Home page - Social Simulations

What are
Social Simulations?

Social Simulation is a type of a multiplayer serious game with a focus on direct interaction among participants. The emphasis is put on a “serious goal”, be it message transmission, competence training, strategy development or learning. The scope of social simulations developed by Centre for Systems Solutions varies thus from training and educational contexts, business and organizational settings to social awareness-raising projects.

A special type of social simulation, a policy exercise, may also be designed and applied to collaboratively diagnose, analyze and solve a specific real-life problem requiring strategic decision-making.

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PROBLEM

Today’s world societal, economic or environmental challenges call for innovative approach to strategic decision making that would integrate a wide range of data, insights and tacit knowledge.

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Different Perspectives

Social simulations provide an accessible problem representation and bring together stakeholders with diverse backgrounds, values, tasks and goals, offering them a unique opportunity to explore the issue from a number of perspectives.

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Communication

Not restricted to any particular mode of communication, the participants engage in brainstorming, consulting or negotiating processes across diverse groups, triggering free exchange of ideas and bridging communication gaps.

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Complexity

By the step-by-step process of exploring variables, identifying interconnections, testing possible solutions, and observing their outcomes, the totality of the problem is revealed.

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Creativity

The playful nature of social simulation helps participants discover their creative potential and go off the beaten track. Abstract ideas become tangible, giving way to new original and inspiring pathways into the unknown.

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Consensus

In the safe environment of social simulation, participants are more inclined towards cooperation, developing empathy and mutual trust. Thus even if debates become sharpened, all voices may be heard, trade-offs negotiated, and a joint strategy adapted.

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Commitment to action

Social simulations help stakeholders to realize their own responsibility within complex systems and understand that they have enough experience, knowledge and determination to use their newly gained insights to face real life challenges.

Problem

Today’s world societal, economic or environmental challenges call for innovative approach to strategic decision making that would integrate a wide range of data, insights and tacit knowledge.

Different Perspectives

Social simulations provide an accessible problem representation and bring together stakeholders with diverse backgrounds, values, tasks, and goals, offering them a unique opportunity to explore the issue from a number of perspectives.

Communication

Complexity

By the step-by-step process of exploring variables, identifying interconnections, testing possible solutions, and observing their outcomes, the totality of the problem is revealed.

Creativity

Consensus

Commitment to Actions

Areas of application

Strategy Development

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Organizational Change

(improving communication and collaboration)

Experiments

Education,
capacity building

Catalogue

We offer a wide array of social simulations on different topics. From a board game on the role of diversity in resilience building to an online multiplayer simulation exploring social aspects of climate change. The titles that you can find here have already been used by many educators, sustainability professionals, and policy makers all around the world (see our projects).

Most of our games are free for non-commercial use, and many of them can be downloaded and printed at home/office. Click on the image to learn more about the game.

The World\’s Future

Collaborate towards the Sustainable Development Goals

A playful environment for practicing strategies to secure global future. Inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all.

go to the website

Nexus Game

Managing water-food-energy nexus

A collaborative exercise in harmonizing interconnections between water, food, and energy combined with practice in building effective upstream-downstream relations at the transboundary level.

see the website

Energy Transition Game

Shape the future of the energy sector

A playground for practicing social and technological transformations and exploring climate-friendly energy futures.

see the website

Green&Great

Connect sustainability with business success

An experience that leads to deep reflection on business sustainability as a source of competitive advantage. Suitable for both professional training and university courses.

see the website

Lords of the Valley

Collaborate to safely navigate through complexity

A laboratory for practicing strategy, collaboration and leadership in a complex environment. Applied in many contexts: from improving communication between stakeholders in river basins to diagnosing dysfunctions in international organizations.

see the website

New Shores

What price are we ready to pay for progress? Stable climate and democracy shouldn’t be taken for granted

A reflection on both democracy and climate change. Players settle on a virgin island, exploit its resources, and passionately argue about how their society should work.

see the website

About That Forest

...

How incentives, institutions, and worldviews sustain the common good… or lead to the tragedy

A sandbox for exploring how individual and collective behavior is affected by economic incentives, institutions, and moral norms. Regularly used as an experimental research tool.

see the website

Flood Resilience Game

Identify novel policies and strategies to improve flood resilience of communities at risk

An exercise in both short- and long-term decision-making under flood risks. A starting point for mutual learning for communities and flood professionals, igniting a meaningful discussion on what works, and for whom.

see the website