System and method for simulating training scenarios

• US 20040166484A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Convergys Corporation (Synnex Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Convergys Corporation (Synnex Corporation)
• Inventors: Budke, Mark Alan, Bordner, Michael Lee, Horn, Richard James
• Application Number:
  US10/740,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166484A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/433
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

This application discloses a system and method for developing computerized simulations for training purposes.

Claims

1. A method for computerized training comprising:

(a) designing a three-dimensional computerized simulation deployed over a two-dimensional media, wherein said simulation reproduces a training environment;

(b) programming at least one scenario comprising a projected sequence of events in said training environment, wherein said scenario further comprises at least one element from the following set of elements;

meetings, phone calls, pages, e-mails, conversations, key information disclosures, and debriefings;

(c) programming at least one character in said training environment to interact with a user, wherein said at least one character provides feedback to said user by taking on at least one emotional state in reaction to a user'"'"'s input; and

(d) programming said training environment to calculate a score for said at least one user input and, based on said score, provide a set of feedback to said user relating to said user'"'"'s success with said element.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said emotional state is selected from the group consisting of happy, satisfied, neutral, unconvinced, confused, bored, sad, frustrated, and angry.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one character'"'"'s emotional state is reflected in at least one simulated reaction to said user, wherein said reaction comprises a set of positive statements and questions from said character when said emotional state is also positive.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one character'"'"'s emotional state is reflected in at least one simulated reaction to said user, wherein said reaction comprises a set of neutral statements and questions from said character when said emotional state is also neutral.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one character'"'"'s emotional state is reflected in at least one simulated reaction to said user, wherein said reaction comprises a set of negative statements and questions from said character when said emotional state is also negative.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one character comprises attributes defining interests or characteristics of said character, wherein said attributes may be scaled by a predetermined formula to indicate an interest level for said character attribute.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 6, wherein said attributes indicate said character'"'"'s interest level in implementation, cost, security, quality, competition, features, scalability/upgrades, and revenue.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 6, wherein said user input may cause characters to each develop an emotional state based upon each of said character'"'"'s attributes and said scaling associated with said character'"'"'s attributes.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said training environment is programmed to calculate a final score from said user'"'"'s input and, based on said final score, provide a set of feedback to said user relating to said user'"'"'s success with the simulation as a whole, wherein said feedback includes a projected of the outcome of said simulation.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said simulation is programmed to replicate litigation.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said simulation is programmed to replicate a job interview or a series of job interviews.

12. A method for computerized training comprising:

(a) designing a three-dimensional computerized simulation deployed over a two-dimensional media, wherein said simulation reproduces a training environment for telephony sales;

(b) programming at least one scenario comprising at least one element from the following set of elements;

meetings, phone calls, pages, e-mails, conversations, key information disclosures, and debriefings; and

(c) programming a multitude of characters in said training environment to interact with a user, wherein said characters provide feedback to said user by taking on at least one emotional state in reaction to a user'"'"'s input.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said simulation comprises at least four scenes including overview/discovery, technical/design, financial justification, and close.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said scenario comprises a user presentation of a telephony system to a group of characters wherein said group of characters may comprise a set of differing character attributes, and a score associated with said scenario is based on a formula which weights each of a set of reactions of said characters to said user presentation.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said scenario comprises a user providing input relating to a return on investment, and wherein a score associated with said scenario is based on said user providing a set of information relevant to a set of needs and current expenses of a business.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said scenario comprises providing an opportunity for said user to provide information relating to at least one competitive system.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said characters may include one or more of a chief information officer, a chief financial officer, a chief executive officer, an internet telephony manager, and a voice communications officer.

18. A method for computerized training comprising:

(a) designing a three-dimensional computerized simulation deployed over a two-dimensional media, wherein said simulation reproduces a training environment;

(b) programming at least one scenario comprising at least one element from the following set of elements;

meetings, phone calls, pages, e-mails, conversations, key information disclosures, and debriefings;

(c) programming a multitude of storyline paths comprising one or more scenarios linked together by subject matter; and

(d) programming at least one character in said storyline paths to interact with a user, wherein said at least one character provides a set of feedback to said user by taking on at least one emotional state in reaction to a user'"'"'s input.

19. A method, as claimed in claim 18, wherein said computerized simulation alternates between said storyline paths based on said user'"'"'s input.

20. A method, as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of allowing said user to deviate from and return to a main storyline within said multitude of storyline paths.

21. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

a. designing a three-dimensional computerized simulation deployed over a two-dimensional media, wherein said simulation reproduces a training environment;

b. programming at least one scenario comprising a projected sequence of events in said training environment, wherein said scenario further comprises at least one element from the following set of elements;

meetings, phone calls, pages, e-mails, conversations, key information disclosures, and debriefings;

c. programming at least one character in said training environment to interact with a user, wherein said at least one character provides feedback to said user by taking on at least one emotional state selected from the group consisting of happy, satisfied, neutral, unconvinced, confused, bored, sad, frustrated, and angry in reaction to a user'"'"'s input; and

wherein said at least one character'"'"'s emotional state is reflected in at least one simulated reaction to said user, wherein said reaction comprises a set of positive statements and questions from said character when said emotional state is also positive and a set of negative statements and questions form said character when said emotional state is negative.

d. programming said training environment to calculate a score for said at least one user input and, based on said score, provide a set of feedback to said user relating to said user'"'"'s success with said element.