1. What is BYOB?
2. How does BYOB educate?
3. What will I get when I play BYOB?
4. Who can play?
5. How do you play?
6. Features Quickglance

The Idea
BuildYourOwnBar or BYOB encapsulates the elements of a hospitality business by simulating the actual planning, opening and operational procedures and practices online - in real time - through the use of the Internet.

The Procedure
Specifically, the user is submerged in an online environment (the simulation) and must complete the industry specific steps associated with the practices of that business.

The Simulation
The first element of any and all business processes requires an educational component. This is provided by visiting and completing modules that are loaded with hospitality industry specific knowledge. Once the identified modules are completed, a testing procedure is implemented and must be passed before progress through the simulation can take place. Successful completion of the test allows the user to engage in the business practices component that mimics real processes used by successful hospitality businesses. The choice of BYOB Simulation businesses includes restaurants, hotels, bistros, nightclubs, pubs, or resorts.

BuildYourOwnBar or BYOB is a proprietary software computer-based learning simulation. Although there are other hospi-simulations in the market that have been used in hospitality and tourism education for more than a decade, BYOB is uniquely different. This simulation has also been tested in a post secondary institution where their experiences were combined with the instructor's experiences and shared at multiple hospitality symposiums across the world. This tool is targeted to interest practitioners and all hospitality educators at two and four-year institutions as well as individuals interested in a managerial career in the hospitality industry or someone who wishes to own his or her own hospi-business.
Examples of computer-based simulations used in hospitality education during the last decade would include: CHASE, CRASE, Top of the House, and HOTS. All of these programs are proprietary software based and none are Internet real-time simulations. They also require the installation of a diskette on a single computer to complete work sessions. BYOB can be accessed at any computer with Internet capabilities. Other simulations may also require patches, bug fixes and upgrades via another diskette. Major drawbacks to existing hospitality simulation products often include: complicated and sometimes "quirky" operation and execution for the instructor and users, outdated technology platforms, lack of real-time format, and a shortage of "cause and effect" understanding by participants for their decision inputs and subsequent results in the simulation. Since BYOB is Internet based, all changes and upgrades to the system are immediate. The end user will receive the upgrades the next time they login.
BYOB is the first hospitality simulation to offer both individual participant and group/team involvement. Most hospitality simulations require participants to form teams of multiple members due to the programming and administration complexity of managing more than a set number of participants. This often produces a "lack of ownership and affiliation" syndrome among group participants. BYOB enables all participants to plan, open, and operate their "very own" hospitality business. Group interaction, including hiring a peer manager and participating in online group discussions are an integral part of the BYOB learning process.

As an example, the BYOB simulator generated the following operational statistics during use in a Lodging Operations course at a major North American University Hospitality School. Students enjoyed the interactivity and realism provided by the Web based real-time format. They also appreciated that this simulation allowed them to plan, build and operate their own hospitality establishment, rather than the group or team format so often used in today’s large enrollment classrooms. The 150 participants in the course logged more than 6,000 posts on the simulation message boards and generated almost 19 million hits on the site during the course of the simulation, an average of more than 27 hours of active participation per student. Simulation online web site activities included interacting, posting, researching, exploring, chatting with peers, and creating, managing and marketing individual hospitality businesses. More than 9,700 emails were generated within the class. Hospitality management skills were enhanced by more than 51,000 bank transactions within the accounting system, 2,000 guestbook comments, and 250 marketing activities ranging from banner ads and newspaper ads to radio spots and TV movies.
An added benefit to using the BYOB simulation product was to increase student keyboard skills and Internet foundations. Participants chose a business type, name, interior colors and design, uploaded a press release and menu, and hired a peer manager for the business prior to opening. Uploading, creating, editing, interacting, posting and replying are just some of the many exploratory learning features embedded inside this powerful yet entertaining learning tool.

