All the Moving Parts
August 23rd, 2010
Between new projects (sims and whole-cloth new technologies), vacations and additions to the family, we have been a little sidetracked to the say the least. But the good news is we will be launching soon a newly updated website to kick things off right! Stay tuned over the next few weeks for some exciting announcements around new technologies, one of which has been in the works for nearly 2 years. In a nutshell we are enjoying the summer, are well and ramping up for a very exciting fall…so, stay tuned for September goodies! A special thank you goes out to all of our loyal readers and clients.
Training in a Basket
April 1st, 2010
With Easter right around the corner I began to think about having all of your eggs in one basket…by this I mean having all of your training delivered through one consistent method. Although for some organizations this may work, consider for a moment having multiple types of training within your organization. What are the benefits of this you may ask… well a few types of training are always better than just one type. If your organization is still stuck in a rut and utilizing table-top learning or e-learning without any other alternatives than you might consider this as having all of your training in one basket. Rather, it is best to have different types of training that incorporates a variety of enhancements. Such as a 3D immersive environment that has interaction, back-up documentation, and is realistic to the trainees’ natural work environment. Any time you put all your eggs in one basket you’re setting yourself up for a serious crash.
E-Learning: Is it Really Worth It?
March 25th, 2010
In a prior post I touched briefly on how e-learning tends to be, well, oversold. To follow up on this I wanted to review the relative costs associated with e-learning and compare to other technologies. With nearly one-third of training content being delivered electronically (according to ASTD’s 2008 State of the Industry Report) it’s no wonder it is such an easy go to. While e-learning is often broken into four interactivity levels – Low Interactivity, Moderate Interactivity with Emulation, Intermediate Interaction with Simulation, and Advanced Interaction with Simulation, the vast majority of other options do offer a higher level of interactivity for the user when compared to traditional e-learning. Many organizations used to turn to e-learning options due to the lower cost of development when compared to other methods… well, high virtual world development costs are now a thing of the past.
Other learning methods, such as virtual worlds allow for strategic and analytical thinking, and let’s not forget about the authenticity of utilizing a real learning environment – i.e. mimicking a virtual world to the actual workplace environment. All of this equals the ability to master skills and practice in a safe yet challenging environment. Scenario-based learning and problem-solving scenarios are hot! While 99% of the time e-learning it’s not very engaging. Notice the figure below which shows a rating of 1.20 (Equaling to rarely or never) when survey participants were asked if e-learning programs were authentic, realistic and immersive much like Second Life. Obviously even the current users of e-learning agree it is just a run-of-the-mill type of training instrument that while it may decrease costs of live training it is by no means a 100% solution to training demanding workforces of today.
Image courtesy of ASTD
Money is always a barrier no matter what type of training method is being examined. One must consider the lifespan of the course- can additional content easily be added? Here are just a few of the relative questions you will be asked when developing training (and may influence the price):
• How will the training be delivered?
• Average seat time?
• Where will the source content come from?
• What learner/trainee tracking capabilities will be offered?
• Project timeline?
Some pricing is based per hour of training while other pricing strategies give you an all-in-one package price from start to delivery of the entire project. Some e-learning vendors also charge on a per screen basis, gee isn’t that special?! Let’s keep in mind e-learning technology and content can easily be outdated, can be cumbersome to add additional training content to and doesn’t show a high Return-On-Investment (ROI) when compared to other (and more advanced) training methods. So here’s to out with the old and in with the new. I say virtual worlds and other cutting-edge learning technologies will be becoming more mainstream in the near future mainly due to the cost savings that they offer as well as the higher level of interactivity that they offer the participant….and, perhaps most importantly, their proven ability to affect behavior in a predictable and desirable fashion!
E-Learning: Is it Oversold?
March 23rd, 2010
I just can’t seem to get my head wrapped around why some people think that e-learning is the best thing since sliced bread. Popular in the late 1990’s, I believe that once upon a time it may have been the cat’s meow…but with all of the (newer and more advanced) learning technologies on the market today, not so much. Is an investment in e-learning still beneficial for companies? Sure, e-learning technology may be advancing – but will it ever be good enough? Or do fancier PowerPoints capture the learner in ways that other more advanced learning technology can? The vast majority of companies are looking to lower-cost alternatives while also providing more efficient training. With more and more computer-savvy employees (read digital-natives) the demand for immersive training is here to stay…and only growing! The ability “to-do” something in a virtual environment, rather than the monotonous point and click feature that e-learning offers is a huge benefit across all generations of the workforce. So why are many still stuck in the rut of e-learning? The real answer is:
People don’t know, what they don’t know!
The real challenge is educating decision-makers that better, lower cost and lower life cycle cost alternatives exist now. The decision-makers are usually advised by constituencies heavily vested in traditional e-learning technologies and attendant instructional design philosophies. The biggest hurdle we see is one of getting the instructional design folks up to speed on advanced vw design and proven vw world benefits for learning/training sims. Once they see the light, there is no going back!
