OM Simulations

Each of these five, self-contained simulations help students employ critical thinking and analysis to make operations management decisions in realistic business contexts. From inventory management for a new tech product to forecasting fuel consumption, students gain valuable exposure to how operations management works in the real world, learning key course concepts as they go.

89% of students recommend these fun, interactive learning simulations for use in their operations management courses.1

"…a great way to help students apply what we learn in class to the real world." — University of Wisconsin student

"…an interactive, thought provoking method of learning outside of the classroom that uses decision making skills and evaluation that is not learned from the other homework." — University of Alabama student

Inventory Management

Inventory Management

In this simulation, students manage stock of an electronics device to minimize costs and maximize profits.

Students learn how to use the EOQ formula to calculate and begin to understand the limitations and benefits of using it for inventory management.

Quality Management

As the manager of a popular restaurant, students make decisions about where to invest to drive customer happiness and restaurant profits. This quality control simulation helps students learn to view spending on quality as an investment that can contribute to business success.

Quality Management
Project Management

Project Management

As the general contractor for a high-end, private residence construction job, students select and manage subcontractors to achieve schedule and profitability goals of a home-building project.

In this simulation, students learn about project planning and how to adapt to everything from customer demands to weather-related construction delays.

Forecasting

Students completing this simulation learn about forecasting by acting as an operations consultant for a gas station company, making monthly forecasts. They will need to analyze various bits of data — using judgement, causal, time-series and seasonal methods — to accurately anticipate customer demand for three types of fuel. Students are evaluated using the collective mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) among the three types of gas.

Forecasting
Supply Chain

Supply Chain

Tasked with making supplier selection decisions as a consultant for a manufacturing company, students learn how supplier selection impacts profit and what factors make up an 'ideal' supplier. In this simulation, students will work to maximize order profits by minimizing the cost of procurement and ensuring on-time order delivery.

1 Based on responses to 2016 class test survey (747 students participating)

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