As simulation capabilities improve….
For example, this simulation of “Alaskan Way Viaduct – Earthquake Simulation”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hos_uIKwC-c
And as consensus grows on the grand challenges of social science
http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110202/full/470018a.html
It may be time to rethink how simulations can play a role in service design at multiple scales:
http://jsr.sagepub.com/content/8/2/149.short
Cocreating Customer Value Through Hyperreality in the Prepurchase Service Experience
+ Author Affiliations
Abstract
This article develops a new model depicting how organizations can help customers test out and experience a service prior to purchase and consumption or use. When customers buy a new car, for instance, they are allowed to test-drive it to get the feel of it. When customers wish to purchase services, it can be more difficult to provide customers with a “test drive.” In some service situations, service organizations can and do provide “test drives,” but it is suggested that such experiences take place in a simulated setting. This article introduces the notion of hyperreality, the simulated reality of a service experience. It also introduces the concept of the “experience room,” the place where the simulated experience takes place. Based on the existing literature, the authors apply six dimensions of experience rooms to demonstrate how organizations can cocreate value, in conjunction with the customer, through hyperreality in a preservice experience.