Heerema Marine Contractors - business simulation Atlantis

A simulation helped to make the roles clear

Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) constructs underwater installations for the oil and gas mining industry all over the world. Miscommunication and misunderstandings in an organization like that can lead to a logistical nightmare. After a reorganization, a simulation in an aquarium helped to make the roles clear once again.

"HMC employs over 1,000 people worldwide who operate to depths of 4,000 meters below sea level and above the Arctic Circle. A whole lot has to be arranged before a drilling platform is put into place in the North Sea or the Gulf of Mexico. Project managers, planners, purchasers, engineers, captains and superintendents: they all play a crucial role, but all speak their own language (even when they come from the same country).

"When a reorganization took place in the Technology Department at the head office in Leiden, it lead to ambiguity in other parts of the building", tells Jurgina Feith. "Some people were a bit lost. We had to find a way to show how the various roles in a project are connected to the organization. We tried to clarify things with a simulation."

Help people to understand what the work that you perform means to another person

In the Spring of 2007, Jurgina Feith got in touch with InContext and they decided to simulate a complete project, where not only did those involved have to fulfill their usual roles, they also had to put themselves in another person’s shoes. "We wanted to help people understand what the work that you perform means to another person. What happens with you when you are in someone else’s shoes? How do you communicate?” asks Feith. First and foremost, an analysis was made of the way HMC operates, including the associated organizational structure and functions. Afterwards, InContext and the people at HMC could work together on a design for a simulated project, with space for all the staff involved.

The end result of the simulation would be a construction project built with the technical toys Magnetics, at the bottom of a large aquarium. In doing so, the entire planning process from Leiden to the execution in the Gulf had to be followed. The scale of the sea was the only thing in this simulation that was not genuine. Feith: "We worked with the same instructions that we use in the project organization."

The simulation also took on a multicultural aspect in Houston, Texas

In early 2008 the simulation was done for the first time with a complete team. The simulation provided all concerned with new insights; insights into their own role within the organization, but especially into those of others. The simulation was carried out eight times with various teams at the head office in Leiden, and then went on tour. The office in Houston, Texas, got an aquarium set up as well. "We did two sessions in the United States", tells Feith. "The simulation took on a multicultural aspect there, because there were people from five nationalities participating. That resulted in new insights at an individual level as well." The simulation lead to everyone finally understanding and appreciating the new work method in Leiden. Jurgina Feith: "I’m proud of it."