Simulation components & formats

Choose the kind of work you want learners to practice

Cartedo simulations can be structured in different formats depending on what you want to assess: applied reasoning, feedback response, AI collaboration, written defense, oral communication, or stakeholder judgment.

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Anatomy of a simulation

Every Cartedo simulation is built from real learning moments

Formats differ, but most Cartedo simulations combine workplace context, learner action, feedback, and evidence of reasoning. See how learners move through a Cartedo simulation — from the first manager call to personalized feedback.

Marketing
Rebranding & Competitive Positioning
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Project Brief
SCENARIO
Project brief

The scenario, real-world challenge, and stakeholder context learners step into before the work begins.

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Incoming Call
Sarah Lin
CALL
Manager video call

Learners get a call from an AI manager who sets the project scope and expectations.

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Incoming Mail: Target Market
From: Sarah Lin
1
EMAIL INBOX
Task email

Learners receive project briefs, data files, and stakeholder emails — just like a real job.

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CSV
Market_Data.csv
2,480 rows · segments
PDF
Brand_Brief.pdf
Positioning & guidelines
RESOURCES
Real-world resources

Learners work from authentic data sets, briefs, and files they must analyze to decide.

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"Strong analysis! Consider weighting the 25% brand-awareness metric more heavily in your recommendation."

TASK & FEEDBACK
Written task & feedback

Learners submit a written deliverable and get instant, rubric-aligned feedback in the flow.

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Why Instagram over TikTok for this segment?

Higher purchase intent in our 25–34 core…

TEXT CHAT
Personalized chat

A typed stakeholder pushes back in real time, testing whether learners can defend their reasoning.

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Simulation formats

A closer look at each format

Explore what learners do in each simulation format, what each format is best for, and how every experience helps students apply course concepts, make decisions, explain their reasoning, and receive personalized feedback in practical scenarios.

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MicroSim

Learners submit a written response, then defend it in a 1:1 live stakeholder chat.

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MicroSim Plus

Learners submit a response, receive personalized feedback, revise their work, then defend the improved version in a 1:1 stakeholder chat.

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AI
TedoGPT

Learners use AI to develop their work, improve the output, then defend their choices in a 1:1 stakeholder chat.

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What factors did you consider?
Text Chat

Learners answer stakeholder questions in a live typed conversation that tests their reasoning.

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Stakeholder
Speaking…
Voice Chat

Learners explain their decisions out loud in a live spoken conversation with a simulated stakeholder.

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Group Chat

Learners respond to multiple stakeholders with competing priorities and guide the conversation toward a decision.

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See how instructors bring Cartedo into their courses. Explore Simulation Library →

Quick match

Pick the format that matches your teaching goal

You don't need to choose by product name. Start with what you want students to practice.

If you want students to apply a concept to a realistic case
MicroSim
If you want students to improve after personalized feedback
MicroSim Plus
If you want students to use AI responsibly and critique output
TedoGPT
If you want students to defend reasoning in writing
Text Chat
If you want students to explain decisions aloud
Voice Chat
If you want students to navigate multiple stakeholder viewpoints
Group Chat
If you want students to replace a weekly assignment
MicroSim Plus
If you want students to replace a case writeup
MicroSim
If you want students to replace a discussion board
Text Chat or Group Chat
If you want students to replace a presentation
Voice Chat
If you want students to create a capstone experience
TedoGPT or MicroSim Plus
Tailored to the task

Your topic. Your learning goal. The right simulation format.

Cartedo can structure the same course topic in different ways depending on what you want learners to practice — applying a concept, improving after feedback, defending a decision, speaking with a stakeholder, collaborating through conflict, or using AI with judgment.

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Simulation summary

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Learner journey
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Peek
Key moments

The workplace artifacts that make your topic feel real — calls, emails, and files.

VIDEO CALL
Incoming call

An AI manager sets the project scope over live video.

EMAIL INBOX
Task email

Briefs, data files, and stakeholder emails.

RESOURCES
Resources & files

PDFs, data files, and case materials for learners.

Simulation detailsView Blueprint
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How assessment works

Cartedo verifies whether the learner can apply the concept in context — then defends a transparent, instructor-reviewable rubric. Click any criterion to see what it measures.

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Sample feedback & report
Personalized Manager Feedback
Simulation Report AI grading rationale & summary
Ready to launch?

Preview complete. Edit anything, then share with your learners.

Use Simulation
Personalized Manager Feedback
Sample only

Feedback on Your Rebranding Strategy Memo

Sarah Lin
Owner & Founder, Crescent Brew Coffee
Today

Overall Assessment

Strong, well-structured recommendation. You picked a defensible target segment and tied the positioning back to real survey evidence. This is close to something I could take to the team — a few sharper numbers would make it land.

