Policy Gaming for Strategy and Change

This article summarizes the major insights collected in a retrospective comparative analysis of eight strategic projects in which ‘policy gaming’ was the major methodology. Policy gaming uses gaming-simulation to assist organizations in policy exploration, decision making and strategic change. The process combines the rigor of systems analysis and simulation techniques with the creativity of scenario building and the communicative power of role-play and structured group techniques. Reality is simulated through the interaction of role players using non-formal symbols as well as formal, computerized sub-models where necessary. The technique allows a group of participants to engage in collective action in a safe environment to create and analyse the futures they want to explore. It enables the players to pre-test strategic initiatives in a realistic environment. Gaming/simulation proves an appropriate process for dealing with the increasing complexity of organizational environments and the problems of communication within complex organizations and their networks.