ThinkCodex

Category: learning

  • Struggling with Change Management & Upskilling? | Game-Based L&D for MNCs – Think Codex

    Struggling with Change Management & Upskilling? | Game-Based L&D for MNCs – Think Codex

    Written by: Raveena Elizabeth (Marketing Lead)

    Strategic L&D in Times of Change: How Think Codex Can Accelerate Your Success

    Companies across industries are facing unprecedented economic challenges. Layoffs, budget cuts, and shifting priorities can make focusing on long-term resilience difficult. However, neglecting the development of a skilled and adaptable workforce during these times carries significant risks.

    This is where Think Codex, a leading provider of game-based L&D solutions, can help. We transform how organizations approach change, leadership, and team dynamics, empowering your people to navigate uncertainty and drive success.

    Pain Point 1: The Challenge of Change Management

    Credit infographic of the challenges of change management: Faster Capital
    Credit infographic of the challenges of change management: Faster Capital

    Restructuring and downsizing place immense pressure on employees. To thrive, they need adaptability, strong communication, and the ability to collaborate effectively across newly formed teams.

    Think Codex’s change management simulations immerse employees in real-world scenarios, developing the problem-solving skills and resilience needed during periods of flux. To learn more about our approach to change management, check out our ThinkAdapt blog post

    Pain Point 2: Internal Hiring – Where Think Codex Fits

    Sime Darby’s employees are immersed in a Think Codex’s leadership development simulation, collaborating and problem-solving.
    Sime Darby’s employees are immersed in a Think Codex’s leadership development simulation, collaborating and problem-solving.

    Understandably, many companies are prioritizing internal promotions and upskilling. Think Codex accelerates this process with targeted leadership development programs designed specifically for MNCs. We bridge the gap between current skills and new roles, building a pipeline of capable leaders ready to step up with confidence.

    Additionally, our team-building simulations foster the cross-functional collaboration essential for a smooth post-restructuring transition.

    The Think Codex Advantage

    • Engagement and Impact: Our game-based approach drives higher engagement and knowledge retention compared to traditional training methods.

    • Flexibility: Choose physical sessions for high-impact team experiences or explore our virtual solutions for scalable, remote L&D.

    • MNC Expertise: We understand the unique needs of MNCs and conglomerates, offering tailored programs across diverse industries like banking, FMCG, oil & gas, and more.

    Call to Action

    Ready to transform L&D into a strategic driver of resilience? Explore Think Codex solutions. Request a demo to see our simulations in action. For further L&D strategies that can complement our solutions, check out our blog post: 5 Strategic Steps To Align Your L&D With Business Success.

  • Bored with Training? Gamification is the Antidote for Engaged Learners

    Written by: Raveena Elizabeth (Marketing Lead)

    Let’s be honest, most corporate training programs could use a serious energy boost. Dry presentations, endless compliance modules… it’s no wonder employees tune out. That’s where gamification comes in – it has the power to transform your training from snooze-fest to something people look forward to.

    What is Gamification (and Why Should You Care)?

    Gamification isn’t about turning your company into a giant video game. It’s about using game-like elements – think points, badges, challenges, and competition – to make learning more fun, motivating, and effective. Here’s the magic: our brains are wired to respond to these elements, making learning feel more like play and less like work.

    Proof it Works: Deloitte’s Success Story

    Don’t just take my word for it. Global consulting giant Deloitte revamped their leadership training with their gamified Leadership Academy. This platform uses simulations, challenges, and storylines to immerse employees in real-world leadership scenarios. The payoff? Skyrocketing completion rates and a stronger pipeline of future leaders. Check out the details on Harvard Business Review.

    2 Ways to Level Up Your Training with Gamification

    1. Content Gamification: Make the Material Fun

    • Break it Down: Ditch the long lectures. Use quizzes, short challenges, or interactive scenarios to test knowledge after each bite-sized chunk of learning.

    • Choose Your Adventure: Put learners in the driver’s seat with scenario-based learning. Let their choices and decisions impact the outcome – just like a real-life work situation.

    • Progress = Satisfaction: Visualize progress with progress bars or level-up systems. This sense of accomplishment keeps learners coming back.