Previous methods of grading a simulation often involved inserting a three and a quarter floppy disk into the computer to periodically download the simulation data. The professor/marker would then collect all the diskettes or written submissions from participants and proceed to virus check every disk before reviewing the content. Such is not the case with BYOB. All marking and grading is done by the second compliments of the "hands-off" matrix grading system built into the BYOB simulation. Marks and simulation progression can be viewed at anytime with no risk of catching a virus. The simulation automatically tracks, records and grades all participant activities. The instructor is provided with a balanced and comprehensive computerized grading scorecard evaluating 20 performance variables in the domains of content, effort, management skills, marketing skills, overall impression, business experience, and a bonus component. This frees the instructor from all administrative and grading responsibilities. Quick and simple. The future of learning is here.

The Simulation Product
The creators of this product have both classroom experience within the hospitality industry and a combined 35 years outside the classroom in ongoing hospitality business management and ownership. As a result, the simulation can add a valuable "real world" applied experiential learning format for participants. The BYOB simulation focuses on real-time business simulation that enables learners to plan, save, purchase, manage, and problem-solve an ongoing hospitality business operation encompassing a choice of restaurants, hotels, bistros, nightclubs, pubs, or resorts.

Simulation Learning Objectives

Strengthens and teaches valuable computer literacy and builds confidence in skills utilized on the Internet

Establish competence in using real-time online learning resources and products

Experience "real world" Hospitality business operations

Encourage individual creativity and risk assumption

Promote problem solving and financial and marketing management skills

Actively compete with other peer operated businesses

Acquire ongoing daily business acumen and owner dedication

Experience the ultimate accountability and outcome of growth and success, or failure of, a hospitality business

Simulation Hospitality Business Planning
There are three sequential parts to the BYOB simulation. Part one educates learners as they go through the "blueprint" stage or planning stage prior to opening their dream spot. They must visit "Hospi-ville" (the main city of the "Simulation Island") and purchase modules from the Hospi-ville shops. There are 20 modules in total. The shops contain vital information learner's need to open properly. Purchasing modules from the shops create the building blocks for participant's business blueprints. Once all the modules have been purchased, the learners proceed to stage two where they will set up shop on "Friday Island".

Learners are provided with all the necessary information about Friday Island in stage two. This will enable participants to make educated choices as to where they will locate their business. Population of the towns, tax rates, geographic attributes, demographics, daily variable weather, and other business locations are just some of the extensive variables provided for learners to study. The location chosen will ultimately determine how initial sales will be, poor or profitable.

Participants must submit a suitable menu and press release for their operation prior to opening their business in stage 3. For example, learners opening a nightclub would need to submit a drink list with prices and a munchie menu. Participants venturing into business with the resort simulation would need to put much more thought into the menu creation, as there are multiple dining rooms and bars. The press release must be created to achieve a quality level suitable for media publication or newsletter. Experts will then review menus and press releases after they have been uploaded to the simulation server. Once approved, the press release announcing the grand opening of the new business will be e-mailed to all other players of the simulation, setting the competitive macro business-operating environment in place.

Ongoing Hospitality Business Simulation Operations
The ongoing daily operation of the learner's new online business begins at this stage. Each participant will receive his or her own simulation homepage. Other learners, friends, players and Internet surfers can visit their homepage, increase their hit counter, upload and view their menu and press releases, leave a message on their bulletin board, and review how well they are doing with their business simulation. Participants must log in each day to review and reconcile their daily sales or to spy on other businesses to see how they are doing. Spying on other businesses will help determine what marketing add-ons or changes in strategy should be made. The spy module is important to survival.
Participants can purchase marketing add-ons as business revenues permit. Examples of marketing add-ons include: improved newspaper advertisements, special theme nights, and other programs that will increase sales on special days. Participants will also have an opportunity to add on to their business, such as building a patio. These add-on modules will be expensive, but will pay off depending on where they have located their business and the demographics of their consumers.

