A typical procedure for using Littlefield Technologies

  1. The instructor requests a free trial account from Responsive Learning Technologies (RLT) to evaluate the software. RLT sets up an account and provides access codes to the instructor.  RLT also e-mails a "packet" of short documents that include an overview of the simulation, teaching notes, sample assignments, and simulator instructions.
  2. If the instructor decides to use LT, then the instructor orders a course account. RLT charges $15 per student per term to administer the software. RLT provides the instructor with an access code that the students can use to register their team.
  3. The instructor distributes the note Littlefield Technologies: Overview and the first assignment to the students. Capacity Management at Littlefield Technologies is an example of an easy first assignment. The packet mentioned above has other sample assignments and teaching notes. The instructor also provides an access code mentioned above to the students to register their teams and the time and date that the first assignment will begin.
  4. Students register their teams on the web using the access code provided by the instructor.
  5. The simulation administrator (either the instructor or a teaching assistant) starts the game a few hours before the date and time given to the students. This initial period, when the simulator is in "screening" mode, will generate an initial history for the students. After generating the history, the simulator goes into "suspended" mode.
  6. At the designated time, the administrator presses the button on the administrator's web page that starts the game, moving the simulator to "running" mode.
  7. Over the one to two-week duration of the assignment, students monitor their factories and their performance relative to their peers, periodically making changes to their factory. The students will use concepts from lectures, but lectures will typically not focus on the game.
  8. Once the game ends the simulator enters "done" mode. Each student team turns in a two to four page memo describing what they did, what they should have done (if different from what they did) and present an analysis using concepts from lectures to justify their conclusions.
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A typical course will use one or two assignments. The price per student allows up to two assignments to be used.