    2. Performance Gamification: Reward the Right Behaviors

    • Points for Progress: Award points for course completion, skill demonstrations, or active participation.

    • Badge of Honor: Create badges to recognize achievements or milestones.

    • Friendly Competition: Leaderboards add excitement and a little healthy competition to boost motivation.

    How to Get Started (and Prove it’s Worthwhile)

    • Set Clear Goals: What do you want your training to achieve? Gamification is most powerful when it targets specific outcomes.

    • Choose the Right Game: Points, badges, or something else? Select mechanisms that fit your goals and resonate with your employees.

    • Make it Real: Tie rewards and challenges to job skills and company goals.

    • Track the Wins: Measure completion rates, knowledge gains, and real-world performance improvements to demonstrate the ROI of your gamified training. For in-depth guidance on this, check out this guide.

    If you’re wondering if gamification is the right move for your team, let’s chat and explore the possibilities!

  • Are You Ignoring the Key to L&D Success? The Importance of Employee Feedback

    Written by: Aaron Leong

    Every Learning and Development (L&D) team’s dream is to have committed and competent employees, the vehicle that drives an organization’s growth and profit in an ever-growing business landscape. It falls to the L&D teams in organizations, small and large, to develop and retain talents with the appropriate skills and attitude, yet this challenge has only increased following the pandemic. With the changes in employee expectations, more so with Generation Z entering the workforce, it is far too easy for managers to take on a reactive mindset and prematurely conclude that employee attitude or work ethic has deteriorated.

    As part of the L&D community, we are responsible for aligning employee career goals with company goals, so we must take a proactive mindset in understanding what underlies this phenomenon, and one such approach is through employee feedback.

    Co-workers engaging in discussion
    Co-workers engaging in discussion

    This article will first propose 4 ways an organisation’s L&D could benefit from listening to and acting on employee feedback. Next, we explain how employee feedback is inherently tied to the most essential elements of human motivation, which then predicts employee performance and retention.

    WHAT ARE THE 4 WAYS?

    1. Employee feedback gives you a clear picture of the skills or support that is currently missing in the team and, consequently, what type of support or training the team needs. With the increasing complexity of the technology and problems to solve, the plethora of platforms or business tools make it challenging for L&D to accurately identify the most relevant and appropriate for their company within budget and time constraints. Prior to adopting any new tool or introducing any new training programme, L&D needs to have a clear and accurate understanding of the challenges or roadblocks currently faced by employees. As such, employee feedback would highlight said issues, allowing the L&D team to accurately identify the relevant skills required by the employees. For example, employees could be stagnant in their careers and might benefit from a more structured way of brainstorming or strategic planning, but if you manage to identify that the employees already have excellent ideas, it is possible that their struggle lies with communicating their ideas in a clear and convincing manner. Since the L&D’s role is to ensure that employees are equipped to achieve the results that are expected of their position, employee feedback could shed light on the optimal way to use the company’s resources to grow the team.

    1 to 1 feedback with your manager often helps
    1 to 1 feedback with your manager often helps

    2. Furthermore, use employee feedback to ensure that the organizational and departmental policies remain effective and efficient in the current times. As organizations grow in reputation and teams grow in confidence and expertise, the tendency to become more homogeneous and rigid increases. This means that people are more susceptible to groupthink and struggle with divergent thinking, an important aspect of creative problem-solving and critical thinking. Moreover, sometimes our standard procedures or best practices might no longer be effective or efficient. Employee feedback would then be an important data-gathering process in obtaining diverse, and even dissenting, opinions. Clarity on what still works and what requires improvement shields the team from groupthink and prepares the company for future challenges before they occur.

    3. Additionally, it will ensure that the policies and processes in the organization are employee-centric, that is, the company’s vision is aligned with employees’ day-to-day work. Employees are more engaged and productive when their work and how they are treated at work are consistent and aligned with the organization’s vision and mission. For example, it would be hard-pressed for employees to think innovate and problem-solve in a culture that rewards rigid adherence to potentially outdated best practices. Rules and systems were created by people with specific purposes. Employees, the very people whom the vision and mission are meant to guide, would give you the most accurate feedback on whether the systems in place are achieving the purpose they are supposed to.

