By Erik de Vos
As demand forecasting techniques continue to evolve, the way we teach these new methods to planners should evolve as well. The EyeOn forecast business game is a proven training method and designed to bring a whole new training experience for demand planners and anyone involved in planning. Unlike traditional training methods that focus on theoretical explanations, our forecast game brings practical and hands-on experience to participants. This approach not only enhances understanding but also raises engagement for new techniques and is a fun way of learning. By simulating real-world scenarios, our game helps users develop critical skills in using advanced forecasting techniques and improving forecasting accuracy. Ultimately, participants will gain practical experience, confidence, and a deeper insight into effective demand planning approaches.
The challenge
Training your demand planning team in ever-evolving forecast techniques
Getting the best out of demand forecasting is usually not a push-button thing. Demand planning professionals must become aware of what it means to effectively use their forecasting set-up before they can reap the benefits of it. Let’s take a forecasting set-up using statistical models as an example.
One of the primary challenges in such a set-up is knowing how to use statistics to analyze data and predict future demand accurately. Understanding statistical methods and models helps the planner to have trust in the machine while it does part of the hard work in generating a forecast.
Another significant challenge is the cleaning of sales history, which involves identifying and correcting anomalies or outliers in historical sales data. This step is essential to ensure that the data used for forecasting by the statistical models is reliable. A planner should know how to execute cleaning in an efficient and value-adding way.
Finaly, using statistics usually also means that managing enrichment of the forecast, which includes incorporating factors such as market trends, economic indicators, and promotional activities, is a prerequisite for a realistic forecast. Effective enrichment helps planners to add value to the forecast by bringing information to the forecast which statistical models could not derive from the sales history.
So, how do you train your people in these aspects? Explaining the theory will raise awareness, but experiencing these concepts and challenges in a game environment will make it stick.
The product
EyeOn Forecast Game: a hands-on approach to helping teams master the future of forecasting
A business game offers a safe environment to train specific capabilities mirroring real-life situations and behavior. The EyeOn Forecast Game is a business game designed to train people on four key concepts in demand forecasting:
- Understanding, trusting and using statistical methods
- Organizing efficient and data-driven sales history cleaning
- Organizing value-adding forecast enrichment
- Opening minds for machine learning
This hands-on game blends automated techniques with manual work, requiring participants to operate under time pressure, which mirrors real-world scenarios. It provides valuable insights into performance and planning behavior, making it a training that participants will remember when they are back at their desk.
Unlike traditional training methods, the EyeOn Forecast Game is unique in that it allows users to forecast within a tool environment similar to those they are already familiar with. It can be customized to fit your business’s specific techniques, products, and complexity levels.
The game also introduces a competitive and fun element, enhancing engagement and learning. It can seamlessly integrate into larger training setups to make theoretical concepts more tangible. Whether played individually to stimulate independent thinking or in groups to encourage collaboration, the EyeOn Forecast Game offers a dynamic and practical approach to mastering demand planning and forecasting.
Appropriate for
How could the Forecast Game support your team’s growth ambitions?
The EyeOn Forecast Game is a valuable tool for a wide range of companies with different motivations or trainings needs.
Organizations with manual forecasting approaches, seeking inspiration on new forecasting techniques, will find the game’s blend of statistical forecasting, sales history cleaning, and enrichment a solid kickstart to introducing new concepts to their team. In the same way it is also ideal for businesses on the brink of significant tool transformations in demand planning, as it allows participants to forecast in an environment similar to their existing tools, easing the transition.
Companies looking for a practical training method will appreciate the game’s hands-on approach, motivating participants to start using new techniques, showing where they can improve their skills, giving them the chance to learn and to do better in next rounds. For those aiming to extend their theoretical training curriculum, the game offers an interactive element that makes theoretical concepts more tangible.
Additionally, companies wanting to inject a fun and competitive spirit into their forecasting teams will benefit from the game’s engaging format. Get an immediate view of your own performance and see how you compare to the other players. Where did you add value and how did others achieve better results? And in the end, although participation is always more important than winning, there can only be one winner.
EyeOn Forecast Game in a nutshell
Where the game itself is a straightforward and practical training method, organizing the game is equally straightforward. The game set-up is ready-to-go off the shelf. We only need you to define the products and game context. In a few simple steps we get you organized for your own tailored game:
- Intake – A 1-hour alignment on the key business dynamics, learning goals and typical product demand patterns.
- Design – EyeOn data scientists prep the game representing your dynamics and validate the set-up in a quick alignment
- Invite – We plan for the game execution in a live or online setting
- Execute – We host the game in a 2,5-hour session.
A game can be hosted for regular groups of 12 people, playing as individuals or as teams. For bigger groups, the game is organized with a team approach, or we organize multiple game sessions. The bigger the group, the lower the training cost per player will be.
To host the game, there will be at least two EyeOn consultants present to guide, help and challenge the players. When you want internal people like key users also to play a role during the game, then we include onboarding upfront as part of the approach.
Results
Transforming forecast skills through interactive learning and practice
With the EyeOn Forecast Game, players will dive into 4 key concepts in forecasting: statistical models, cleaning, enrichment and machine learning. They will do this with only little theory and a lot of practice and fun.
- They will learn that statistics can do a good job in forecasting, but not always.
- They will learn that cleaning is essential when using statistical models, and that this does not need to be fully manual.
- They will learn that enrichment of a statistical forecast is needed when you work in a business where the future is not always like the past.
- They will experience that machine learning has the potential to automate enrichment, while that the human can still add value.
Are you ready to grow your team’s demand forecasting capabilities through a fun and hands-on approach? The Forecast Game enables demand planning teams to improve their forecasting skills through an engaging, tailored experience. Discover more about the game or get in contact with our specialists Erik, Rijk or Lisan.