Since 1994, we have been supporting top global companies in achieving superior performance and sustainable growth. Companies turn to Targetsim's customized business simulations and interactive learning solutions when they need to build business acumen and implement novel strategies.

Targetsim stands for target oriented performance improvement using business simulations. It may look like a game, but is much more. Yet, the methodology, applied to complex business challenges, incorporates precisely those strengths of a superior game: ingenuity, effectiveness, simplicity and fun.

Dr. Gudrun G. Vogt, founder and CEO of Targetsim recalls: “When I started up the company in 1993 I was a PhD student at the renowned University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Before that I had worked as a manager for a manufacturing company, an engineering business and an advertising agency. There, I observed what makes employees work with a high degree of commitment and motivation.  

I found out that people work better when they know, how what we do is linked to the other business units and how we contribute to the overarching goals of the company. I also realized that not everyone has the opportunity to invest a lot of time in learning about business structures, processes and strategy to execute his or her job.

That’s how the idea was born to create a tool where one could quickly learn and experience what a business is about. I thought about a computer simulation. But I wanted it to be more hands-on, tangible, holistic and more of a team experience. Together with a PhD colleague, I began to experiment until we had created a simulation prototype of a manufacturing company that fulfilled my criteria.

The moment of truth came when the head of HRD of a big company invited me to present the prototype. He and his team loved the touch-and-feel approach. They teamed up with us to model their business in a board simulation. The objective was to communicate to their employees what it meant to change from a state-owned non-profit organization to a privately owned business. We designed the simulation and two months later, we were running the pilot.

It worked! With the simulation over 2000 people learned how they could change in order to be successful as a profit-oriented company. Even better; the head of HRD recommended us to his peers in other companies. Since then, we have designed more than 30 tailor-made simulations for top global clients, and we currently deliver generic and customized solutions worldwide. Targetsim continues to grow.

The feeling when I first meet with a client for the kick-off is still the same: Exciting! What I love about our business is that we get to know so many fascinating companies and the people behind them who make it happen. Their input on value chain and performance drivers is prcisely what we need to design a simulation that fits their unique requirements.

It is our designers’ task to reduce this inherent complexity to the very essence of the business in a way that simulation users rapidly understand purpose, strategy and challenges of their organization. Our facilitators support them in discovering how they can take action to achieve superior performance and results.

Our clients say that we are really good at this. And that makes me very proud.”