    4. A subtle, and less direct, effect of active listening and acting on employee feedback is forming a culture of learning. As L&D, we act as models and examples to employees in terms of how to behave and act at work. By demonstrating that we are open to upward feedback and constructive criticism, we establish a safe environment for sharing ideas and experiences, an environment that emphasizes self-improvement and encourages humility, creating a space to have difficult conversations. A learning culture encourages employees to be transparent about their mistakes or struggles, which are important predictors of eliminating mistakes in the future. A learning culture promotes collaboration and learning from one’s peers and mentors, resulting in growth in productivity and innovation. Conversely, a culture that prioritizes performance undermines psychological safety, encouraging employees to be guarded and always on the lookout for their own performance and career. In conclusion, a culture that practices upward feedback values improving ourselves instead of proving ourselves.

    Human Motivation

    The aforementioned advantages of feedback in L&D touch on three important elements of human motivation. Based on the Self-Determination Theory, humans are highly motivated and demonstrate quality performance in an environment that encourages autonomy, foster relatedness, and grows their competence. By providing the most relevant support and training, we increase employees’ competency, allowing them to excel in their work career development. By designing employee-centric policies, we encourage employees to practice their autonomy as their feedback and engagement with the L&D could improve their work conditions and have an impact on the organization. Employees would then feel that they are part of the company as opposed to feeling like a replaceable cog in a machine, encouraging them to take ownership of their careers and increase their commitment. 

    Example of Self Determination Theory
    Example of Self Determination Theory

    CONCLUSION

    It is easy to forget that employees are one of the stakeholders in the organization. What is an organization without the people or the processes (created by said people) in it? As with any other stakeholders, you need to understand their needs and involve them in decision-making processes. As such, employee feedback is vital in developing the ideal team in any organization.

    Let us know what are your thoughts on this in the comment below and if you enjoy reading our articles, do join our community to get latest insights on gamification and L&D.

  • How To Take The Role of Games In Business Seriously

    How To Take The Role of Games In Business Seriously

    Games have always been seen as an activity for entertainment and leisure, but not for work. Here we explore the place of games in the business world.

    By Andrew Lau

    Everyone has played games. It’s something we experience as part of growing up. Games help us to learn, to avoid repeating mistakes, to choose the right friends, to win graciously, and to lose well. These very things that happen during childhood are what we can also apply to our working lives.

    Gamifying business goals makes achieving them so much more desirable
    Gamifying business goals makes achieving them so much more desirable

    Lately, gamification has come into business in a big way. More and more companies are making time to play, whether to increase employee engagement through team-building activities, or to facilitate learning in a business environment.

    As someone who helps organizations develop their employees’ potential, I often find myself telling bosses that “people learn by doing”. When you need to coordinate with others to learn new concepts, change mindsets, or produce results, then reading slides and memorizing manuals are not effective.

    This is why I’ve spent most of my career building business simulations that help colleagues experience and resolve real-life challenges in a safe environment.

    Business simulations are powerful. They can be built to isolate and target specific issues. Most importantly, you can make mistakes and learn without impacting the real business world.

    Engagement Vs Efficiency: Why does Gamification work?

    For most people they often see the outward representation of games such as cards, tokens, badges, avatars, and leaderboards. However, the real secret lies behind the design of the gamification system.

    Behavorial design - Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels
    Behavorial design – Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels

    There are typically 2 types of system design in the world:

    i. Function-centered design creates systems with the end goal of efficiency. However, even though this system is efficient, it does not mean people are motivated or engaged to use it. Most systems in a business are designed this way.

    ii. Human-centered design on the other hand. focuses on user engagement and motivation instead. It makes people want to use a system and derive personal meaning from their interaction. The question that should be asked during design is “What do we want to make the user feel?” (Engagement) as opposed to “How can we make things faster?” (Efficiency)

    You’re Happier When You Play

    E-Learning is a classic case of function-centered design. Internal e-learning platforms are an efficient way to distribute content among employees. However, it’s usually not designed to actually motivate or engage your people to WANT to learn.

