overcoming barriers to adoption of virtual worlds in government
DESCRIPTION
Presentation given at Defense GameTech 2010 on overcoming current barriers to adoption of Virtual Worlds for training and collaboration in government organizations.TRANSCRIPT
Ms. Janet CichelliSerco, Inc.LinkedIn: janet-cichelli
SL: Micaela Sorbet
An Eyes-Wide-Open Look at the Challenges in
Adopting Virtual Worlds for Learning & Collaboration
“Each new technical medium runs into common
obstacles as well as unique barriers to its adoption.
But attitudes change when proven value or competitive
advantage are achieved. The value of virtual-world
technology will evolve as business models continue to
become more intensely collaborative internally,
externally, and globally.”
Algis Leveckis, Co-founder of QuestG, Inc.,
Barriers Can Be Expected
“Each new technical medium runs into common
obstacles as well as unique barriers to its adoption.
But attitudes change when proven value or competitive
advantage are achieved. The value of virtual-world
technology will evolve as business models continue to
become more intensely collaborative internally,
externally, and globally.”
Algis Leveckis, Co-founder of QuestG, Inc.,
Barriers Can Be Expected
Predictions 2010: What's In Store For Serious
Games And B2B Virtual Worlds?
The foundation will be laid for future business
acceptance of the technology for 2011 and beyond.
We also predict that serious games adoption will
remain highly vertical in 2010 — expect firms in the
defense industry to make strong moves to acquire
serious gaming and virtual world companies to serve
their military and healthcare clients.
Virtual Worlds Forecast to Grow Through
2015
The Strategy Analytics Virtual Worlds Strategies
service report, “Virtual Worlds Market Forecast
2009-2015,” predicts that virtual worlds will
continue to improve the user experience and will
convert registrations to active users at a 38%
compounded annual growth rate through 2015.
Virtual Worlds Management
Industry Forecast
While investments in the virtual
world space will likely go down in
2009, innovation can still be
rewarded. In effect, the recession
may lead to something of a
culling of the herd, but still
promote some virtual worlds and
developers to greater success
than before.
Growth? What the Industry is Saying
How Were Barriers to Adoption Identified?
DoD Early VW AdoptersArmy RDECOM ● Navy NUWC
NDU ● Navy CNIC ● Navy JTIEC
Navy CSCS Project
Serco Customer
Collaboration Center
1
2
3
Buy-In & Stakeholder SupportTechnology Selection
And Preparation User Experience
Significant Barriers to Adoption: Top 3 Categories
Top Barriers to Virtual Worlds Adoption
1. Economic downturn and reduced operating budgets
2. Bias against VW for doing real work & learning
3. Inadequate workplace computer hardware
4. Network security and firewall restrictions
5. Unsuccessful or under-successful pilot project
6. Poor first-time user experience
Barrier #1:
Economic downturn and reduced operating budgets
• Some of the casualties
• Flash-based virtual world platform Metaplace shut
down on 1/1/10
• There shut its virtual doors on March 9, 2010
• Specific challenges:
• Reduced innovative efforts and risk tolerance
• Perception that innovation is risky and expensive
• Management inertia
• Prejudgment of value/cost
Opportunities & Recommendations
Economic downturn and reduced operating budgets
• Learn to Love the Low End*
• Leverage Green Government
• Help Stakeholders experience the value
• From BAA to VW Challenges! case.
The Bottom Line
Some funding exists, but increases the need for creativity and a
compelling and clear business case.
Great news!
Current economy provides more motivation to explore VWs to reduce cost!
*The Silver Lining – An Innovation Playbook for Uncertain Times by Scott D. Anthony
• What Biases?
• Cultural
• Generational
• Personality predisposition
• Perception as frivolous entertainment
• Fantasized avatars and settings may not help
• Perceived VW technology shortcomings
• Government briefing generation
• Incoming gaming generation
Barrier #2:
Bias against Virtual Worlds for real work & learning
tolerance
From the Trenches:
“If you can’t bring the instructors
along, you’ll never get the students.”
Tami Griffith(SL Avatar Tami Nightfire) Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), US Army
Are we our
Avatar?
http://iggyo.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
• Provide first-hand experiences
• Limit other changes
• Find champions
• Leverage diffusion of innovation*
The Bottom Line
We tend to resist what is not understood, so make extra efforts early
on to provide easy entrée into environment and manage change.
Opportunities & Recommendations
Bias against Virtual Worlds for real work & learning
Position virtual immersive environments as a natural extension and convergence of existing technologies such as synchronous learning tools, video games, Web 2.0, and social networking – and not as a science-fiction-dream-come-to-life.
Tony O’Driscoll
Learning in 3D: Adding a New Dimension to
Enterprise Learning and Collaboration.
