Presentation given at Defense GameTech 2010 on overcoming current barriers to adoption of Virtual Worlds for training and collaboration in government organizations.

1. An Eyes-Wide-Open Look at the Challenges in
Adopting Virtual Worlds for Learning & Collaboration
Ms. Janet Cichelli
Serco, Inc.
LinkedIn: janet-cichelli
SL: Micaela Sorbet

2. 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.,

3. 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.,

4. Growth? What the Industry is Saying
Virtual Worlds Forecast to Grow Through
2015
Virtual Worlds Management
The Strategy Analytics Virtual Worlds Strategies Industry Forecast
service report, “Virtual Worlds Market Forecast
2009-2015,” predicts that virtual worlds will While investments in the virtual
continue to improve the user experience and will world space will likely go down in
convert registrations to active users at a 38% 2009, innovation can still be
compounded annual growth rate through 2015. rewarded. In effect, the recession
may lead to something of a
culling of the herd, but still
promote some virtual worlds and
Predictions 2010: What's In Store For Serious developers to greater success
Games And B2B Virtual Worlds? than before.
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.

5. How Were Barriers to Adoption Identified?
Navy CSCS Project
3 1
Serco Customer
Collaboration Center
2
DoD Early VW Adopters
Army RDECOM ● Navy NUWC
NDU ● Navy CNIC ● Navy JTIEC

6. Significant Barriers to Adoption: Top 3 Categories
Technology Selection
Buy-In & Stakeholder Support And Preparation User Experience

7. 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

8. 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

9. Opportunities & Recommendations
Economic downturn and reduced operating budgets
Great news!
Current economy provides more motivation to explore VWs to reduce cost!
• 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.
*The Silver Lining – An Innovation Playbook for Uncertain Times by Scott D. Anthony

10. Barrier #2:
Bias against Virtual Worlds for real work & learning
tolerance
• What Biases?
Are we our
• Cultural Avatar?
• Generational
• Personality predisposition http://iggyo.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
• Perception as frivolous entertainment
• Fantasized avatars and settings may not help
• Perceived VW technology shortcomings From the Trenches:
“If you can’t bring the instructors
• Government briefing generation along, you’ll never get the students.”
• Incoming gaming generation Tami Griffith
(SL Avatar Tami Nightfire)
Research, Development and Engineering
Command (RDECOM),
US Army

11. Opportunities & Recommendations
Bias against Virtual Worlds for real work & learning
What the Experts Are Saying:
• Provide first-hand experiences Position virtual immersive environments
• Limit other changes as a natural extension and convergence
of existing technologies such as
• Find champions synchronous learning tools, video games,
• Leverage diffusion of innovation* 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.
“Converting the delivery of instruction
while leaving the instructional content
largely intact eases the transition for
FMS instructors. “
Navy CSCS CONOPS
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.
*Diffusion of Innovations by Everett M. Rogers

12. Barrier #3:
Inadequate workplace computer hardware
tolerance
• Many enterprise computers in place today
• are several years old From the Trenches:
Each computer running the
• not outfitted to run graphically rich apps virtual world needs an
average of 80 kbps
• have computational and graphics downstream, spiking at about
400 kbps on initial connect
and during “teleports.”
processing good enough for Internet Upstream is much lower,
requiring 30 kbps on average.
VOIP requires an additional
browsing and PowerPoint 50 kbps on both downstream
and upstream per speaker.
• not outfitted with microphone or headset Real Government in Virtual
Worlds
Gov 2.0 Conference Session notes
for VOIP
• Lack bandwidth - performance can grind
session to a halt

13. Opportunities & Recommendations
Inadequate workplace computer hardware
• 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.

14. Barrier #4:
Network security and firewall restrictions
• 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

15. Opportunities & Recommendations
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.

16. Barrier #5:
Unsuccessful or under-successful pilot project
• Some use cases not well suited Uses Cases for Defense & Government:
• Requires smart planning •
•
Learning and Training
≠ Visitors
Meetings
• Conferences
• Content • Technology “challenges” and BAAs
• Recruiting & Onboarding
• Misaligned expectations common •
•
Collaborative Prototyping
Scripted-Physics Simulation
• Human Resource Management
• Proof-of-concept for reason • 3D Data Visualization
• Data Analytics
• Redirection can be seen as • Remote System and Facility
Operations
• Situation Rooms
failure • Community of Practice
Adapted from: http://second-life-tool-
ranking.ning.com/group/immersiveenviro
nments/forum/topics/virtual-world-use-
cases

17. Opportunities & Recommendations
Unsuccessful or under-successful pilot project
• 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
Start small……….THINK BIG
• 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.

18. Barrier #6:
Poor first-time user experience
• 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
From the Trenches:
• use camera controls It ended up taking nearly 30 minutes
to make sure everyone’s voice over IP
• use chat, VOIP and gestures was working. Some people didn’t have
the right drivers on their machines.
Others needed to switch microphones.
• not get entangled, lost… Even once we got most people up and
running with voice, we heard a loud
• Many explore in advance, squeaking sound a couple of times and
communication was sometimes difficult
due to people talking over each other
and find empty spaces because of lag.
ThinkBalm report, “Crossing the Chasm,
One Implementation at a Time.”

19. Opportunities & Recommendations
Poor first-time user experience
From the Trenches:
• Provide live support & in-world guides Becoming proficient in navigating
virtual worlds such as SecondLife
• Provide default or pre-tailored avatars requires an investment of several
hours time. If it is not done smoothly,
the individual becomes frustrated
• Resolve technical glitches well in advance and has no further desire to
participate in any kind of Virtual
World in the future.
• Have content/displays available for pre-
Mr. Bud Livers
US Navy
event visitors Center for Naval Intelligence
• VIPs require extra effort to ensure good
stakeholder experience Future devices to
improve experience
The Bottom Line
If we want to engage people, we need to design an experience with
a low threshold for entry.

20. 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: Janet.Cichelli@serco-na.com ● LinkedIn: janet-cichelli ● SL: Micaela Sorbet