UPGRADE!
It takes careful resource management and close collaboration with your customer to deliver outstanding business value
About...
Strategic planning
Whilst much of ITSM is concerned with operational and tactical service management, it also ensures that the services continue to meet the strategic needs of the business into the future. In this scenario you are looking to reach a best position by its end.
The game scenario
You are managing the IT landscape in a small production facility and are tasked with bringing it up to date. You are working closely with the department managers in the facility and have contacts in head office that can also help you.
Money is extremely tight, and you need to leverage the budgets of the department managers to ensure success.
You have access to shared external IT resources to help you deliver but these are not cheap, especially if unplanned.
Running a game session
UPGRADE! is an intermediate level board game for up to 12 players. It is recommended to allow 2-3 hours for the game itself and a further hour for initial setup and post-game reflections and discussions.
Demand management
Be careful not to overstretch yourself by using more compute resources than you can afford.
Customer engagement
Meeting with the department managers is vital deliver what they really need and to secure financial help along the way.
Optimise systems
Careful adjustment of the systems and their resources will allow you to maximise their performance.
User training
Give your users the extra knowledge they need to really get the most from the systems.
Leverage data
Generate business value by creating insightful reports from the data in one or more of your systems.
Overview of the UPGRADE! game
Work with your stakeholders to deliver business value whilst carefully managing your demand and associated costs
UPGRADE! is a holistic business simulation game set in the business layer of corporate IT. It is a management game designed to support a game-based learning session with focus on strategic planning and demand management The game incorporates many ITIL practices including strategy management and relationship management.
In the game, each player or team is managing a small production facility comprising 4 departments:
Administration, Manufacturing, Warehousing and Logistics. You are charged with modernising the IT landscape in your facility.
During the game, participants are constantly exposed to a need for strategic thinking through both tactical planning and strategic planning all with a backdrop of IT demand management. Players are rewarded for accurately planning their next set of actions.
The game as a whole requires careful timing and choice of the available actions in order that the maximum benefit is achieved with the limited financial and worker resources available.
Every step counts in this absorbing business simulation game, also available as a facilitated online simulation.
UPGRADE! is available as physical game, with a playable online version to support remote sessions and trainer development.
