[ANSWERED] What is Simulation-Based Training?

Why don’t heart surgeons do all their training on the job? It’s a question with an obvious answer: The risk of failing in the process of learning is too great. 

Though the stakes may not always be life or death in your business, mistakes made during the learning process can still harm your company. The solution?

Simulation-based training. 

But what is simulation-based training? Is it the right fit for your business?

This post will cover the basics of simulation training. We will discuss the benefits, top vendors, and best use cases. 

What is Simulation-Based Training? 

In the broadest definition, simulation-based training is incredibly common. In all likelihood, you have been exposed to simulation-based training or learning in your life, even if you wouldn’t have identified it as such. 

Simulation-based training refers to any learning experience where a training method replaces a real-life experience with a guided one. By this definition, role-playing exercises, computer simulations, and group exercises can all fall under the umbrella of simulation-based training.

Related: On-the-Job Training Methods vs. Simulations: Which is More Effective?

Simulation training may sound futuristic, but this learning method has been around for decades. An early example of tech-based simulation training is flight simulators in the early 20th century. Over the following years, this method has grown with the advent of new technologies and spread across industries. 

Today, simulation-based training incorporates modern technology, reporting features, and even VR-based features designed to create ever-more realistic simulations. Armed with this understanding of simulation-based training and how it has developed, let’s take a look at some benefits, vendors, and use-cases for simulation training. 

Benefits of Simulation-Based Training 

Simulation-based learning is a highly engaging and experiential method of training. You and your team can enjoy numerous benefits when you utilize this training method. 

Related: How to Increase Knowledge Retention in Your L&D Program

• Context through application:
  Using simulations for training allows your employees to gain context for their new knowledge by letting them apply it to a real-world situation. 

• Real-time feedback: Simulation training allows for trainers to provide immediate feedback, guiding the trainee’s learning experience and allowing them to catch mistakes before they turn into bad habits. 

• Customizable and flexible: With a tool like CapsimInbox, you can create tailored training designed to help teach a specific role or job function. 

• Strengthens soft skills: Soft skills are notoriously challenging to train. Simulations allow trainees to level-up soft skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication while engaging with interactive training.

• Increased learner engagement: Simulations require more engagement than listening to a presentation. Since learners must actively participate in the training, they are more engaged in learning and more likely to retain the information. 

• Removes risk by using a controlled environment: You can gain many of these same benefits through on-the-job training. However, when training on the job, you risk real-world consequences of any mistakes. In simulation training, the learner is free to make mistakes and learn from them without the consequences. 

Top Simulation Training Vendors 

If you want to unlock the benefits discussed in the previous section, you must choose the right simulation training vendor for your organization. Let’s take a look at four excellent choices for simulation training platforms. 

• Attensi
  Attensi offers gamified training solutions for retail, hospitality, and professional services. These training solutions incorporate virtual reality features to offer a truly immersive experience.
  
  Unfortunately, Attensi’s simulations are not designed primarily for corporate environments. Additionally, this solution may be costly to implement as the VR-based elements require appropriate equipment like VR goggles.
  
  According to one Attensi customer:
  “What we’ve discovered, following our work with gamified simulation training specialists Attensi, could be an absolute game-changer for our industry.” -Attensi customer
  
  
• Articulate
  Articulate’s simulation-based training solution boasts features that can be adapted to work on mobile devices, offering a convenient solution for a remote or hybrid workforce.  This tool also has a built-in knowledge retention assessment.
  
  One downside of Articulate is that its primary focus is on retention rather than skillful application. Though retention is vital, your employees will need to be able to apply their new skills in the real world to succeed.
  
  According to one user:
  “I really enjoy the capabilities of Rise because it lets content creators tailor their learning to a variety of learning archetypes. It allows for visual aids such as screen recordings, interactive GIF's, and embedded videos as well as written course content.” -Articulate Rise User
  
  
• Talespin
  Talespin’s VR-based learning platform is immersive and engaging for learners in all environments. Talespin also offers a code-free content creation studio, enabling less-than-technical staff to customize simulations for your team.
  
  However, Talespin is a pricier solution. VR is expensive and can be challenging to implement and scale in your organization. Additionally, this solution is relatively new and unproven.
  
  There are no public reviews of Talespin available online. 
  
  
• Capsim
  Capsim’s simulation training tool offers immersive, proven training. One of the top advantages of Capsim is our reporting and metrics. You will be able to analyze the results and effectiveness of every training program conducted in your organization. You can also use our tool to find skills gaps and assist with self-assessments.
  
  Capsim is geared toward professional and corporate environments, as well as education and student learning.
  
  According to one Capsim user:
  “Our clients are increasingly frustrated by the “one-size-fits-all” mentality of professional development. CapsimInbox allows us to quickly create a tailored training solution that addresses their immediate training needs in a context that is both relevant and meaningful to their working environment and to their culture.” -David Knock, CEO and Director of EdCentral

Best Use-Cases for Simulation Training 

You can use simulation training for various functions in your organization. Depending on your specific work environment, you may have more options than these, but here are some of the top use cases across industries for simulation-based training.

Upskilling and Reskilling: Business processes, technologies, and organizational goals are constantly in flux in most businesses. Your company needs to be ready to accept that change is the only constant if you want to remain competitive in the current market. Upskilling employees to tackle new technological solutions and reskilling promising employees to take on new roles are essential to increasing employee retention and maintaining flexibility. 

Onboarding: Bringing the perfect employee on board can feel like a breath of fresh air for you and your team. However, that relief will be short-lived if that new employee does not receive proper training. Simulation-based training allows new employees to get up to speed quickly on your organization’s processes and procedures in a risk-free, measurable environment. 

Compliance Training: Compliance is one area of your business where you want to avoid mistakes at all costs. What better way to train employees to learn and follow compliance standards than to use simulations? When you use simulation-based training to teach compliance, any missteps a learning employee makes will be consequence-free, letting you breathe easy while still giving your workers the knowledge they need.

Soft Skills Training: Soft skills are challenging to train. However, the real-world nature of simulations allows learners to test skills like problem-solving, communication, and more in a measurable environment capable of providing them with real-time feedback to help them improve.

Hiring Processes: It is challenging to evaluate a person’s future job performance in an interview. With a simulation, you can see how a candidate will perform on the job before you make an offer. You can provide applicants with a simulation that requires them to face similar challenges to what they can expect on the job. This practice allows your hiring team to look deeper at how candidates approach problem-solving.

What is Simulation-Based Training… and How Can You Get the Best Results? 

Simulation-based training is an incredibly versatile method of training and development that can be used in nearly any environment. Across industries, businesses need to train, onboard, and level up their employees. Simulation-based training allows you to achieve this without running the risk of wasting money on ineffective training measures or throwing your employees into the deep end with on-the-job training.

CapsimInbox offers a wide variety of simulation-based training solutions that your business can use to offer your employees training they will actually engage with and enjoy. 

To see how CapsimInbox can help you level up your workforce, take a self-guided demo of our solution today!