The major selling point of e-learning was flexibility – train anytime, anywhere. Now a host of other vw based options offer that same flexibility and much, much more for less. So long boring e-learning, it’s been nice knowing you!
AI in Virtual Worlds… So They Say!
March 9th, 2010
By Ed Heinbockel, President and CEO, Visual Purple, LLC
I keep seeing a myriad of speculation on what Phillip Rosedale is working on within his newly founded company, The Love Machine. Out of the three projects mentioned on the company website, perhaps the third project is the most intriguing “The Brain. Can 10,000 computers become a person?” With little other information forthcoming one can only conjecture what Phillip and his team are actually up to with respect to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in virtual worlds.
The following are a few short remarks I would make on the subject: Hopefully more personality will be able to be infused into VW’s rather than just the run of the mill boring NPC’s and bots that exist out there today. Sure some NPC’s that are stationed in VW’s today provide no more stimuli to the player than talking to a brick wall. I say AI very well could be the next masterpiece to be infused into the virtual world. The caliber of content could be brought to new levels with the revelations that artificially intelligent NPC’s could bring to the table. Although many skeptics remain…Would AI in a virtual world feel more like a glorified ‘smart’ chat room? Is Artificial Intelligence really possible in a virtual world environment? Is there a real possibility of actually confusing another player that is non-human for a real human being? Will these potential AI characters actually be believable enough? Is there a timeline horizon when implementation may take place?
Sure the future of AI in virtual worlds may lie in the hands of Non-Player Characters (NPCs), but what this will actually look and play like remains unknown. This currently untapped market will more than likely see some interesting developments here in the near future. It is my belief that there are currently some covert operations of bringing AI into virtual worlds that just aren’t ready to be publicized yet. Will this new form of ‘humanoid’ be believable enough? Or will humans and AI “lifeforms” exist in the same worldly sphere. Although the inherent complexities of the virtual world are nothing like the real world it still brings a sense of awe to realize that Artificial Intelligence just may in-fact be possible, ultimately increasing the learning opportunities with virtual human interaction. We may someday ask ourselves, is that a real person or a ‘Smart’ NPC…hmmm, now wouldn’t THAT be interesting. Stay tuned…
Is it all about FLASH?
March 1st, 2010
Well, unless you have been living under a rock you have probably come across the news of Apple’s latest invention, the iPad. We at Visual Purple think it’s way cool, BTW!!! Back in January when Steve Jobs unveiled the 1.5 pound innovation, many Apple junkies were star struck. Will the 75 million people that have bought into the iPhone and iPod Touch believe in the iPad as well? What could this potentially mean for web developers? Many Apple followers are already saying that they will not buy the iPad simply because it will not support Flash. But for a starting price of $499, what more could you expect? Well you could start by expecting to pay more than the publicized low $499 price tag.
Yes, I will admit back in the day when tablets first hit the market – I was a tablet fanatic. While my awe with them has dissipated a bit the talk of the new iPad coming onto the market brought back some ancient memories. I will acknowledge that I am not an Apple junkie, however I am still intrigued with what the iPad could potentially offer (and not offer). However I am disappointed by the news that they are passing on Flash capability. Adobe claims that Flash is installed on 99 percent of Internet-enabled computers and plays over 75 percent of videos that are viewed online, could this be a transition to the future of the Internet when Flash is no longer supported? What this means to me is that Flash-based 3-D virtual worlds and the future of browser-based virtual worlds cannot function on the iPad (unless you’re using the Unity 3D plug-in). While so many of us virtual world evangelist thought we were close to mainstream adoption another hurdle pops up. Could this potentially be the writing on the wall for Flash? Flash based MMO communities are wildly popular adding to the fact that all 3 major operating systems currently support Flash, I just don’t see how Flash could fall to the wayside.
The fact of the matter is Flash is cool and all, but is it all really that practical. I will even be one of the first ones to admit that we were awed by Flash’s capabilities and recreated our main company website around flash. But that newfangled technology has lost a lot of its glitz and glamour… hey, look the page flies! So my thought is that Flash will not disappear completely, but rather may not be seen on the all alluring Apple iPad (even with potential conversion capabilities in place). Could this be the next game changer, are we really ready to lead a Flash-free existence? What about playing a YouTube video? Can something weighing only 1.5 pounds really cause such a stir? Could this be the tablet that we have waited on for so long or just another step on the ladder to getting a worthy tablet device in the near future? Will the PC market be able to hold up to this – do they have anything under the radar being developed to counter Apple taking center stage?
Collaboration Technologies- Pass or Fail?
February 22nd, 2010
While collaboration technologies may be a newer form of innovation in the workplace, they offer a way to bring people together to develop ideas and work on projects. From audio and video conferencing to digital whiteboards, all are making it easier to communicate and promote innovation. These “newer” methods of flowing information to the workforce are practical and tend to engage the participants (and in ways critical for today’s geo-dispersed workforce) more than traditional methods. You’ve seen me talk about collaborative virtual worlds in the past while being on the blog soapbox- but what about the other collaborative technologies on the market today?
