At Wiley, we work with our partners to create experiences customized for the unique identity of each institution as well as the project at hand.
In this example, we worked with Vlerick to transform their finance and accounting simulation tool (FAST), originally a board game, into a unique, gamified simulation that enables participants to make the essential link between operations in a business with the financial impact of those operations.
Vlerick’s FAST board game was a way for students to see the relationship between the money moving in and out of a business, and the accounting documents used to record those movements. Players move tokens around the board to watch the money flow in and out and record these transactions in an accompanying workbook. It was an effective and fun opportunity for students and Wiley was excited to take that success and build it into a more scalable solution, one that didn’t require physical assets or proximity. In this simulation, participants work for a yacht company with the goal of growing the business over two years.
When universities choose a partner like Wiley, we can create a gamified experience that is visually innovative and highly effective.
To create that virtual world, Wiley designed 3D visuals that reflected Vlerick’s request that students feel as though they were inside a business organization. We maintained the original goal of students moving tokens themselves by incorporating them into the interface of the game. The student is also prompted to update the accounting documents in his or her workbook, and then these inputs and calculations are checked. If the solution is wrong, the correct answer is given, so the game continues with the business on the right track. Where needed, detailed feedback and further instruction is provided. Participants are thus learning as they play and able to see their decisions directly impact the simulated business while being redirected should the need arise. Videos featuring Vlerick professors “on location” at a real-life yacht builder and marina further lend a sense of realism and authority.
Gamifying Vlerick’s already meaningful board game allowed for more immersive content, more realistic scenarios, and immediate, consistent feedback. When universities choose a partner like Wiley, we can create a gamified experience that is visually innovative and highly effective.