How not to talk about simulations

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This has happened to me more times than I can count. A bunch of people are in a room, invited for a two day meeting to talk about simulations. The moderator starts out by asking the group why they are interested in simulations.

This has happened to me more times than I can count. A bunch of people are in a room, invited for a two day meeting to talk about simulations. The moderator starts out by asking the group why they are interested in simulations.

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One says, "Oh, I love simulations. I lead role-plays all of the time in my sales class, and they work really well."

One says, "Oh, I love simulations. I lead role-plays all of the time in my sales class, and they work really well."

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Then someone says, "That's right. I build online certification programs, and simulations are critical."

Then someone says, "That's right. I build online certification programs, and simulations are critical."

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Another says, "I agree. I love simulations. My kids play computer games all of the time. They are great."

Another says, "I agree. I love simulations. My kids play computer games all of the time. They are great."

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Another says, "Simulations are the best. When I was in law school, we did moot courts, and they were very powerful."

Another says, "Simulations are the best. When I was in law school, we did moot courts, and they were very powerful."

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The next person says, "Sure. I have spent decades modeling simulations using all sorts of tools like Stella, and they are great."

The next person says, "Sure. I have spent decades modeling simulations using all sorts of tools like Stella, and they are great."

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Then someone adds, "Absolutely. Simulations are necessary because learning needs to be made a lot more fun."

Then someone adds, "Absolutely. Simulations are necessary because learning needs to be made a lot more fun."

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Another says, "Absolutely. I was a pilot, and we lived in the flight simulator."

Another says, "Absolutely. I was a pilot, and we lived in the flight simulator."

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"That's right," someone agrees. "The simulations are the most used part of our e-learning library."

"That's right," someone agrees. "The simulations are the most used part of our e-learning library."

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Another says, "Oh, I love simulations. I was in the military and we practiced everything a hundred times."

Another says, "Oh, I love simulations. I was in the military and we practiced everything a hundred times."

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Then someone says, "I work in IT, and we rigorously simulate every new architecture before we implement it."

Then someone says, "I work in IT, and we rigorously simulate every new architecture before we implement it."

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At this point, I know the conversation is doomed. We have, in five minutes, dug ourselves into an intellectual hole that will take at least a day and a half to dig ourselves out of before we can actually move forward.

At this point, I know the conversation is doomed. We have, in five minutes, dug ourselves into an intellectual hole that will take at least a day and a half to dig ourselves out of before we can actually move forward.