Program Overview
Friday Night at the ER® is an immersive simulation game that transforms how teams understand organizational complexity and interdependence. In just one intense hour, teams of four manage a busy hospital through a simulated 24-hour period, navigating the exact challenges that plague real organizations: demand spikes, resource constraints, time pressure, unclear priorities, and the natural tendency to retreat into departmental silos.
The hospital scenario serves as a powerful metaphor applicable to any industry. Whether your organization manufactures products, delivers services, or manages complex projects, the dynamics are universal: interdependent processes, competing priorities, distributed decision-making, and the critical need for cross-functional collaboration.
Partner with us
We believe in the power of collaboration. By partnering with OSI, you’ll receive customized solutions tailored to your unique business needs. From initial consultation to implementation and evaluation, we’re with you every step of the way.
Discover how our programs can transform your organization and unlock new opportunities for growth.
Benefits and Outcomes
This program is designed to develop:
- Systems Thinking Capability – Develop the ability to see beyond immediate tasks and understand how organizational parts interconnect, enabling more strategic decision-making and problem-solving
- Cross-Functional Collaboration Skills – Break down departmental barriers by experiencing firsthand how individual optimization can undermine organizational success, fostering genuine commitment to collaboration
- Enhanced Critical Thinking – Practice making complex decisions under pressure with incomplete information, building confidence in navigating ambiguity and uncertainty
- Distributed Leadership Mindset – Recognize that leadership isn’t confined to formal authority; every role carries responsibility for organizational outcomes, empowering participants at all levels to lead
- Innovation and Creative Problem-Solving – Discover that breakthrough performance requires challenging assumptions and rethinking processes, not just working harder within existing constraints
- Performance Accountability Awareness – Understand the direct link between individual actions and organizational results, strengthening ownership and accountability
- Shared Language and Framework – Create common vocabulary around systems thinking and collaboration that persists long after the simulation, enabling ongoing organizational dialogue
Customization and Implementation
Scalable for any group size—from intimate teams of 4 to large-scale organizational initiatives with 200+ participants—Friday Night at the ER® delivers transformational learning that sticks.
Integration with Broader Programs
Friday Night at the ER® works exceptionally well as a:
- Kickoff experience for leadership development programs
- Cornerstone of team building retreats
- Experiential component of quality improvement initiatives
- Catalyst for organizational change efforts
Industry Contextualization
Though the hospital metaphor is universally applicable, facilitators can draw explicit parallels to:
- Manufacturing and supply chain operations
- Professional services delivery
- Technology development and deployment
- Financial services operations
- Government and nonprofit program management
- Any industry where interdependence and systems complexity matter
An optional, longform debrief add-on, led by our expert facilitators, helps participants identify systemic patterns that impact organizational performance, develop concrete strategies for breaking down silos, and address individual behaviors that impact collective outcomes.
Why Choose This Program
Friday Night at the ER® isn’t a PowerPoint presentation about systems thinking—it’s a visceral experience of how organizational systems actually work. Participants don’t just understand silos intellectually; they feel the frustration of departmental barriers and discover their own solutions for breaking them down. Takeaways from this program are immediately applicable: participants leave with concrete insights relevant to real workplace challenges, not abstract theories that get lost in translation.
The simulation creates a risk-free environment where the stakes feel high but the consequences are learning opportunities rather than business failures. Teams make mistakes, see immediate feedback, and iterate their approach—building problem-solving muscles they can apply to actual workplace challenges. This psychological safety accelerates learning in ways impossible when experimenting with real operations.