What the Experts Are Saying:
“Converting the delivery of instruction
while leaving the instructional content
largely intact eases the transition for
FMS instructors. “
Navy CSCS CONOPS
*Diffusion of Innovations by Everett M. Rogers
• Many enterprise computers in place today
• are several years old
• not outfitted to run graphically rich apps
• have computational and graphics
processing good enough for Internet
browsing and PowerPoint
• not outfitted with microphone or headset
for VOIP
• Lack bandwidth - performance can grind
session to a halt
Barrier #3:
Inadequate workplace computer hardware
tolerance
Each computer running the virtual world needs an average of 80 kbps downstream, spiking at about 400 kbps on initial connect and during “teleports.” Upstream is much lower, requiring 30 kbps on average. VOIP requires an additional 50 kbps on both downstream and upstream per speaker.
Real Government in Virtual WorldsGov 2.0 Conference Session notes
From the Trenches:
• Consider limitations when selecting VW technology platform
• Opt for thinner clients with less functionality
• Browser-based solutions for meetings work fine
• Strive for high-end graphics and high bandwidth
• Set up small number of shared higher-end
computers for scheduled events
The Bottom Line
You’ll need to plan to replace or supplement PC/laptops that are
capable of supporting virtual world efforts.
Opportunities & Recommendations
Inadequate workplace computer hardware
• Network Security
• Public VWs require ports on a network and desktop
PC to be "open“
• Federal CIOs consider VW a cyber-security threat
• Avatar Security
• Identity management & assurance
• Who’s behind that avatar?
• Reputation management
Barrier #4:
Network security and firewall restrictions
• Use SL Enterprise or others that can be run behind a firewall
on private servers
• Employ a multi-layered security approach for public VWs
(Source: Trend Micro: Threat Management white paper)
• User awareness
• Gateway Protection
• Endpoint Protection
• As mobility increases, focus on protecting mobile devices
The Bottom Line
You’ll need to employ a multi-layered security approach for use of
public VWs or bring it in behind your firewall.
Opportunities & Recommendations
Network security and firewall restrictions
Barrier #5:
Unsuccessful or under-successful pilot project
• Some use cases not well suited
• Requires smart planning
• Content ≠ Visitors
• Misaligned expectations common
• Proof-of-concept for reason
• Redirection can be seen as
failure
Uses Cases for Defense & Government:
• Learning and Training
• Meetings
• Conferences
• Technology “challenges” and BAAs
• Recruiting & Onboarding
• Collaborative Prototyping
• Scripted-Physics Simulation
• Human Resource Management
• 3D Data Visualization
• Data Analytics
• Remote System and Facility
Operations
• Situation Rooms
• Community of Practice
Adapted from: http://second-life-tool-
ranking.ning.com/group/immersiveenviro
nments/forum/topics/virtual-world-use-
cases
• The right use case is critical
• With clear and compelling ROI or operational value
• Provides for easy entry & quick win
• Training and virtual meetings - top use cases for a reason
• Consider selecting with “the same, only better” approach
• Manage Expectations
• Try out and adjust
• Some efforts may need to be redirected/abandoned
The Bottom Line
We are still in the early adoption stage. Pick your spots well, and
connect with other veterans to learn and gain best practices.
Opportunities & Recommendations
Unsuccessful or under-successful pilot project
Start small……….THINK BIG
• Just create an account, log in and follow a SLURL, right?
• New users are expected to
• control their movement, direction, speed and “flight”
• fight lag
• use camera controls
• use chat, VOIP and gestures
• not get entangled, lost…
• Many explore in advance,
and find empty spaces
It ended up taking nearly 30 minutes to make sure everyone’s voice over IP was working. Some people didn’t have the right drivers on their machines. Others needed to switch microphones. Even once we got most people up and running with voice, we heard a loud squeaking sound a couple of times and communication was sometimes difficult due to people talking over each other because of lag. ThinkBalm report, “Crossing the Chasm,
One Implementation at a Time.”
From the Trenches:
Barrier #6:
Poor first-time user experience
• Provide live support & in-world guides
• Provide default or pre-tailored avatars
• Resolve technical glitches well in advance
• Have content/displays available for pre-
event visitors
• VIPs require extra effort to ensure good
stakeholder experience
The Bottom Line
If we want to engage people, we need to design an experience with
a low threshold for entry.
Opportunities & Recommendations
Poor first-time user experience
Becoming proficient in navigating virtual worlds such as SecondLiferequires an investment of several hours time. If it is not done smoothly, the individual becomes frustrated and has no further desire to participate in any kind of Virtual World in the future.
Mr. Bud LiversUS NavyCenter for Naval Intelligence
From the Trenches:
Future devices to
improve experience
Some final points we can’t solve every
training problem with virtual worlds think differently this is evolution, not revolution
manage expectations technology is never
enough don’t burn down the schoolhouse yet
initial experiences can make or break an
ounce of planning is worth a pound of glitz
think big, start small be realistic about limits
you still have time analyze take risks be
cautious remember the goal add value
Ms. Janet Cichelli ● Email: [email protected] ● LinkedIn: janet-cichelli ● SL: Micaela Sorbet