'Serious gaming can help individuals devise strategies

What is the role of serious gaming in closing the gap in SOA skills?

Serious gaming can play a major role in closing the gap in service oriented

architecture (SOA) skills. Serious computer and video games are used as

educational and training tools. Just as airline pilots initially learn using

flight simulators, many companies and universities see serious games as an

effective way of teaching new skills to a generation that has been brought up in

the video game era. Most MBA programs are already heavily based on projects that

reflect how individuals and teams need to interact in the real world. Innov8

takes a step further by actually allowing students to step into a real, dynamic

business environment. The value of the game is that it allows players to

visualize how technology and related business strategies affect an

organizations performance.

How will Innov8 help professionals to improve their business strategies?



We have created Innov8 as a new way to teach business students and young IT

professionals, many of whom have grown up playing video games, about competing

successfully in business. Innov8 is an interactive, 3-D educational game

designed to bridge the gap in understanding between IT teams and business

leaders in an organization. This type of serious gamingsimulations which have

the look and feel of a game but correspond to non-game event or process such as

business operationshas emerged as a successful method to train employees or

develop new skills.

Jai Menon, IBM Fellow, VP, Technical Strategy and vice chairman, Board of Governors of IBM Academy of Technology

Can you name a few Service Science Management and Engineering initiatives

taken by IBM India?



Services now constitute over 75% of the economies of many countries, and are

increasingly becoming a major part of the global economy. IBM started working

with top universities three years ago to develop a new academic discipline

Service Science, Management and Engineering (SSME) for a services-led economy.

In India, the adoption and integration of SSME has already taken off. Earlier

this year, IBM signed a MoU with the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad (ISB),

and is working closely with IIM, Bangalore, the IITs, and the Indian Institute

of Science to advance SSME research in the region.

H.Chethana.Gadiyar



chethanag@cybermedia.co.in