This award-winning simulation uses the dramatic context of a Mount Everest expedition to reinforce student learning in group dynamics and leadership. Students play one of 5 roles on a team of climbers attempting to summit the mountain. During each round of play they must collectively discuss whether to attempt the next camp en route to the summit. Ultimately, teams must climb through 5 camps in 6 simulated days totaling approximately 1.5 actual hours of seat time. Team members analyze information on weather, health conditions, supplies, goals, and hiking speed, and determine how much of that information to communicate to their teammates. Along the journey, the team must also make decisions in response to 3 hidden challenges which affect their ascent, hiking speed, health, and overall success.
Version 3 retains the same core experience and learning objectives while featuring key improvements for students and faculty. This includes a new design and layout, new team challenges, new team assignment options (including the ability to work in pairs), new instructions and videos, and better usability across devices. A complete V3 Transition Guide, as well as teaching recommendations, free trials, videos and more are available to registered Educators. A comprehensive Teaching Note is also available. This product was designed and developed to comply with WCAG 2.0 AA standards.
Company: Harvard Business Publishing
Approximate price: $15
Playtime: 1 hour 30 mins
Learning objectives: To learn how to build, participate in, and lead effective teams, as well as to examine:
1. How teams can improve the way they make decisions,
2. How opposing interests and asymmetric information affect team dynamics,
3. How leaders shape team decision-making and performance in competitive and time-sensitive situations,
4. How teams and their leaders deal with tradeoffs between short-term task completion and longer-term team effectiveness, and
5. How cognitive biases impair decision making.
Link to simulation home page: https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/8867-HTM-ENG