Specific examples of collaboration technologies include: forums, blogs, wikis, and social networks such as Twitter and LinkedIn. With the business world becoming increasingly distributed, it is only natural that collaborative technologies pick up more steam. Collaborative platforms are popular today; whether they are being utilized to bring together a geographically distributed workforce or decreasing company expenditures on outdated, marginal technologies. There is a value proposition to it all. Through the deployment of collaboration technologies success stories are in abundance with more and more work being conducted virtually. Today’s collaboration and communication tools have transformed the way we do business. Today, collaboration fundamentals are still being established and there are a lot of first-generation technologies that organizations are learning about and adopting.
Forward-thinking companies are already adapting to a host of collaborative technologies. The workforce has been revolutionized by the introduction of collaboration technologies, with many more new technologies to come in the future. As collaboration evolves it will continue to introduce new ways of working. While all providing a new (and improved) method of communication within companies and amongst co-workers. Corporate innovation is an ever-changing landscape and companies must stay up with the latest and greatest to succeed and prosper.
The Ages of Technology
February 18th, 2010
Hanging out with some friends this weekend shed some light for me on the future of computer use. Let’s just say that I witnessed firsthand a two-year old mastering the computer (even though it was just a child’s toy laptop), but nonetheless it was impressive to see. Everything from my Grandfather using Facebook to children as young as two years old having toys that mimic little computers that look very much like a laptop. Growing up I was exposed to computers…but never in a way that today’s generation of children are. So really how young is too young to start a child off with a computer (or computer-like) mechanism? Can’t a child just be a child and go play in the dirt and swing on the swing set? Or are they more likely to play on the computer, immerse themselves in videogames and fast forward through commercials when watching the Disney channel? Even with the all alluring video games such as Wii (although most people that I know that purchased a Wii play more games on it then their children). I am still amazed at how technologically advanced children have become. Perhaps the days of playing with toy trucks and Barbie dolls have gone to the wayside; but can’t a child just be a child anymore? Sure some of these games may be educational, but never the less are they really necessary for such a young age group?
So here’s a scary statistic from Information Week: “Teens and tweens spend an average of 7.5 hours per day playing games, watching videos, and listening to music on their mobile devices.” And yet another eerie thought: “While the impact of so much media consumption is unclear, the Kaiser Family Foundation survey of young people from 8 to 18 years old did find that heavy media users got lower grades than light media users.”
Adult Learning Techniques- A Monthly Review of Visual Purple Technologies
February 11th, 2010
Visual Purple training simulations offer a blend of Simulation Technology, Adult Learning Interactive Simulation Techniques, and the latest in 3D Visual Imagery. Successfully integrating these elements into cohesive simulations illustrates the power and potential of this training modality.
The Simulation Technology quickly draws trainees into the scenario, rapidly developing a sense of urgency as they are immersed in and engaged by the believable simulation scenario, ultimately living and learning through their interactions. Adult Learning Interactive Simulation Techniques stimulate positive behavioral change in trainees while they train, meaning that improved performance is immediate.
The pre-existing personal experience and formal education of adult trainees has created established habits, information coding, and interpretation methods which need to conform to standard policies and procedures required to achieve the requirements at hand. This past experience, coupled with dominant and preferred learning style, gives trainees the basis upon which to modify and apply their learning processes to meet the changing needs and conditions presented by the simulation. To facilitate the learning experience, Visual Purple employs a variety of Adult Learning Techniques in our decision simulations which include the following:
Being immersed in these proven Adult Learning Techniques and “living the simulation,” better prepares trainees to apply the virtual experiences learned through the decision simulation to the real events they face on a daily basis. This application to real situations produces results-oriented, productive, highly effective and efficient behaviors. Trainees become self-directive since they’ve accomplished the tasks in a simulated setting and are able to apply this virtual experience to new encounters. Their training enables establishment and implementation of their various strategies for success.
Storytelling in Simulations
February 9th, 2010
For those of you that are familiar with Visual Purple’s work you are probably well aware that we are very passionate about the power of story in relation to our simulations (whether they are embedded or virtual world based). We are hard-wired to relate to characters and story. Think about it: What draws you into a movie, simulation, or even a virtual world? ENGAGEMENT is key through the narrative. The narrative is able to drive the player through an entire sequence of events (for you hardcore instructional design types, story really does answer the mail on sequencing) that engages and aids the learner in retaining the materials covered. The storyline also allows the player character a way to become fully immersed in the simulation and also offers a way for the simulation path to branch into a variety of different scenarios based upon the player’s actions or inactions.
You find storytelling in everyday aspects of your life from posting and reading tweets on Twitter to talking on the phone – storytelling is all a part of what we do. Whether in relation to work or on a personal note; storytelling is weaved into our everyday lives…it IS our life! Every person has a story and every simulation has a story, each storyline is unique to the character (whether real or an avatar). By creating a storyline for a simulation to follow, the trainee is better able to interact, be immersed and learn and retain to very high levels. The use of storytelling in the form of simulation is key to immersing the trainee/ learner to train up.
