Do you know that playing computer games will help you develop your project management skills

The militaries of several countries use computer games and simulations to both educate and coach soldiers 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 greatest inroads is in the realm of decision-making training.

From the viewpoint of training new managers in your own organization, computer games and board games can be used to huge effect, however, there are some downfalls. First, make sure that you’re aware of what goal you’re aiming for - education or guidance? Educational games center on one nested set of decisions and tend to remain fairly abstract.

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

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

Though 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 an aggressive environment, 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.

Schooling isn’t just regurgitation of doctrine and training, it’s acquainting of the decision creation processes.

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

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

The equivalent applies to a manager in most businesses.

Furthermore, an officer (or manager) ought to be able to evaluate challenges to his line of actions, be conscious of resources available to him, and with initiative, be capable to deploy those resources without compromising the plans of those higher than him.

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

While trying to turn computer games into structured schooling for your employees, remember that games are intended to be enjoyable.

Games that aren’t entertaining tend to get negative criticism from the players, and the teaching imparted by them don’t stick.

Focus on how the center concepts of the game will assist your new executives work in your organization, but let them enjoy in what they’re doing - people learn more, and absorb the lessons better, when they’re having enjoyment.

So, the next time you’re trapped playing a computer game in the office, maybe you can defend it as professional development.

Read full article on Using computer and other games to increase your product management skills

- Steven L. Jacobs