A customised simulation passes through four stages of development and implementation. The success of the programme is heavily dependent on the experience and expertise of the academic experts who lead the project and the researchers and sector experts who are called in to provide specific contributions. Through the status of its academic founders and the reputation of King's College London and the University of London, Simulstrat is able to assemble game teams of unrivalled substance and dedicated expertise. This is why governments, global NGOs and major global companies select Simulstrat.

STAGES OF CUSTOMISATION

1. The generic principles of war-gaming are used to build client specific simulations; this involves the Simulstrat founders and relevant sector experts who are recruited on each contract. Internal (R&D processes, alternative business models etc) and external (competitive, regulatory, political) factors are represented in the simulation model. Working closely with a client, this stage normally takes 1-2 months, to create the right model and populate it with the information most relevant to the client.
   
   The simulation is then actively played-out over a series of hours or days. This is an interactive process consisting of a series of moves between the client and the external environment (represented by the "experts"), as in real life. Participants are forced to make decisions, rather than "park" issues, so the unintended consequences of decisions are also captured. This can last from half a day to 2 days depending on the customised model.
2. There is detailed data capture during the simulation (through emails, videos of discussions, document archives and specialist facilitation), and consequences, change and reactions are fed into the simulation model through a mixture of pre-prepared software algorithms (such as competitors' performance, market-share, test results, etc) and human decisions (such as a Regulator's reaction to a new innovation etc).
   
   
3. Extensive post-simulation analysis enables testing of client processes, decisions, models and assumptions, and evaluation of their robustness. A consequence of this detailed analysis is that customer decision-making processes, as well as actual decisions, can be assessed. This will normally take from 2 to 8 weeks depending on the material. A full-scale Simulstrat simulation for executive level strategists and decision makers might require a six month development cycle, a two day game and a three month period of analysis and review. The model can then be packaged to be run more briefly and repeatedly, as required, both to develop and validate its conclusions, and also as a training device for executives.