    Here’s how most people approach e-Learning.

    First we go for the quiz, and if we pass (hurray!), we are deemed to have learned the subject. If we fail, then we go through the drudgery of re-watching the videos, only most times, we don’t.

    How engaging is e-learning really?
    How engaging is e-learning really?

    We turn on the video, make a cup of coffee and chat with our colleagues or attend to our emails. We wait for the time when we can take the quiz again. If we fail, repeat coffee and emails till we get it correct.

    This is what learning through a function-centered designed system could look like.

    Learning through a human-centered design system is hugely different. The most obvious difference is that there is usually a big dose of gamification. Imagine if learning in organizations was geared through completing business missions and quests. The only way to complete missions would then be by applying theories and tools.

    Users also rapidly ideate and prototype their ideas in a safe environment. They use iteration to keep getting better at a competency. By the end of a learning session, their repeated actions would have formed the building blocks of new behaviours, ultimately bring results to organizations.

    Think Codex CEO Andrew Lau prototyping human-centered design concepts
    Think Codex CEO Andrew Lau prototyping human-centered design concepts

    Most importantly, users have a lot of fun while gaining insights.

    Gamification truly taps into the core of human-centered design. It’s about designing a system that gets your customers, employees, and even yourself, to be both extrinsically and intrinsically motivated toward desired actions.

    End Game

    So where does this leave us?

    Everybody loves games and are drawn to it because it connects us to who we are as humans.

    We are driven by:

    1. A positive sense of meaning, empowerment, social influence, accomplishment and ownership.
    2. A negative sense of unpredictability, scarcity and avoidance.

    All these drive human engagement and motivation.

    So, to drive results, the choice is simple. All you need to do is press Play.

     

    Andrew Lau is the CEO of Think Codex, a Learning Gamification Organization that believes the best way to get results is through human-centered systems. You can write him at andrew.lau@thinkcodex.com
     

  • Strategic Thinking: When Theory Meets Workplace

    Strategic Thinking: When Theory Meets Workplace

    By Andrew Lau

    Strategic thinking has been an important and famous topic with regards to organisations, so much so that it has been mentioned countless times in management, innovation and corporate articles and blogs.

    There are numerous workshops and trainings with regards to this area and we would like to shed some light on this topic as well and how simulations actually play a part in honing this skill.

    We would start by introducing what is strategic thinking, its crucial components, an example of how it applies to our daily life and how simulations are able to effectively address this skill. We would like you to take note that there are countless amount of research with regards to strategic thinking, with numerous amount of segregation, components and definition.

    We take on the theories of strategic thinking from Liedtka, as we believe that it is the most wholesome and well defined one yet.

    What is Strategic Thinking?

    The best way of learning what is strategic thinking is by knowing what strategic thinking is not. On the surface level, when strategic thinking is mentioned, we have in our minds that it is thinking about the strategy itself. It may appear to us that when we approach a project, planning up a strategy with regards to it denotes strategic thinking, but that is not the case.

    Strategic thinking at an actual fact is a way of thinking, more specifically a mindset with regards to approaching a certain task or project, or in more layman terms, a more organised way of thinking. 

    You may ask, “what is the difference between both of the definition that you had just spouted?”

    Well, the difference between making a strategy and approaching a project with a strategic mindset is the flexibility and adaptability that you possess when critical moments appear (i.e. when something does not go as planned).

    A strategic mindset makes you think from your core of what is important to you, what are your strengths, what are your tolerance level for risk, who are your stakeholders, how are you approaching your future, and how you would turn your challenges into opportunities; which a mere strategy (with multiple backup plans) could not have addressed. It gives you a wholesome picture of what is happening within and around you for you to make the best possible decision at that moment in time.

    And as Liedtka personally has said:

    Strategic thinking, on the other hand, is a synthesizing process, utlizing intuition, and creativity, whose outcome is “an integrated perspective of the enterprise”

    We hoped that we have managed to clear some of the misconceptions with regards to strategic thinking. Now let us move on to the elements of it to fully understand it better.

