| Business
Focus
VisionShaper was designed to provide participants an opportunity to
explore and develop important business skills including:
Planning and
Leadership
VisionShaper offers participants an opportunity to experiment with
different approaches to planning and leadership. The simulation
requires that participants plan at both the strategic and tactical
level. Decisions have direct impact on performance results including
quality products, profitability and customer satisfaction.
Participants assume various roles from first level supervision to senior
level leadership. Leadership performance is openly discussed during
debrief periods.
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Customer/Supplier
Relationships
Participants must interface with a supplier and customer. Both supplier
and customer have important information and can very helpful if the
participants take the time to develop good relationships and listen to
their needs. The supplier and customer mirror the behavior of
participants. Participants must negotiate and meet commitments with the
customer. The customer has and will share information that can resolve
significant production and bottleneck problems in the organization.
Customer and supplier satisfaction feedback and ratings are provided at
the end of each quarter.
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Quality
The product produced by the participants must meet exacting standards.
Because it is a real device (electronic circuit board) it can be tested
for functional operation and examined for stability and appearance.
Participants have the opportunity to use customer and interdepartmental
feedback to improve quality.
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Change Management
The organization is challenged with delivery commitments that have been
established by previous management. They can measure cycle time for each
functional unit in the department and the overall cycle time for
production. Because the production task is real, they have the opportunity
to improve through changes in process and training. Midway into the
simulation they have to quickly evaluate a change that will greatly
simplify the production process but will require a change in the how they
are currently assembling the devices.
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Creativity and Innovation
The initial product is poorly designed resulting excessive wiring
requirements. While some parts of the design are relatively easy to
identify, a major breakthrough is possible only through very innovative
thinking. While this might come about from participants, the customer and
supplier have, and will share ideas, including a redesign if the
participants manage the relationship effectively. There are also many
opportunities for feedback between departments that can result in learning.
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Business and
Financial Acumen
The simulation has many opportunities for participants to receive
feedback on performance. In addition to direct measurement of customer
commitments and financial results, every debrief presents opportunities to
assess employee satisfaction, skills, customer communication, and internal
processes such as cycle time.
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Effective Communications
Effective communication is essential to success. Each department has
various pieces of information which are useful to the total group. The
customer and supplier also have critical information needed for success.
Departments can choose to share or not share information and challenges
with the entire group. The leadership team can promote or stifle open
communications based on their behavior.
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