A serious game for supporting training in risk management through project-based learning

Abstract

The increasing demand for Software Engineering professionals, in particular Project Managers, and the popularization of the Web platform as a catalyst of human relations nowadays has made this platform interesting to be used for training this type of professional. In consonance to that, we have observed the dissemination of the use of games as an attractive instrument in the process of teaching and learning. However the project of a web-based instructional game that fulfills all pedagogical and technical requirements for training a project manager is not a trivial task. There is a gap between the theoretical concepts that are normally learned in traditional courses and the practical aspects required by the real tasks. In an attempt to contributes to that problem, this paper proposes the use of a persistent browser-based game intended for Risk Management as a component support in qualifying process of new professionals of Project Management. The game provides to the player some experience in a real context of Project Management, where new challenges are frequently posed to the enterprises. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.