Play for yourself...
(And click on the video below each example for a description from Clark.)
Audience: Employees
Style: A branching story interface, but with minimalistic text and using computer game style graphics with simple animation builds to create a sense of physical space and actions. Also includes a coach and a virtual product interaction.
Notes on the Hostile Robbery Sim from Clark
Short Sims feel instantly familiar because they are based on the experiential learning we do everyday.
But, as they say, "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken."
The Short Sims Pedagogy combines the best features of the 4 traditional simulation genres (virtual labs; interactive spreadsheets; branching stories; and simple games) identified by Clark Aldrich almost two decades ago in his groundbreaking 2005 book, Learning by Doing. .
Aldrich has added other essential elements, including coach characters, isometric and pen and ink graphics, a refined development process, a war on words, a consistent underlying action-centric grammar, and simple animation builds, just to name a few.
Every year, Clark Aldrich continues to radically evolve the pedagogy. So, while he brings decades of experience to every new sim, he also understands every client and situation needs new thinking.
Audience: Experienced Employees
Style: A virtual product/lab with high fidelity artifacts that mirror the real-world activity.
Notes on the Find the Problem Sim from Clark
Audience: Econ 101 Students
Style: A virtual lab using the visual techniques of a computer game with simple animation builds to make relationships more kinesthetic and clear. The sim also uses the consistent interface (a repetition of the same options in the same order) of an easy-to-use computer game to make the experience more engaging and intuitive.
Notes on the Demand Curve Sim from Clark
Short Sims: Changing the DNA of Education.
Audience: Self Improvement
Style: The deep reflection and analysis of an interactive spreadsheet style sim with the personal scale of a branching story, and the coach, clear words, and consistent interface (a repetition of the same options in the same order) of an easy-to-use computer game. The sim also uses a pen and ink style of graphics to establish the protagonist.
Notes on the Deliberate Practice Sim from Clark
Audience: Wall Street
Style: The structure, coach, and graphics of an adventure game with the interface of a branching story (Wall Street)
Notes on the Primary Markets Sim from Clark
Audience: High Potential Managers
Style: The complex systems and leadership perspective of an interactive spreadsheet style sim with computer game style graphics and simple animation builds to condense and focus the learning. The minimalistic words and consistent interface (a repetition of the same options in the same order) are based on easy-to-use computer games.
