The militaries of several countries use computer games and simulations to equally educate and train armed forces and officers in tasks and thought processes connected to their missions and specializations.

This method is moving (slowly) into the corporate world as well, and one of the places where it's making the largest inroads is in the dominion of decision-making training.

From the perspective of teaching fresh managers in your own organization, computer games and board games can be used to great effect, though, there are some pitfalls. First, make sure that you're aware of what goal you're aiming for - schooling or guidance? Educational games focus on one nested set of decisions and lean to remain fairly theoretical.

A high-quality educational game - focused on project management training for instance - should allow the players to explore the decision space reflected by that kind of game.

A training simulation is designed to measure how well a student is getting familiar and re-enacting doctrines and training techniques.

While a first person shooting game, like Doom or Counter Strike is no replacement for rifle training for a soldier, it's an excellent tool to observe if soldiers have learned about movement, communications, and coordinated actions in a hostile situation, as the same things that will keep you breathing in the field will keep you breathing in the game - moving from cover to concealment, mobilized over watch, and comparable concepts.

Education isn't just regurgitation of principles and training, it's acquainting of the decision making processes.

For exedcutives (and officers in the military) there needs to be an emphasis on education as well as coaching.

A good manager should be familiar with the decision creation process of the layer of management that reports to him, and for two levels higher than him.

The same applies to a executive in most businesses.

In addition, an officer (or manager) ought to be able to assess challenges to his line of actions, be conscious of assets available to him, and with initiative, be capable to deploy those assets without compromising the tactics of those higher than him.

When taking instructions from computer games, focus on the decision creation loops, and focus on concepts.

While trying to turn computer games into structured education for your workers, remember that games are supposed to be fun.

Games that aren't fun tend to get unconstructive feedback from the players, and the lessons imparted by them don't stick.

Center on how the center concepts of the game will help your fresh executives work in your business, but let them enjoy in what they're doing - people learn more, and take in the instructions better, when they're having pleasure.

So, the first time you're trapped playing a computer game in the workplace, maybe you can justify it as professional improvement.

Read full article Using Computer - and Other Games - to Learn Project Management Skills