Ayman Tobail

Learning by gaming: supply chain application

Todays third level students are of a virtual generation, where online interactive multi-player games, virtual reality and simulations are a part of everyday life, making gaming and simulation a very important catalyst in the learning process. Teaching methods have to be more innovative to help students understand the complexity of decisions within dynamic supply chain environment. Interactive simulation games have the potential to be an efficient and enjoyable means of learning. A serious interactive business game, Automobile Supply Chain Management Game (AUSUM), has been introduced in this paper. Using theories learnt in class as a knowledge base, participants have to develop effective supply chain partnership strategy to enhance their supply chain networks. Deploying the game over the web encourages student interaction and group work. Most importantly the game will enable students to fundamentally grasp the impact of strategic decisions on other parts and players of the supply chain network.

Web-Based Supply Chain Simulation: an Integrated Approach

This is an era marked by rapid technology development in all different educational arenas. Alongside this growing demand of technology, learning process is getting new forms and hence traditional teaching approaches tend to struggle and lack the requisite qualities to meet new generation expectations. In third level education, this problem is increasing in magnitude and new dimensions, especially when it comes to teaching difficult subjects such as supply chain management. Understanding the complexity of supply chain networks and how to manage them create a considerable level of difficulty for students and professionals. Collaboration between supply chain members is now recognised as an important strategic factor in creating a solution to the complexity of the supply chain system. New technologies are beginning to bring a huge transformation into teaching delivery methods. This paper presents an integrated web-based simulation framework that supports learning supply chain concepts and challenges. Simulation-based learning environment allow participants to examine various management strategies without real disruptions to the current system. Using supply chain simulation creates a vibrant experience and a better understanding to the impact of uncertainty and risks within supply chains. Integrating web technologies to simulation has added an edge to the learning environment with the friendly graphical user interface.

Serious Gaming Learning: Supply Chain Multi-Agent Web-based Simulation Game

High levels of complexity and uncertainty, and various sources of risks, create challenges for supply chain networks in achieving satisfactory performance, but advances in Information Technology can help supply chain decision makers predict the magnitude and impact of the risks related to their decisions. The framework proposed in this paper offers a solution that integrates intelligent-agents, simulation modelling, and optimisation. Its friendly, animated, interactive web-based interface is especially designed to engage the user in a ‘serious game’ environment. Each user plays a specific role in the supply chain network, and encounters the consequences of their decisions. The optimisation engine embedded in the framework advises users about the optimum decisions and their anticipated performance outcomes. Genetics Algorithm (GA) and Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) are used to enhance the decision quality. A high-level communication protocol has been designed, developed and implemented to facilitate client/server communications, and allow intelligent-agents to inter-communicate easily and efficiently. The tool we develop offers equal value in supporting management decision-making, or in educating trainees in the realities of supply chain management.

Integrating Simulation Modelling and Value Stream Mapping for Leaner Capacity Planning of an Emergency Department

Recently, the application of lean thinking in healthcare has grown significantly in response to rising demand, caused by population growth, ageing and high expectations of service quality. However, insufficient justifications and lack of quantifiable evidence are the main obstacles to convince healthcare executives to adopt lean philosophies. This paper presents a real application of the successful implementation of a methodology that integrates Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and simulation modelling to improve an emergency department (ED) of a University hospital in Dublin. Appling lean approach in operations will minimize the patient waiting time and improve service time. VSM points out to the value-added and non-value-added activities in a clear schematic way. Simulation Model is also developed for the department in order to account for the variability and complexity resulted in healthcare processes due to dynamism and sharing resources. A comparative analysis of current and future state of the ED is provided and presented to managers to illustrate the potential benefits of adopting lean practices.

Serious Games Integrated Framework: Keep Them in the Flow

Serious games aim to improve the learner experience, allowing them to build knowledge and skills using untraditional learning tools. Supply chain management (SCM) and similar complex fields are promising areas for the adoption of such technology. Complex interrelated concepts and the difficulties faced by the student in understanding and managing the complete image of the field prompts teachers to search for alternative learning tools. This paper proposes an integrated simulation-based serious games framework and describes an implemented serious game called AuSuM (AUtomobile SUpply chain Management). The framework explains the required components and the relationships between them in order to improve engagement and motivation for students in the classroom. This framework was tested through the implemented game, and piloted in real classrooms where it demonstrated improvement in students’ engagement, motivation and knowledge development.

APPLICATIONS OF OPTIMISATION IN SERIOUS GAMES DESIGN: AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK

It is becoming increasingly difficult to adapt new teaching methods especially when addressing complex subjects of management such as operations management (OM) and supply chain management (SCM). Simulation-based serious gaming is one of the promising new approaches that leverage the learning ability for the current students – known as Digital era generation. Literature review shows few to no attempts to offer formal guidelines for the development process of serious games that are designed for education purposes. Combining and balancing objectives of learning, entertaining, keeping an active instructor role, while collecting real-time learning efficiency indicators is the main purpose of this study. The study proposes a comprehensive framework to underpin the development of simulation-based serious game – AUSUM (AUtomobile SUpply chain Management) – that can be used to support learning supply chain concepts such as supplier selection, production planning, order fulfilment, inventory management and more. Results demonstrate a very high satisfaction level from the learners on the usability and learning technique. Integrating optimisation with simulation has also enabled the game to offer different learning modes with different configurations in order to accommodate the level of learners and style of learning.

Interactive learning: developing an eSimulation portal framework

Abstract The emerging eLearning paradigm is becoming increasingly used in many academic disciplines. The concept acknowledges learning processes that no longer deploy only traditional teaching methods. It can be argued that today’s third level education students are part of a new virtual era where the blackboard has been replaced by the interactive whiteboard, so more interactive and virtually orientated teaching aids are required to assist in the transition from traditional learning to eLearning. The key objective of this paper is to propose a simulation-based learning framework that integrates web-based simulation and a web content management hierarchy model. Using the highly complex subject of supply chain management as a field of study, the newly developed eSimulation tool allows users to examine various management strategies in real-life scenarios, encourages group work and offers remote access capabilities for distance learning. Interactive learning is facilitated using a web-based portal, enabling instructors to demonstrate the complexity of decisions in multiple criteria environments and also demonstrate the impact of various strategies on performance to the users. eSimulation creates an animated experience and better understanding of the system dynamics of decision-making processes. The portal interface is friendly and, hence, has the potential to be applied in other subject areas.

Integrated Framework to Optimise Decisions: Supply Chain Serious Game (AUSUM)

Supply chain (SC) management challenges impose high pressure on the firm experts to explore innovative techniques to achieve better understanding of the impact of decisions on SC network performance. High complexity and dynamism of SC reflect on the limitations of traditional learning methods. Serious games have recently been identified as a potential learning approach for complex systems. This paper aims to develop an integrated simulation-based serious game (AUSUM) which incorporates optimisation techniques in an attempt to minimise risks and deliver better learning experience. The proposed game can be used for training and education purposes.