    Components of Strategic Thinking

    In order for strategic thinking to happen, all the following components have to be realised. Some could be more salient at different points of time depending on the circumstances. They are:

    1. Systems Perspective: Having a mental model of the complete end-to-end systems of value creation, and understands the interdependencies within it.

    2. Intent-Focused: A strategic intent is differentiated and implies a unique point of view about the future, which communicates a sense of direction, discovery and destiny to the team or individual.

    3. Intelligent Opportunism: The ability to adapt without having to depend on top management strategies, which leave open to the possibility of new strategies emerging.

    4. Thinking In Time: After having seen the future that we want, what must we keep from our past, lose from that past, and create in our present to get there?

    5. Hypothesis Driven: Mirroring the “scientific method” by generating hypothesis and engaging in testing as central activities. Hypothesis generation asks the questions “What if…?” while hypothesis testing follows the critical question “If… then…?”

    Understanding and practicing these five components will give you a powerful source of competitive advantage by (as quoted by Liedtka)”

    Their whole system perspective should allow them to redesign the processes for greater efficiency and effectiveness. Their intent-focus will make them more determined and less distracted by their rivals. Their ability to think in time will improve the quality of their decision-making and the speed of implementation. A capacity for hypothesis generation and testing will incorporate both creative and critical thinking into their processes. Intelligent opportunism will make them more responsive to local opportunities… This meets the three fundamental strategically valuable capability: (1) they create superior values for customers, (2) they are hard for competitors to imitate, (3) they make the organisation more adaptable to change.

    How can strategic thinking be applied in our daily lives?

    Let us take a scenario here. You are currently in the marketing department of a FMCG industry and you are considering a career change because you have seen that your peers are switching companies and you feel that you have done enough time within this company. So most likely you would think of, “should I take a leap?” or “where should I go to next?” Ideally, it makes sense to venture into the same industry at the next company but you would like to try something new as well hence, you are in a dilemma. So let us apply the components of strategic thinking into this situation. It is important to take note that there are no right or wrong to this and would depend on individual differences.

    The conventional definition of strategic thinking would get you to immediately come out with a long term plan, and mini goals to get there. What are your backup options if one the other does not work as planned. That would be your strategy. As you go down the line, the same cycle dissatisfaction happens again and you revamp or come out with another strategy. There are some things to be questioned here.

    • Have you looked at the big picture? Such as what are some of your strengths and your important networks that you could cascade into opportunities? What you think you are good at versus what people value about you?
    • Have you looked into your past and find out what you are good and poor at and how have you changed since then?
    • Have you looked into the future of job needs? And what kind of skills do you need to equip yourself with in order to meet the future job needs?
    • Do you have a specific/few direction(s) which you would you want to head towards?
    • Have you gathered enough information to garner the resources needed to revise your strategy when your needs changes?
    • Have you evaluate and manage to risk involved, for each of the path you take?

    It may sound overwhelming at first, but as more practice is involved with regards to the strategic way of thinking, the easier it would be for you to utilise them. They should come naturally as it is a mindset by itself.

    After answering all the questions, you should have a vivid picture /clear sound of what you should do next. This helps you to stay true to yourself and not ending up making a career change based on what you have seen on social media or small talks with your peers. In addition, it gives you a clear picture of the skills/knowledge/stakeholders that are at your arsenal and how they can be transferable to the next workplace that may or may not be relevant to your current industry.

    Here is an example of how strategic thinking is applied in the scenario above:

    First you look at the big picture and draft out the important stakeholders that have brought you to this day. That would be your uncle who provides you sound advice, your previous boss who introduced you this job, the sales manager who introduced the ropes of the company to you and your trusted team partner who backs you up in time of need. Interview them on why did they chose you? What do they see in you? And how have you improved over time?. Then draft out your strengths, skills and interests.

    Take a look on how your skills match other forms of interests that you have. Know what is the best environment for you to work with and research on the transformation of job needs in the near future. Then take a look on where you need to improve or further polish to meet those needs. For example marketing has been going digital and customers’ demands are getting more specific, thus you feel that you need to hone your data analysis skill in order to segment customers’ needs more effectively. 

