenges of operating an energy company in a fun and relaxed environment.

Planning for Impact: This one-day workshop is designed to give an experience of identifying, prioritising and managing relationships with those needing research outputs. Participants will be making effective decisions around stakeholder engagement, delivering effective communication of R&D and designing and delivering high quality research projects.

These had four main purposes:

• Team building exercises, often taking people from different parts of the business and putting them in teams with a common objective of trading in an energy market to make a profit.
• Training for new staff or for new markets. Business games provide a safe environment to “get it wrong” whilst learning a new skill
• Strategy testing. Testing out a new market strategy is best done in an environment where real people play the roles of other market actors. The unexpected behaviour of real people (rather than computers) gives invaluable insights.
• Market rule testing. Before suggesting or launching a rule change a test bed is required. Business Games provide a safe environment before rule changes are let loose in the wild!

We have designed and delivered games for strategists and graduates, traders and school children. The have had as few as 6 players and as many as 150. Some have used electronic platforms and many have been paper based. They have lasted a day of game play or covered 20 years. So we’re likely to be able to deliver an event that would suit your needs.