VERDI C-Vibe
Overview & Evaluation Results
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Research Perspective: Targeted Innovation Dimension
Future of Learning:
Advanced Simulations
Technically
- Adv. User Interface
(3D & 2D real-time, multi-user Multimedia)
- Adv. User Experience
(multiuser, avatar-based navigation &
interaction)
Conceptually
- Adv. Simulation Models
(based on Personality & Social Psychology)
- Adv. ‘Social Games’
(from quantitatively- to qualitatively-based
interactions and interventions simulations)
- Adv. Distribution Platform
- Adv. Scenarios/Dynamics
(Internet, multicasting, satellites, distributed
dynamically inter-operating servers)
(relevant, complex domains such as Change
Management and Virtual Teams Dynamics)
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Advanced Management Simulations – Research & Practice
Dynamic Models of
Agent-based
Agents
Scenarios
in C-Vibe
IP
Distributed
Teams
humans
EIS Simulation
Kernel
Experiential
Learning & Change
Socio-cognitive Agents for:
- Mimiking human behavior in social contexts
- Providing socially rich Experimentation playgrounds
- Formalizing and validating models from Personality Theory, Social Psychology, Network
Analysis, Innovation & Diffusion Models in different (sub)cultural contexts
Angehrn, A.A., Y. Doz and Jill Atherton, Business Navigator: The Next Generation of Management Development Tools, Focus, 1, 1995, pp. 24-31; or
93/37, INSEAD/CALT Working Paper 1.
Angehrn, A.A. and J.F. Manzoni, A High-Tech Spin on Organizational Learning, Chief Executive, April 1996.
Angehrn, A.A. and T. Nabeth, Leveraging Emerging Technologies in Management Education: Research and Experiences, European Management
Journal, 15, 3, 1997.
Manzoni, J.-F. and A.A. Angehrn, Understanding Organizational Dynamics of IT-Enabled Change: A Multimedia Simulation Approach, Journal of
Management Information Systems, 14, 3, 1997.
Angehrn, A.A. and T. Nabeth, C-VIBE: A Virtual Interactive Business Environment addressing Change Management Learning, Proceedings of ICALT
2001, Madison, USA.
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
VERDI C-Vibe Specific Focus: Change Management. Why?
75% of all transformation efforts fail
50-75% of re-engineering projects fail
78% of IT projects fail
Key Factors:
Organizational resistance
Insufficient exec. sponsoring
Unrealistic expectations
Inadequate programme mgmt
Unclear business case
Lack of qualified resources
Scope of expansion/uncertainty
Ineffective leadership
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
82%
72%
65%
54%
46%
44%
44%
43%
VERDI C-Vibe Pedagogical Objectives
Secondary
Objective
Primary
Objective
Understanding
Interpersonal and Group
Dynamics
Understanding
Change Management &
Diffusion Dynamics
(Distributed Virtual Team)
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
VERDI C-Vibe Overall Value Proposition & Experience
Motivation
-Intro experience
-Agents’ advice
-Other members
-Streaming Videos
-Streaming Videos
-Discussion
-Discussion
Introduction to
the Challenge
3D Simulation
Experience
Follow-Up
Debriefing
Phase
Change
Management
Experience
-Knowl. Exchange
-Initiatives/Practice
-Play it again, Sam
Virtual Team
in 3D Spaces
Experience
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
VERDI C-Vibe Technical Architecture (Overview)
VRSAT SERVER
Upstream
commands
Upstream
commands
Upstream
commands
Downstreamed
served worlds
User Client 1
(e.g. student)
User Client 2
(e.g. expert)
Application
Client
HTTP
request
HTTP
reply
EIS Simulation
Server
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
C-VIBE
Shared
Objects
Constituencies Involved in Finetun’g, Evaluation and Dissemination
-Peers and Professors
-MBA Students
VERDI
C-Vibe
Immediate Target/Impact
-MBA Student (INSEAD)
-Top Schools Network
-Executives in Organizations (CIA, LinKS)
Next Step Target/Impact
Virtual
Group Dynamics &
Role-Playing Lab
-Academic/Research/Education Community
-Broader Public/Local/Regional Communities
EdComNet
eLearning in
Urban Communities
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Constituencies Involved in Finetun’g, Evaluation and Dissemination
Subject
Category
Type of Subjects
Size of Description of Subject
Groups
Sample Size
1
Management students
10 INSEAD MBAs
10
2
Management trainers and
researchers
4 faculty members from three French
business schools and one English
university, and 4 researchers in
management
8
3
Practicing Managers
13 managers operating in France,
Greece, England, Germany and France in
different functions within companies
including IBM, France Telecom and
EdF/France, Styria/Austria, Pouliadis and
Ernst &Young/Greece.