    Do not be afraid to look back at your past and check on what do you dislike and where your achievements were. Be sure to put that in mind when you are drafting your plan. For example, you are comfortable with technology and is always updated with the current technologies, at the same time hated being too comfortable in one place. 

    By now, you would have an intent on where you want to go. If your traits includes risk-taking and future-minded, then you would naturally be more comfortable in going to an industry that is more futuristic and different from your current industry (e.g. tech). If your trait consists of stability then consider taking another role within the same industry or vice versa. Be sure to check the risks involved in each decision as well. 

    With that, you are all geared up to face the situation when there are changes in job needs within the economy. For example, you would have an adequate amount of knowledge to face the digital marketing world as well as the competencies to carry out corporate marketing plans. The skills that you have obtained by then could further propel you to help bring existing companies into digitalisation, and many more opportunities to come. 

    In conclusion, we can see in the example that there is no one right way towards strategic thinking and each components of the theory could emerge at different points in time. Two persons with similar traits / strengths may have totally different career pathways due to differences in their pasts and traits. However, having an organised way of thinking helps you to get a firm grasp of the situation and how you could respond to them in an effective way.

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    How does simulation effectively addresses strategic thinking?

    Strategic thinking does possess its complexity and therefore, requires a medium complex yet simple enough to transfer this skill towards the learner. We do not think traditional classroom teachings are adequate in addressing the full scope of strategic thinking because the fluency of this mindset has to be practiced in the real world setting to successfully grasp its mechanics. At the same time, the the workplace may be too hectic or comfortable that the learner falls back to his or her comfort mindset. Therefore, we believe that simulations possess the complexity, yet simple enough in a controlled environment to allow learners to practice this skill first, so they would have the confidence to apply them within their workplace.

    With the alignment of Liedtka’s theory to our Strategic Thinking Simulation, Allocate, we are able to transfer the theoretical components in stages towards the learners and at the same time, allows them to test out the theories within a safe and realistic environment.

    In addition, we have also aligned specific tools within the programme to help the learners translate the theories (in the head) into paper (visualising) so that they could act on them (execute). With this, we are sure that the strategic thinking mindset can be brought back into the workplace. And the benefit continues when they are shared within the working space.

  • The Unsustainability Factors of Learning Solutions, and How To Innovate.

    By Andrew Lau

    The CEO of Think Codex takes this opportunity to share his views and how Think Codex came about. Here, he addresses the issue of why learning solutions are not sustainable, and which are within our control

    Why are Learning Solutions not sustainable?

    Organisations spend a huge amount of money on training and development but still we are seeing people complaining about how they do not see the relevance of it to their work or that they fail to bring the knowledge back into their workplace.

    This had me thinking about how to make learning more efficient, and the best person to start with, was myself.

    I began to recall the moments where I had failed to bring the key lessons of the trainings I had been to back into my workplace, and dissecting them into distinct elements. I figured that while there are a number of external factors which are outside an L&D Professional’s control, like organisational culture and structure, there are still some factors within our influence:

    1. Recall – Can a person remember what they have learnt?

    The typical training method of teaching through slides and written material has been in existence since 600B.C – the time of the ancient Greeks.

    While the tools may have changed from Papyrus to Powerpoint, the method remains. More importantly however, research has found this method to have the lowest recall rate.

    This means we need to seek out newer proven methodologies such as prototyping and simulations. By changing the methodology, we can shift retention rate from 10% to as high as 90% – a staggering multiplier of nine.

    This is because when we prototype in a realistic environment, we can customise the knowledge/solution in accordance to our own style and personality. I’ve found that this creates a sense of ownership, helping us recall things better as we feel that we have created that realization with our own effort.

    That said, people have thrown questions at me saying “how can we direct what a person learns if he/she were to direct his/her own learning. We cannot ensure that they learn the desired material”.

    O ye of little faith. Let me address this in the next section, have some confidence.
     

    2. Confidence – Is the person willing to try out the learning(s) at work?

    Why is a person reluctant to try out what they’ve have learnt in trainings?

    At the heart of it, it boils down to this dialogue within their heads – “This looks good, but will it work for me? Will I be able to do it?” The only way to ease such fears is for a person to be able to try out the concepts and theories in a safe environment.