What worked well

  • Clear segment choice (freelancers & students) backed by the 42% base figure.
  • Good separation of points of parity vs. points of difference.
  • You connected the convenience gap directly to the 38% who left for chains.

Where to improve

  • Quantify the upside: add the dollar impact of winning back even 10% of lapsed regulars.
  • Set a measurable target: e.g. move convenience from 2.8 to 4.0 within two quarters.
  • Justify the budget split: tie each allocation back to a specific survey finding.

Next steps

Revise with the numbers above, then be ready to defend the trade-offs in our follow-up chat. Nice work overall.

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SUMMARY
Learner role
Brand Strategy Intern
Target client
Crescent Brew Coffee

Crescent Brew Coffee is a single-location independent coffee shop in Portland's Hawthorne District, operating since 2018. The shop serves specialty coffee sourced from direct-trade partnerships, offers a rotating menu of house-made pastries, and hosts a small seating area popular with freelancers and students. Portland's coffee market includes over 200 independent cafés alongside national chains. Crescent Brew generated $420,000 in revenue in 2024, down from $540,000 in 2023. The shop employs six part-time baristas and one full-time manager. Foot traffic peaks between 7–10 AM on weekdays, with minimal evening activity.

Organizational challenge
CURRENT ISSUE
UrgencyHIGH

Crescent Brew's revenue has fallen 22% over the past year as a new Starbucks opened three blocks north in March 2024 and a Dunkin' location launched two blocks south in September 2024. Weekly customer counts dropped from an average of 680 to 510. Customer survey data collected in January 2025 reveals that 38% of former regulars now cite convenience and mobile ordering as reasons for switching to chains, while 29% mention inconsistent quality perception. The shop's Instagram following has stagnated at 1,200, and online reviews average 4.2 stars with recurring complaints about limited seating and unclear brand identity. Owner Sarah Lin has allocated a $12,000 rebranding budget but needs a positioning strategy that can reverse declining foot traffic and clarify what makes Crescent Brew worth choosing over nearby chains.

Work Scope

You will be responsible for analyzing customer survey data and competitor positioning to identify actionable differentiation opportunities, drafting a rebranding strategy memo that articulates a clear positioning framework and tactical recommendations, and defending your strategic choices in conversation with leadership. Your work will directly inform the owner's decision on how to allocate the rebranding budget and shape the shop's competitive response. You'll receive the specific assignment, materials, and next steps in the task brief.

Key Stakeholders
Sarah Lin
Owner & Founder
RECORDED
{{ managerVideo }}
Inbox
Sarah Lin5:28 PM
Rebranding Strategy Memo — Crescent Br…

Dear Jordan Lee, I'm reaching out because we need a clear positioning strategy to reverse the 22…

Rebranding Strategy Memo — Crescent Brew Positioning Project

Task Email
Sarah Lin <sarah.lin@crescentbrewcoffee.com>
To: me
Today, 5:28 PM
Personalized email
Dear Jordan Lee,
Task details

I'm reaching out because we need a clear positioning strategy to reverse the 22% revenue decline we've experienced since the Starbucks and Dunkin' locations opened nearby. Our customer survey results from January show we're losing regulars to convenience and quality perception issues, and I need your help translating that data into a rebranding approach that clarifies what makes Crescent Brew worth choosing.

I've attached our customer survey and competitive analysis, which includes segment demographics, switching reasons, and positioning attributes for both chains. Your task is to draft a rebranding strategy memo that defines our target customer segment, recommends a differentiation strategy leveraging our direct-trade sourcing model, and proposes how to allocate our $12,000 rebranding budget across three tactical initiatives. I need you to identify points of parity and difference versus the chains, draft a positioning statement, and flag any weak assumptions in your strategy.

This memo will guide our rebranding decisions over the next quarter, so focus on recommendations that address the convenience and quality concerns while staying true to what makes us different.

Regards,

Sarah
Owner & Founder · Crescent Brew Coffee

1 Attachment
Task files & resources
PDF
Crescent-Brew-Customer-Survey-&-Competitive-Analysis.pdf
PDF document
PDFCrescent-Brew-Custome…

Crescent Brew Customer Survey & Competitive Analysis

January 2025
Prepared by: Maya Patel, Marketing Consultant
Survey Period: January 6–18, 2025
Sample Size: 284 respondents
Methodology: Online survey distributed via email to past customers and in-store QR codes. Respondents included current customers, former regulars who switched to competitors, and occasional visitors. Survey captured demographic segments, switching behavior, competitive perceptions, and interest in potential service enhancements.
Distribution: Sarah Lin (Owner & Founder), Crescent Brew Coffee
Confidentiality Notice: This document contains proprietary customer research and competitive intelligence. Distribution is restricted to Crescent Brew leadership and authorized consultants.