13
4
Community members/citizens
from a French town
(Chartrettes, Seine-et-Marne)
14 subjects representing a variety of
profiles ranging from university students
(3), elected municipality representatives
(3), employed or self-employed
managers/salespeople (5) and retirees (3)
14
Table: Subjects overview
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Highlight of Lessons Learned from Evaluation Phase
Technical/Usability Dimension (1)
•3D Familiarization Challenge
Although an increasing number of people have recently been exposed to 3D applications, typically through single-user
games, familiarity with 3D, multi-user, real-time environments is still not widespread. Whatever the application/game
is in which users have to be involved, it is highly desirable to design brief experiences to be suggested to novice users
in order to enable them to familiarize with basic navigation in 3D spaces and interaction with avatars and bots (human,
and software-controlled dynamic entities inhabiting such environments). When provided enough time and guidance to
get familiar with the 3D environment and with avatars interactions even the subjects with a high age (which are
usually not very comfortable with computers) found basic navigation in 3D spaces not only easy but even an
entertaining new experience, becoming ready for advanced applications like C-Vibe.
•Visualization Challenge
•Real-time Coordination Challenge
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Highlight of Lessons Learned from Evaluation Phase
Technical/Usability Dimension (2)
•3D Familiarization Challenge
•Visualization Challenge
The design of 3D spaces with the appropriate size and which include objects with embedded textual information or
which can be manipulated/re-positioned realtime, is non-trivial. Appropriate size of 3D rooms and objects, readability
of textual information and visualization of dynamic characteristics of objects (e.g. ‘passive’ versus ‘active/clickable’
objects) can be achieved only through extensive user testing. In particular, in applications including a large amount of
textual content like C-Vibe (explanations, narratives, etc.) it is critical to decide which information components are
better presented separately in 2D windows linked to specific 3D objects.
•Real-time Coordination Challenge
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Highlight of Lessons Learned from Evaluation Phase
Technical/Usability Dimension (3)
•3D Familiarization Challenge
•Visualization Challenge
•Real-time Coordination Challenge
Applications like C-Vibe (compared to the majority of 3D games and edutainment products) take advantage of the
multi-user dimension and require users to coordinate real-time. For instance, the C-Vibe simulation requires
distributed users to first formulate and agree upon a joint strategy. Our findings confirm that tasks like this one, which
are relatively simple in face-to-face settings, can become very complex and time-consuming in distributed
environments. After developing a strategy, C-Vibe (and all similar simulation/educational experiences which will be
developed in a near future) requires users to take a large number of group decisions and coordinated actions. Current
coordination mechanisms (like simple chat rooms and whiteboards) can provide only limited support to such tasks,
and will need to be complemented with more sophisticated 3D coordination and decision support tools suited to
distributed teams operating in 3D environments.
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Highlight of Lessons Learned from Evaluation Phase
Learning Value Dimension (1)
Confirmation of underlying Hypothesis concerning Learning Value
VERDI 3D
realtime, multiuser
technology
+
supports
successfully
(1) experiential and (2) collaborative
eLearning approach adopted and developed
in the C-Vibe application
+
enables
fits
+
advanced expectations of how to best
integrate Info Comm Technologies (ICT) in
existing learning processes
address management learning in new
significant application areas (particularly change
management, group/meeting dynamics, and the development of
competencies related to high-performing virtual teams)
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Constituencies Involved in Finetun’g, Evaluation and Dissemination
Learning Value Dimension (2)
Supporting Evidence
1
The capability of modelling and simulating ‘social’ and ‘inter-personal’ contexts (managerial
situations involving interacting with people rather than taking quantitative decisions) is a key
distinguishing characteristic of eLearning systems like C-Vibe.
2
The multi-user dimension of C-Vibe introduces a valuable ‘learning from each other’ factor
enhancing the perceived usefulness of the system.
3
Requiring users to coordinate decisions and actions in distributed settings (see also last section)
introduces a high level of complexity users are not familiar with and which should be particularly
supported/trained in advance in order to become a productive learning experience (rather than a
frustrating one).