    Such an environment must provide business-like reality to mirror the complexity and challenges in the working world. Games and activities that promote luck will not be able to allay the fears of a person. In short, the learning environment must bring participants into a mental and emotional state of real business.

    So fear not doubters, simulations can be designed to a person towards the key learnings by incorporating the raw concept of it directly into design, with the environment built around it. 

    Think of a maze, there are many twists and turns, and the participants are free to take their personalised actions towards achieving them. However, a simulation also has rules, a series of check and balances to ensure that the participants do not stray away, tethering them to an area where the learnings are key. This not only helps them with recall, but also amplifies the feeling of empowerment with regards to their actions. 

    3. Simplicity – Is the learning & tools hindering implementation?

    During my years in an oil and gas company, I once attended a highly-regarded decision making workshop. The content from the vendor was solid, but their process of decision-making took about 2 days to complete. In a normal operational environment this would be near impossible to actually execute.

    At other times, I was confronted with tools so complex that it was just not possible to understand without an instructor’s help. Needless to say, I didn’t apply any of the tools.

    Methodology and tools should be simple and take no more than 15 minutes to learn. This is so that a person can teach colleagues the tool, and still have 45 minutes to apply the tools in a typical 1-hour business meeting. Tools that are simple will reduce the barrier of entry into the workplace.

    Our strategic thinking simulation - Allocate.
    Our strategic thinking simulation – Allocate.

    This is the direction where I aspire to bring Think Codex to – a simulation design company that focuses on making learning sustainable. If we are to innovate the L&D in our organizations, it does not require sophisticated digital products but can begin with 3 simple core principles in the form of Recall, Confidence and Simplicity. 

  • 3 Ways to Increase Your Memory Retention During the Festive Season

    3 Ways to Increase Your Memory Retention During the Festive Season

       It’s the Year of the Rooster and we from Think Codex would like to wish everyone of you a Happy Chinese New Year. This time around, we thought it would be interesting to share with you some tips on how to remember the things you have learnt, while enjoying moments with your family and friends, so you could spearhead the year with full force. So here goes:

    1. Sharing is caring

       As cliche as it sounds, sharing has proven to help retain the information that you have learned and also transfer them from your training into everyday life. Share anything and everything including the programmes that you have attended, the key learnings, or the experiences. This helps you to recall the information that you have learnt, as well as obtaining different perspectives from your family and friends. Recalling the information with the presence of other social cues would help to strengthen the information into the long-term memory.

    Imagine an octopus finding more areas to latch on as it explores the environment (It certainly would be harder to be drifted off by the currents)

    2. Practice your key learnings during the festive season

       Practice is essential in helping to transfer your learnings effectively back into the workplace. That is why we encourage you to apply them during the festive season.

    Let us take the example from our Allocate Strategic Thinking Simulation, where it teaches about how to align your existing strategies with future opportunities that comes by. With that said, you could practice the key learnings of the simulation by planning who you would like to meet during the festive season in a manner where you could make the most out of it.

    Not only that, you could practice the key learnings from Allocate in the your annual card game sessions too. Practice not only promotes recall, but also helps to build confidence in using the skill in the future.

    3. Gamify the mundane activities

       Have a lot of plates to wash? Have many guests to serve? Why not make those activities fun by making a game out of them? Compete with your relatives on who can finish washing the plates faster or whoever that could serve more drinks to the guests (We wouldn’t encourage you to compete in who finishes the Chinese New Year cookies the fastest though). 

    What is important here is that you enjoy the process, get things done, and make meaningful connections.

       Tired of forgetting about the things you have learnt? Research has shown that, skills that are not practised would most likely decay due to interference from other information. So let us not make these learnings go to waste. Start practicing with any opportunities that you could find! 

    Once again from Think Codex, we wish you a happy holiday and have a safe journey back home.

    Call to Action

       Think Codex is a company which design simulations to help translate learning needs of corporations back into the workplace. We provide off-the-shelf and also customised simulations for our clients. Visit our website for more information about our products and if you like this piece of content, please help to share it out or subscribe to our newsletter to get more. Cheers!

    References