The realism element of the simulation is further strengthened by "happenstance" variables. Each business is randomly injected with happenstance on a regular basis. Each happenstance incident will add or delete money from business operating accounts. "Staff stealing" will take money from business accounts, while a "busload of tourists just popped in" will increase operating revenues. Several hundred of these daily happenstances have been created to add realism to the simulation. Good and bad things happen in business every day on a random basis.

Every successful business owner and operator closely attends to his or her business. Participants must log in every day to reconcile daily sales. Any participant not logging in for seven days will receive a warning e-mail. Another e-mail will be delivered after twelve days. This e-mail will state that "in two days your simulation is over and the bank will foreclose on your business and land". The bank will then foreclose and shut down anyone who does not log in for 14 days.

This simulation will capitalize on every available business operating skill of participants. Hospitality marketing, finance, planning, operations, human resources, are just some of the managerial skills that will be applied and tested in this simulation. Learners will ultimately obtain the realities of working an ongoing, competitive, every-day hospitality operation.

Simulation Operations Summary

Learners must reconcile sales by logging in daily.

Participants must choose how they will execute a solution for daily happenstance problems.

Players can spy on other hospitality simulations to see how competitors are running their businesses.

Players are encouraged to e-mail friends and family to visit their homepages. This will increase business by associating these visits with actual customer walk-ins to the business.

An added bonus to stage 3 of the simulation is the availability of optional golf and casino games. Participants can win or lose money engaging in these activities. Winnings and losses will be added or deducted from participants' business bank accounts

Create a Virtual Hospitality Business From Start to Finish with our BYOB program - Build Your Own Bar. Not just a bar. We are offering students and excited entrepreneurs the blueprints for creating their own hospitality service based business. Our program will take you step by step through opening your own spot. The more you interact with our site (eg. chat, post messages, upload your picture), the more simulation points you get towards building your virtual dream. Use these sim-points to purchase integral items to operate a successful hospitality based business.

After choosing a name, description, interior colors and design, uploading a press release, uploading a menu, and hiring a manager for the business; participants are then allowed to open their "very own" hospitality business! Here are some cool features after opening:

blueprints (we give you the building blocks that we call the blueprints for the business - you can use this as a layout for opening your own business in the future)

webpresence (your BYOB homepage becomes your very own webpresence - the gateway for people to visit your simulation). You are also granted your own public and private entrance. All this in a wickedly fun 3D chat interface - state of the art.

guestbook (people coming by your homepage can sign your guest book to give you feedback on how your place looks, how the menu is or just to let you know that they were there.

online buddy list (see who's online, at anytime)

private chat instant messenger (chat privately with this instant message feature)

duel other players (challenge other players to a hospitality questions duel - the winner gets simulation points)

video chat (chat live with motion MPG if you have a vid cam)

whiteboard system (chat, draw, paste and interact with the whiteboard and a friend. Only you and your other chatter can see what's on the whiteboard - the newest iconic way of chatting)

Anyone that wants to learn about the hospitality industry or anyone who wants to sharpen their business skills would enjoy this simulation. BYOB is jam packed with educational and problem solving reality as well as a myriad of fun and exciting features that balance out the hard-core learning. The simulation has a supporting Island History that includes a story line that ties into a Points System. The BYOB Points System is there for individuals who would like something more from the simulation experience. The supporting role that "Sim-points" and "Special Abilities" play are a massively huge game within the simulation. Someone can get seriously lost for months inside while digging deeply into the simulation's supporting story lines. Conversely, it can be an efficient and simple learning tool that's fun and concise with many business solutions.

Build it. Run it. Live it. Quite simple actually.
The BYOB simulation is well documented in the downloadable Handbook given after one starts. The real power of the simulation lies in learning by exploration. Everyone will learn, but everyone will learn by their own strengths. No one learns the same way. BYOB has been balanced to assist all types of learning abilities.

Everyone who plays it, will enjoy it.