Oak Tree Simulations Introduces Micromatic Version 4

Beginning on August 2010, all Version 3 logins will be redirected to the Micromatic V4 site http://oaktreesim.com/Micromatic. So, what does this mean for you?

There are NO changes in the decisions the students make, the reports generated, or the default costs for Quarter 1. You know Version 3, so you already know Version 4. Version 3 primary changes update Micromatic's Version 2 with a new cost structure that reflects current economic conditions and allows you the option to have Region 3 located in either China or the EU. So what is different?

Version 4 additions to Version 3

We have added the following new features to Version 3.

• Micromatic Map
  • In order to help students see how the decision and report screens fit with each other, we designed an interactive Micromatic Map that visually shows the relationships. Clicking on the icon for a panel (e.g., Marketing decisions) opens that panel. Our testing has shown that students more quickly learn the flow of information between decisions they make and the reports that are generated because of their decisions.
• Business Consultant
  • The Micromatic Business Consultant provides feedback to the players as they progress through the simulation. The consultant does not give answers to what decisions a company should make. Rather, the consultant raises questions for the students to consider as they manage their company. For example, students will be asked about high finished goods inventory that have developed over the duration of the simulation. The consult acts much as an instructor would do, asking questions to provide students some guidance as they progress through the quarters of the simulation exercise.
• Micromatic Dashboard
  • Beginning in Quarter 4, after enough data has been generated, when students access their company files, a Micromatic Dashboard is displayed that provides an overview of their performance to date. The Dashboard is interactive, so clicking on either the graphs or the icons will display the relevant panels (screens). Also, clicking on the menu items listed on the left (Marketing, Operations, etc) displays the related decision and report panels for that item. These are also interactive, so that clicking on the item opens the relevant panel.
• Quick Graphs
  • Micromatic reports now have graphs that graphically display a company's performance for each item of the report over the duration of the simulation. For example, instead of having to go back to prior quarter reports to see your trend in units sold, clicking on the graph icon for that line item automatically graphically displays the units sold for all quarters of operation.
  • Should the graph show poor performance on the variable displayed, it is shaded in red to raise a warning to the students of a need for immediate corrective action.
  • Two examples are shown below.
• V4 Supported Browsers: Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer 8