Professional Services

Assessing student performance, general guidance when using Microworlds

1. Students, individually or in groups, can be asked to plan how to grow the firm prior to seeing how their strategy plays out in the simulation. The original plan can then be compared to the resulting performance outcomes delivered and students asked to report on the reasons for differences between the plan and the result.
2. Using any of the challenges provided set an objective to be achieved (typically a target for client and staff numbers or surplus, within constraints of your choice). Request individuals or groups to experiment with alternative strategies, and report on their recommended action, including quantitative statement of policy and time-path of results.
3. Request individuals or groups to seek comparable situations (a) where business success depends on skillful development of skilled staff by careful management of hiring, promotion, attrition, and work pressure, or (b) where intangible factors, such as staff experience, reputation or knowledge-base, have a powerful impact on performance. Evaluate based on:
   • clear description of the structure in the comparable case, focusing in particular on what is similar and different vs. the microworld case,
   • clear specification of the performance challenge that management faces in the comparable case, and
   • suggested solutions, including scale, timing and outcomes.