User interface and information management of scenarios

Abstract

Scenario-based training has shown to be an effective instructional approach. However, it can be difficult for instructors to create scenarios as they are time-consuming to develop. This can result in the same scenarios being re-used, reducing training effectiveness. Furthermore, scenarios are based on training objectives and can vary in complexity. Researchers have investigated methods to simplify this process by assessing various approaches to scenario generation. Within such a tool, however, there needs to be a way to easily understand the different scenario components and their relationships within the scenario. This paper discusses the PYTHAGORAS (Procedural Yielding Techniques and Heuristics for Automated Generation of Objects with Related and Analogous Scenarios) system and specifically its editor used to create scenarios. We designed this system to simplify the process of scenario generation, providing a clearer understanding of the scenario components and relationships. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.