Towards a corporate strategy for serious games application

 Since 1990s rise of modern version of serious games  General definition: “ entertaining games with non-entertainment goals”  Various field of application: Army/police, healthcare, education/schools  Corporate industry…?

 Little known about the application of serious games in corporate sector  What is known: current traditional trainingstools are delivering limited success  Demand for business innovations  Need for tools to apply serious games  Corporate strategy seems inadequate: too fuzzy, too hard to implement  Introduction of supportive tools

Main research question: What are the most important aspects of a corporate strategy for the application of serious games in order to achieve a mature process? Definition: “Entertaining digital games which are based on an educational scenario used to educate and train its users”

 Introduction in the 80s as an answer to failing implementation of IT processes  Growth = The measure in which an implementation process is explicitly defined, managed and continously measured  Corporate strategy + Maturity model= Process support & Growth

 Levels: 0-5  Tags: Non-existent to Optimal  Goals: Singular project to Well-defined process  Descriptions per level  Key activities  Key stakeholders

LevelDescriptions 0Unaware of serious games as a tool for corporate use 1Some awareness of serious games; first assessment of use of serious games as a tool. Involving relevant stakeholders to the serious game project. Sporadic improvement activities may be underway in a few areas. 2General awareness, informal approach deployed in a few areas with varying degrees of effectiveness 3A systemic approach/methodology deployed in varying stages across most areas, facilitated with metrics, good sustainment 4Ongoing refinement and continuous improvement across the enterprise, improvement gains are sustained. Use of quantitative methods as research for effectiveness of serious games. 5Exceptional, well-defined, innovative approach is fully deployed across the extended enterprise (across internal and external value streams), recognized as best practices

 Spark: idea “to do something” with games  Assessment of key elements Design of the learning goals of the game Specific needs/demands to the game  Go/No-go: is a game really the proper solution?  Acquire support of key stakeholders: HR, IT, Management team  Start a core document: Goals, technical specs, BUDGET, etc.  Search for external developer  Work in short, iterative cycles  Result: at least a working demo/proof of concept

 Assign proces responsibility to HR  Adapt current serious game(s) Analyze user experiences of the (demo) serious game: stats of usage etc Collect qualitative data of the application of serious game(s) Improve and adapt serious game(s)  Document the implementation process Maintain user data to estimate effectiveness Connect serious games to corporate targets/goals/values  Design a “train the trainer”- program  Extend learning goals  Guide the introduction process of serious games in IT business process

 Consider and implement quantitative research methods of serious games application  effectiveness of serious games  Start a Serious games training program (f.i. serious games catalogue)  Apply and accept serious games as supported training tool  Integrate pre-analyses of participants  Offer promotional support within the company  Offer IT support for catalogue of serious games

 Insert process of the application of serious games as best practice  Standardize serious games as preferred tool Connect serious games to business goals  Facilitate training program for trainers/mentors  Full support for participants  Appoint a serious games function as primary contact (serious games manager etc.)

 Extend the functionality of serious games: external application  inform, recruitment/assessment, etc.  Offer mature trainingsprogram as service to other companies  Start selling Serious games catalogue “commercially”