Business Builders – The Hockey Analyst encouraging experiences at Centria
Digitalization and data-driven decision-making are becoming increasingly important in business and in education. At Centria University of Applied Sciences, we actively explore new learning environments that connect theory with practice and support the development of analytical and entrepreneurial competences. A recent example of this approach is the successful test of the Hockey Analyst NHL Analytics Game, which was piloted in an educational context during early 2026 after invitation to Early Access Program. Business Builders games have been employed at Centria since the introduction of the platform in 2024.
Business Builders is a gamified platform developed by ERPsim Lab of HEC Montreal Business School. It is a learning environment where participants analyze data, make decisions, and experience the consequences of those decisions in a competitive setting. The game combines elements of analytics, business strategy, and data interpretation, making it a suitable tool for applied learning.
During the pilot phase of the Hockey Analyst at Centria, the game was used to support learning objectives related to analytics and strategic thinking. Students worked with data, evaluated different choices, and discussed outcomes both individually and in groups. The format encouraged active participation and fostered discussions that linked data insights to broader perspectives.
The feedback from the pilot was positive. Students found the game engaging and motivating, particularly appreciating the way complex analytics concepts were embedded in a concrete and familiar context. Sports context was also perceived motivating and fun. The game environment supports experimentation and learning from mistakes, which might be challenging to achieve through traditional teaching methods.
The pilot of the Business Builders Hockey Analyst game demonstrates how game-based and data-driven learning tools can enrich business education and prepare students for real-world challenges.
Students from countries where ice hockey is not a popular sport like in Canada or Finland reported the game to be interesting as well as a nice introduction to the sport and the local sports culture. Based on this finding, the Hockey Analyst seems to be useful for integrating groups of students. Potential further uses might include a game event for both foreign and local students arranged by the student union of the university.
From an educational perspective, the pilot demonstrated clear added value. Reflective discussions after the game enabled the educator to assess student engagement and motivation. The game also proved to be flexible, allowing it to be adapted to different course contents and learning outcomes. For example, the game works well both when played in groups or individually, and it was successfully implemented for the very first introduction to analytics work and in advanced courses. Students also valued acquiring skills with the SAP Analytics Cloud tool that is used in the game as well as gaining general knowledge in analytics.
The pilot of the Business Builders Hockey Analyst game demonstrates how game-based and data-driven learning tools can enrich business education and prepare students for real-world challenges. As analytics continues to shape decision-making across industries like sports, media, and business, such learning environments offer valuable opportunities to develop relevant, future-oriented skills.
Centria looks forward to continuing the collaboration with the ERPsim Lab with Business Builders and further explore innovative ways to combine analytics and experiential learning.
More information on Business Builders: https://businessbuilders.hec.ca/.
Hannu Kari
Lehtori (liiketalous)
Johanna Ristiluoma
Lehtori (liiketalous)
Kokkola