4
The value of the 3D dimension (versus 2D applications) in systems like C-Vibe appears
particularly (and probably only) when the application requires extensive interaction among groups
of simultaneously online users (like when formulating a strategy and taking decisions in C-Vibe).
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Constituencies Involved in Finetun’g, Evaluation and Dissemination
Learning Value Dimension (3)
Supporting Evidence
5
The 3D dimension introduces a ‘game’ element which can potentially negative influence/ distract
from the learning focus of the application. In addition, this ‘game’ component can have a
discouraging impact (‘gimmick’ association) and generate a-priori resistance on users associating
learning with a ‘serious’/non-game situations. This resistance can be only eliminated after involving
subjects into direct experimentation (after which, this form of a-priori resistance typically
dissolves).
6
Although not intended to operate in this direction, C-Vibe helps users to learn (by doing) about
group dynamics. Educational tools like C-Vibe could be effectively used to make people learn how
to operate effectively in distributed teams and using or designing virtual environments supporting
distributed managerial decision making and meetings in general.
7
Educational systems of the type of C-Vibe are potentially attractive for broader audience than
management. Once initial barriers (scepticism towards 3D in the learning process) are overcome,
they could serve the acquisition and development of ‘social skills’ also beyond organizations (other
educational as well as social/political contexts).
8
Compared to other learning methods, C-Vibe provides a more intensive/immersive experience
which is particularly relevant in developing management skills like the mastering of complex group
dynamics.
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Constituencies Involved in Finetun’g, Evaluation and Dissemination
Learning Value Dimension (4)
Supporting Evidence
9
The learning value of 3D simulation experiences like C-Vibe can only be realized when followed by
structured debriefing sessions in which the experience is reviewed and analysed. This should be
ideally supported by the possibility to ‘record and replay’ simulation sessions (like with videos). In
addition, to support learning, the (behavioural) models underlying the simulation need to be made
explicit to the user (‘opening the ‘black box’) after a session.
10
C-Vibe, rather than just providing a ‘virtual amphitheatre’ in which users can discuss their
experience (ideally with experts supporting the analysis of their simulation sessions) should be
extended with tools supporting follow-up collaborative learning among the users (from the same or
from different teams) in forms of virtual learning communities operating both realtime and
asynchronously. The current 3D virtual spaces (Virtual Boardroom and Virtual Amphitheatre)
should be extended and adapted accordingly.
11
A specific value of learning experiences like the one provided by C-Vibe is the one of ‘forcing’
users to address challenging situations in which they can realize the limits of their competencies.
Compared to more traditional learning approaches, the resulting dissatisfaction of the status quo
generates motivation for further learning and competency development.
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Constituencies Involved in Finetun’g, Evaluation and Dissemination
Evaluation Conclusions (1)
Evaluation provided sound basis for SPECIFIC GOIDELINES towards:
(1)
improving the design of future versions of C-Vibe and similar
eLearning systems
 increase learning value and decrease adoption barriers
(2)
identifying the dimensions along which to compare C-Vibe to
other eLearning systems
 factors for in-depth comparative studies focussing on learning value
(3)
integrating C-Vibe in broader educational and eLearning contexts
 design effective blended learning approaches ‘around’ C-Vibe
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD
Constituencies Involved in Finetun’g, Evaluation and Dissemination
Evaluation Conclusions (2)
In summary, the findings indicate a high acceptance of the approach and the recognition of a very high
potential for 3D educational experiences like C-Vibe.
On the technical/usability level a number of challenges have been identified thanks to the developed C-Vibe
prototypes, including a 3D Familiarization Challenge, a Visualization Challenge, and a Real-time
Coordination Challenge - particularly important for multi-user, real-time environments in which different
players/learners need to form and coordinate their decisions as a group, like in the case of C-Vibe.
At the level of the underlying concept and the learning value, the evaluation confirmed the hypotheses of
the project. Provided the 3 technical challenges mentioned above are addressed adequately, 3D, multi-user,
real-time environments resulted to provide a promising way of complementing and extending traditional
educational approaches. This appears to be particularly the case when addressing the development of
relevant but complex ‘soft skills’ or social competencies such as the capability to manage change and
innovation effectively in organizational or community contexts, as well as the development of competencies
related to learning to operate effectively in distributed teams and virtual environments supporting group
decision making and collaboration.
VERDI Project/Final Meeting/0204/CALT/INSEAD