TRAINING GAMES AND ROLE PLAY

PRSENTED BY
MARNENI DIVYA SREE

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 Training games

Definition

A training game is a structured activity in which two or more participants

compete within constraints of rule to achieve an objective.

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 Gamut running game

■ Players move around, traveling a path on which they encounter a series of

obstacles until some goal is reached by at least one player.

■ Moves in these games are determined almost totally by chance. While the
subject of these games can be serious, their use is probably most appropriate
for entertainment, although with proper design this format can be a useful
training device.

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 Allocation games

■ These games typically present players with a problem situation or function

to perform in which demands exceed available resources.

■ Players must make the choices necessary to allocate these limited resources
in the "best" manner.

■ The scarce resource depends on the subject of the game, but many games
center on allocation of personnel, use of space, production capacity, and
land.

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■ The Community Land Use Game, designed by Allan Feldt, is a manual
game which simulates the development of a city. In this game, players
have to allocate the scarce resource—land—in a way that encourages the
healthy growth of a city.

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 Budget-Allocation Games

■ These games are actually resource-allocation games in which the scarce

resource is money.

■ While the game style can differ, these games typically present a problem
situation to the players where their response can be, either totally or in
part.

■ The structuring of a budget for the agency which is the basis.

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■ They represent competing.

■ Decision Game is an example of this game type. By manipulating the

budgets of their respective firms in areas such as marketing, design and
styling, production and capital investments, they attempt to improve their
competitive advantage

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 Group interaction games
■ Games that focus on group interaction.

■ Purpose is less to stimulate system than to create human relations

problems that can be demonstrated in the process

■ The game is structured in that way that the players can explore their
feelings, respond the problem and their fellow players

■ Simple and flexible

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 Communication Games
■ While there are only a few examples available, specifically designed to
facilitate communication between players and designers and among players.

■ Examples of this game type are model-building exercises.

■ In this model-building game, residents were given a housing project were

given materials and staff assistance to build a model of their apartment as
they would redesign it.

■ These player-developed models were used in subsequent plans for

remodeling of the project.

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■ Another communication game uses visual display and data analysis
techniques to facilitate communication.

■ By means of visual displays, impact and computer-assisted data analysis,

players can examine the perceptions of members of their organization
regarding the impact and feasibility of policy decisions.

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 Influence and power allocation games
■ In this decision-making situations are constructed in which groups have
different powers and influences.

■ These games require certain roles that make certain decisions to address the
issues which are the subject of the game.

■ Negotiating, compromising and coalition building are the common

activities.

■ These games are competitive

■ Policy negotiation game

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 General-Systems Games

■ These games are the most complex and comprehensive. ” They attempt to

model the major components of a total system, such as an industry, a business,

or a city. A series of theoretical models is often integral to these games and

serves to define the various subsystems.

■ Because of the complexity of these games, a computer-assisted accounting

system is usually required.

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■ General-systems games tend to be highly structured and are rarely
flexible enough for player-initiated redesign.

■ In fact, any redesign is often costly and time-consuming.

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 Characteristics

■ Useful in exploring a process or relationships between elements in a system.

■ Participants not only see the process in action but also have an opportunity to
participate in it and experience it.

■ To develop a system which can serve as a basis for discussing issues which
need clarification.

■ Provides an active, verbal, and physical learning environment.

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■ Often the trainer is faced with a need to facilitate communication.

■ Provides a non-threatening medium for discussing controversial issues.

■ Provides an alternative format.

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 Why training games

■ Increasing the motivation of learners.

■ Provide a systemic method of exploring issues. This characteristic allows

for visualizing and demonstrating cause-and-effect relationships and
interconnections between elements in a system.

■ Provides an opportunity to learn skills in a context similar to that in which

they will be used.

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■ Encourages transfer to real-life applications of these skills. Require the
players to make decisions and commit themselves to a course of action.

■ Provide a risk-free environment which encourages experimentation.

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■ Learners seem to develop empathy for real-life decision makers

■ Can be used as a substitute for certain types of real-life experience (i.e.,

field experience), training time may be shortened, and costs reduced.

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 Role play

Ø A particular technique which gives an insight into the complex behavioural

patterns of the individual. (Shruti et al., 2011)

Ø A technique where in one or a group of trainees enacts a real life situation

which helps the participants to experience the true feelings of that situation.

Ø Useful for training in affective or behavioural dimensions.

Ø There is no predetermined script or dialogue set before the actors (the content
will be self generated).

Ø The actors of a play are expected to behave as if it were a real life situation

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Ø Useful where learners share a somewhat similar experience.
Ø A structured experience; it means that learning takes place from re-
enactment of past experiences.
Ø A powerful training method if the focus of learning is to generate
awareness.

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 Steps in enacting role play
1. Choose a problem which is consistent with the learning objective
2. Explain the topic and set the climate for role play
3. Describe the purpose and objective of the activity
4. Provide a brief introduction of the whole day
5. Ask the group to select different players to enact the play
6. The role areas and performance are to be made clear to the actors
7. Specify the role of observers in a play
8. Arrange the room and set the stage
9. Enact the role play in its real sense
10. Ask the participants to list out critical incidences in the role play
11. Carry out discussions to find out the views of all the observers
12. Develop a final understanding on the expected behavioural roles in real life situations

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 Advantages and Disadvantages of Role-play Method

Advantages
Ø It is energizing.
Ø It is simple and low cost learning tool.
Ø It focuses on problems which are real.
Ø It presents complex issues simply and in a short while.

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Ø It does not need materials or advance preparation

Ø Role play acts as a transitional stage between theory and practice

Ø It is an effective method to gain insight about the different behaviours of

the participants and get to know the strong and weak points in their
behaviour

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Ø Disadvantages

Ø There is a possibility of the role play becoming entertainment which

deviates learning.

Ø Acting can become an end in itself and participants can overact or distort
the roles.

Ø If points for observations are not clear, it may dilute the focus of learning.

Ø Role play if not planned, organised and processed properly will be viewed
as a mere fun exercise

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