The government track at the Serious Games Conference in Manassas, Virginia was loaded with sessions addressing gamification and its role in government. Greg Crowe was there to cover the conference for GovernmentCIO magazine. Many topics were covered, from cybersecurity to military operations to the formulation of education policy. The most covered area, and the one enjoying the most success, was using game technology to enhance emergency preparedness for first responders and the military.
While the military and civilian first responders have both embraced simulations and game technology, they have traditionally approached their serious gaming differently. In the military, the emphasis is on situations that largely, and thankfully, don’t occur, like Russia invading Germany or a limited nuclear strike. With first responders, the core of their simulation training has been centered on events they are much more likely to encounter, like rescuing people from a burning building or responding to a hazardous materials spill.
During the deep-dive government tracks at the conference however, it was clear that those two types of video game-like worlds are merging. Read all the coverage, only at GovernmentCIO…