PIXELearning – WOLCE 2008
Best practice Guide for Implementing
Immersive Learning Simulations

Personal introduction
• ‘Serious games’/ILS specialist
• Established 6 years
• LearningBeans®
• Custom services (design & build)
• OTS products
• International ‘blue chip’ clients
• Based at Serious Games Institute
• Over 50 game/simulation projects

Topics
Definitions, benefits, examples, costs,
[1] timescales & how to sell it
Stages & process
[2] – from ‘big idea’ to successful deployment
Cardinal sins
[3] – what to avoid

What are we talking about?
There are a LOT of
terms in play right
“Serious now.
“Immersive Games”
Learning Easy to get confused
Simulations”
“eLearning
(or overwhelmed)!
“Games-based
? 2.0”
Focus on what the
medium can
do…then implement
Learning”
“Virtual to get results!
Worlds”

Misconceptions
• All military & health
• Is very high-tech
• Is very costly
• Is only for kids/ ‘Gen Y’

A definition
“The use of games or gaming dynamics not
simply to entertain the player, but rather to
inspire a particular action, effect some type of
attitudinal/behavioral change, or instill a
particular lesson in the service of an
organizational goal”.
“It’s Time To Take Games Seriously”
Forrester report (TJ Keitt and Paul Jackson), August 19, 2008

QUESTIONS
Who here has used ‘serious games’
or ‘immersive sims’ in your
organisation already?
What were they intended to achieve?

Games/sims for learning
Immersive
PRACTICE simulations allow
people to experience
a scenario or
“Game the skill” situation in a safe,
realistic manner.
Putting theory into
practice.
Theory Reflection
Builds on theory and
post-reflection
(blend)

Games/sims for learning
Immersive simulations
Higher-order thinking skills
focus on higher-order
thinking skills.
Complex
Cognitive Think ‘Football
activity
Manager’ or ‘Tycoon’ –
lots of different
information, competing
pressures, focus on
Information
strategy and decision-
dissemination making.
Not memorizing facts!

Games/sims for learning
Immersive simulations
allow users to build up
and learn from ‘virtual
“VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE” experience’.
They can then apply this
Real world to the real world –
Virtual experience
application
transferrable learning!

Games/sims for learning
Learning by doing!
ADULT LEARNING Simulations are based
on their job role and/or
work environment.
Problem-based Adults like problem-
Learning (goals, based learning,
tasks)
challenges and clear
relevance to work or
personal needs.

Games/sims for learning
Immersive simulations
ENGAGEMENT
positively encourage
user participation.
Passive
reception Moving from “fill the
vessel” with facts to….
…empower the user to
make decisions and
experience meaningful
Active
engagement
consequences.
Learner-centric
experiences!

Games/sims for learning
Multiplayer allows
MULTIPLAYER learners to collaborate
Added realism and compete.
Makes experience very
Collaboration
life-like, challenging
and engaging.
Peer support + learn
Peer review from others.
Group support

Examples - What others are doing

Examples - What others are doing

Examples - What others are doing
Small projects/discreet ‘jolts’
B2C marketing Discreet topics
Proof of concepts Viral awareness

Investment outlay
• Larger projects usually in £25k to £250k range
• Smaller projects - £5k to £25k
• Marginal/ongoing cost (e.g. hosting/updates) approx 10%
Longer terms savings come through
investments in reusable ‘engines’ –
avoids reinventing the wheel.

Timescales
• Normal range 2 to 6 months
• Usually to fit in client budget quarters (3 or 6 months)
1 month
2 months
3 months
4 months
5 months
* Based on analysis of
6 months PXL projects in
7+ months
2008/09 FY

Selling it internally
Example project (Financial Services)
Total project cost $750,000 (inc client time)
Simulations + F2F programme
2,000 users/year
Five year useful life
= $75/user
Measured productivity improvement > $10m

Selling it internally
Costs for Classroom Training vs. Serious Game Solution
Assumes average
costs/employee for
classroom training at
$14,000,000
$200
$12,000,000
$10,000,000 Assumes initial Sim
solution investment of
Costs
$8,000,000
$750K and internal
$6,000,000
variable costs of
$4,000,000 $2/employee.
$2,000,000
$0
Inclusion of lost time
and productivity would
increase the savings as
less time is spent using
Employees the serious game than in
classroom training.
Game Solution Classroom

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’ Client:
Defining it 1. Organisational drivers
The project team
2. Audience
Vendor selection
Design it 3. Subject
Build it 4. ‘Content’ (expertise)
Manage it 5. Early stage concepts
Test it
Pre-sell it Time to bring in a vendor or
Support it
consultant? - could save time, $’s
Deploy it
Review it and stress later!
Measure it

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’ Keep asking; What? Why? When?
Defining it How? & Who?
The project team
Vendor selection
Outputs:
Design it
Build it
Manage it •RFI/RFP,
Test it •IT guidelines
Pre-sell it •Audience/instructional objectives
Support it •Articulate concepts
Deploy it
•Budget
Review it
Measure it •Outline project plan
•Success criteria!!!

