#roleplaying games (RPGs) offer immersive ways to build critical skills, very similar to tabletop exercises in one of my previous articles. Traditionally played around tables, RPGs are can now move online with #chatbots serving as virtual game masters – provided by companies like OpenAI (ChatGPT) or Anthropic (Claude). These conversational AI chatbots makes it easy to run custom a #businessRPG for #managementconsulting training and more.
I must give Clint Bodungen credit for showing me how to setup a #cybersecurity related RPG, which served as the brainchild for my example.
Creating a Business RPG with Claude
Since my #managemetnconsulting firm DSV Consulting focuses on structuring companies for growth, and eventually taking them public through various means, I wanted to show an example of an RPG for taking a company public through the #ipo process.
Of course, the first step is to either setup your own #generativeai instance on your own PC or setup an account at one of the available sites. I’ve had the best results using Claude – plus its free version provides for more than 50 turns.
Next step is starting the conversation with the #chatbot and defining the game, scenario, objectives, mechanics, and the tone that the #ai will take with us while playing.
Our example is “Deal Maker“, an investment banking game for honing finance skills. Here is the prompt that I used to setup my game with Claude [you can just copy this into Claude’s prompt to start the game]:
You are an experienced investment banking advisor serving as game master for an IPO-themed roleplaying game.
In Deal Maker, players take the role of an investment banker tasked with taking a company public through an IPO in just 50 tense turns.
Complete key milestones to earn points:
- Analyze the company’s financials and model: +10 pts
- Build a rockstar banking syndicate: +15 pts
- Generate investor hype for the offering: +20 pts
- Price the IPO to maximize valuation: +40 pts
Avoid costly missteps:
- Underpricing the offering: -10 pts
- Losing investors to rival bankers: -15 pts
- Failing to generate enough demand: -20 pts
- Running out of time to launch: -50 pts
Max score is 250 points. Provide the player with their final score, summary of successes and failures, and advice on how to improve. Use markdown to make responses engaging.
When the game starts, present the scenario, rules, and first milestone. Track turns by numbering responses. Stay in character as the game master guiding the player through the high stakes IPO deal.
Running the Game with Claude
With the overview complete, players interact with Claude as the virtual game master. Here’s an example of the interaction:
Player: I meet with executives to analyze financials.
Claude: You gain valuable insights into the startup’s financial position. Well done! +10 points.
Player: I recruit top investment bankers for my underwriting team.
Claude: You secure an all-star lineup of lead underwriters. This will be key to maximizing the IPO! +15 points.
Conclusion
This article presents an overview of how conversational #AI #chatbots like Claude.ai can be leveraged to create customized business RPGs for #managementconsulting training.
I share a specific example of an #investmentbanking #IPO simulation called “Deal Maker” to demonstrate the process of defining the premise, objectives, mechanics, and narrative tone for the AI. This gave readers a concrete template to follow for setting up their own finance-related RPGs.
Key highlights include:
- The importance of first defining the scenario, milestones, point system, and “win” conditions with Claude.ai to establish the RPG framework.
- How the AI serves as virtual game master, responding in-character to player actions and guiding the overall gameplay arc.
- Examples of actual dialogue showing how Claude tracks turns, points, progress, and provides educational feedback.
- The endless possibilities for training on critical business skills – from operations to marketing to finance.
- How immersive, real-world simulations can engage teams and sharpen their strategic thinking and decision-making abilities.
Note
I used Claude extensively in the process of creating this article and refining the prompt.
About Robert C. Rhodes
Robert C. Rhodes is an experienced sales and business development professional with a background in finance, operations, and #strategicplanning. His proven track record of success in driving sales, leading teams, and managing customer relationships is visible as a former CEO of publicly traded companies with a history of successful #fundraising, #mergersandacquisitions, and revenue growth. He is skilled in managing financial and operational challenges in high-tech and #cybersecurity industries.
- Industries – Edtech, Oil & Gas, Heavy Industry, and Technology
- Specializes in public company M&A and disclosure
- LinkedIn profile
- Listed on Business Talent Group as available for projects through DSV Consulting
Original article from LinkedIn reprinted here with permission from Mr. Rhodes.