21 November 2011

Bernanke For A Day



The San Francisco Fed has provided us an online game that is presumably meant to be instructional as well as 'fun.'

After a few tries to test out its assumptions, I have been able to 'win it' pretty regularly, winning being defined as appointed to another term. It is very one dimensional so it gets old rather quickly.

One is hit with various oil and currency and fiscal shocks and surprises, and must adjust to them as you go along in a particular episode.

I imagine the point of this is to educate people to the lags in policy effects, and the dangers of over-reacting to secular events and causing problems for yourself downstream.

At this point I am having some fun examining their assumptions, which are built into the game's algorithms, for what they can tell me about their own thoughts in designing the game. I like to play strategy games on my laptop while the children inflict the latest tweenie programs on me before packing them off to bed.

I was disappointed because there is no option to exercise your role as bank examiner, no metrics for the dollar and trade, and of course, you have no ability to fire Timmy.

Enjoy.

Play The Fed Chairman Game