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’ •Sponsor / project owner
Defining it •The ‘vision holder’
The project team
•The SMEs/curricula experts
Vendor selection
Design it •The tech guys/LMS guardian
Build it •Branding
Manage it •Compliance
Test it •ISDs/training folks
Pre-sell it •Project Manager
Support it
•Guinea pigs
Deploy it
Review it •Consultant?
Measure it •Vendor
•Measurement

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’ •Game/Sim and learning skills?
Defining it •Technology specialism (e.g. browser)?
The project team
•Topic specialism? (e.g. compliance)
Vendor selection
Design it •Genre specialism (e.g. business sims)?
Build it •Proven track record
Manage it •Existing technology/engines?
Test it •Existing product?
Pre-sell it •Comfortable with timescales?
Support it
•Comfortable with budget?
Deploy it
Review it •Team in place?
Measure it •Pricing model/licensing approach?

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
• Revisit key drivers/objectives with
Defining it vendor - check all assumptions &
The project team decisions again
Vendor selection
Design it • Be clear on genre/concept approach +
Build it • 2D or 3D? – learning value vs cost
Manage it
Test it
Pre-sell it • Define learning, tech, look and
Support it feel, genre, sim models in very deep
Deploy it detail
Review it
Measure it • Design on paper with mock-ups to
visualise

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
Key mantra! Building for learners not
Defining it for gamers
The project team
Vendor selection Be clear on development approach –
Design it time to do iterative prototypes?
Build it
Manage it
Test it
Be clear on what deliverables are
Pre-sell it (alpha?, beta?)
Support it
Deploy it Build to work, then build pretty
Review it
Measure it 20:80 rule – comes together at end

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
Single points of decision/contact
Defining it
The project team Document & sign-off everything
Vendor selection
Design it Ensure project team understand
Build it implications of changes – disciplined
Manage it
Test it
change management process
Pre-sell it
Support it Frequent communications + ‘show &
Deploy it tells’
Review it
Measure it Beware of feature creep

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
Define testing regimes at start
Defining it
The project team Test logic before coding (RAD tools?)
Vendor selection
Design it Test usability e.g. instructions/GUI
Build it
Manage it
Test it
Test from learning design standpoint
Pre-sell it
Support it Test from IT compliance standpoint (inc
Deploy it LMS)
Review it
Measure it QA – typos, visuals, brand/professional
compliance

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
Internal marketing
Defining it
The project team Viral tools (mini-games?)
Vendor selection
Design it ‘Coming soon’ videos
Build it
Manage it
Test it
Posters in water cooler area
Pre-sell it
Support it Competitions / high score charts
Deploy it
Review it Identify internal advocates
Measure it

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
‘Dummies guides’ (PDF)
Defining it
The project team Intro video (quick captivates)
Vendor selection
Design it Facilitator guides – remove
Build it barriers/empower key people
Manage it
Test it
Pre-sell it Email support
Support it
Deploy it Telephone support?
Review it
Measure it

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
“To LMS or to not LMS”?
Defining it - Control access vs barrier to entry
The project team - Compliance reporting?
Vendor selection - Level of data needed for assessment?
Design it
Build it Recognize that IT are their to protect
Manage it
Test it
the IT infrastructure – TLC required
Pre-sell it
Support it CD/DVD – are learners always online?
Deploy it
Review it
Measure it

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
Hold a project “post-mortem”
Defining it
The project team Encourage open and frank feedback
Vendor selection from internal and external teams
Design it
Build it Document for future use – avoid
Manage it
Test it
repeating any mistakes
Pre-sell it
Support it Create an ideas ‘parking lot’ – stuff that
Deploy it didn’t make it into v1.0
Review it
Measure it

Making it happen (successfully!)
The ‘big idea’
Refer to original success criteria
Defining it
The project team ‘Happy sheets’ or $savings /
Vendor selection $generated?
Design it
Build it Use industry standard measurement
Manage it
Test it
approaches (Kirkpatrick/Phillips)
Pre-sell it
Support it Proof needed to justify the next
Deploy it project!
Review it
Measure it

Cardinal sins
• Avoid ‘decision by committee’ like the plague
• Skimping on the design - effective design leads to
effective development
• Diluting the design - accommodating too many
viewpoints creates confusion, waters down the results
• Treat sims as ‘content’ – fundamental differences
• Changing design during development – project suicide
• Failure to communicate – talk/meet regularly, review
progress weekly
• Don’t allow time for testing – 20% of project at least!

Best practice Guide for Implementing
Immersive Learning Simulations White paper
coming soon!
www.pixelearning.com
Or
info@pixelearning.com

+44 (0) 24 7623 6971
Kevin Corti, CEO
Richard Smith, Sales Director
Helen Routledge, ISD Manager
kevin.corti@pixelearning.com
richard.smith@pixelearning.com
helen.routledge@pixelearning.com
Company web:
www.pixelearning.com