Executive Summary

This report synthesizes customer feedback collected in January 2025 to inform Crescent Brew's positioning strategy amid increased competition from Starbucks (opened March 2024, three blocks north) and Dunkin' (opened September 2024, two blocks south). The survey identifies customer segment composition, reasons former regulars switched to chains, comparative ratings across key attributes, awareness of Crescent Brew's direct-trade sourcing model, and demand for tactical service improvements. Cost estimates for six potential initiatives are included to support budget allocation decisions.

SAMPLE ONLY
SAMPLE ONLY
Summary

Rebranding Strategy Memo

2026
To: Sarah Lin, Owner & Founder
From: Brand Strategy Intern
Date: January 2025
Re: Positioning Strategy to Reverse Declining Foot Traffic

Target Customer Segment and Competitive Positioning

Based on the January 2025 customer survey (284 respondents), I recommend targeting freelancers and students, who represent 42% of Crescent Brew's current customer base. This segment values workspace quality, quieter atmosphere, and coffee expertise—areas where Crescent Brew already leads with a 4.6 out of 5 quality rating and 4.4 out of 5 atmosphere rating.

Points of Parity (areas where we must match competitors):

  1. Convenience: Crescent Brew currently rates 2.8 out of 5 versus Starbucks' 4.5 and Dunkin's 4.3. We must close this gap through mobile ordering, which 64% of survey respondents demand and which addresses the 38% of former customers who left for convenience reasons.
  2. Value perception: At 3.9 out of 5 versus Dunkin's 4.1, we need clearer communication about what justifies our $6.80 average transaction versus Dunkin's $5.40—specifically, our direct-trade sourcing model paying farmers 35% above Fair Trade minimum from Yirgacheffe, Huila, and Antigua.

Points of Difference (areas where we lead):

  1. Coffee quality: Our 4.6 rating significantly exceeds Starbucks' 3.7, driven by single-origin offerings and barista expertise that chains cannot replicate with standardized profiles.
  2. Authentic atmosphere: Our 4.4 atmosphere rating reflects local art, natural lighting, and community connection that freelancers and students prefer over corporate chain environments.

These positioning choices directly address the 22% revenue decline by converting the convenience gap from a fatal weakness into a manageable parity requirement while amplifying our existing quality and atmosphere advantages that chains cannot easily copy.

Differentiation Strategy: Direct-Trade Transparency Campaign

I recommend a direct-trade transparency differentiation strategy that leverages our three origin partnerships (Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia; Huila, Colombia; Antigua, Guatemala) and 35% farmer premium to compete against national chains' commodity sourcing.

How this addresses survey concerns:

  • Quality perception (29% switching reason): Only 22% of customers currently know about our direct-trade model, yet 58% would pay a premium for ethically sourced coffee. Closing this 36-point awareness gap turns a hidden strength into a visible reason to choose us.
  • Convenience (38% switching reason): Pairing the transparency story with mobile ordering lets us hold our premium while removing the friction that pushed regulars toward the chains.

Budget allocation across three initiatives, within the $12,000 available: mobile ordering rollout ($6,000), an in-store and social origin-story campaign ($4,000), and a loyalty pilot for the freelancer and student segment ($2,000).

Feedback
Sarah Lin
Today at 2:30 PM

Strong segment choice. Can you add the dollar impact of winning back even 10% of the freelancers and students who left? A revenue number will make this land with the team.

Sarah Lin
Today at 2:34 PM

The convenience gap (2.8 vs 4.5) is the right thing to flag. State an explicit target—e.g. reach 4.0 within two quarters—so we can measure whether mobile ordering worked.

Sarah Lin
Today at 2:38 PM

Good budget split, but justify the weighting. Why does mobile ordering get half the budget over the origin-story campaign? Tie each number back to a survey finding.

SAMPLE ONLY
Chat
Sarah Lin10:35 AM

I weighed the impact against ho…

Sarah Lin
Owner & Founder

Hey, I skimmed your submission; why did you feel this approach was the right fit for Crescent Brew Coffee?

10:30 AM

I focused on what would be most practical for Crescent Brew Coffee right now, especially the parts that connect the recommendation back to their current challenge.

10:32 AM

That makes sense; what tradeoff did you consider before choosing that direction for Crescent Brew Coffee?

10:33 AM

I weighed the impact against how quickly the team could act on it, then prioritized the option that felt clearest to implement.

10:35 AM
Type a message…
PERFORMANCE REPORT
REPORT & RECOMMENDATIONS
Personalized report & recommendations

Every learner receives a tailored performance report — scores against the rubric, the rationale behind each one, strengths and gaps, and clear next-step recommendations to improve.

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What learners do
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