1. Introduction

One of business challenges facing most companies is the skill gaps in Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Business Process Management (BPM). There is huge shortage of required SOA & BPM analyst skill in the marketplace. IBM IMPACT2007 survey shows that:

Half respondents said they have less than 25 percent of the necessary SOA skills to help company meet long term goals.

80 percent are increasing SOA skills in their company this year. More than 60 percent are focused on retaining existing staff on SOA. A combination of business and IT skills was cited by 68 percent of the respondents as prerequisite to applying

SOA to meet business goals.

Innov8 is an interactive, 3-D educational game designed to teach the fundamentals of business process management and bridge the gap in understanding between business leaders and IT teams in an organization. It is a "serious game"—simulations which have the look and feel of a game but correspond to non-game events or processes such as business operations. It teaches BPM through an interactive simulation environment. This simulator has emerged as a successful method to train students and employees and accelerate the development of new skills. It helps you fill a significant education gap in BPM skills.

2. Summary of the Game

The game follows a fictitious company called After. Inc. The characters are modeled after the same ones used in the 2006 IBM SOA movie titled "Launch". After, Inc had been doing very well but had recently acquired a company and is now struggling. The source of their poor performance is shrouded in mystery. Mike, the CEO who you would see in the opening video, hired Logan, the main character, to help address this poor performance. Logan is a business process management expert and her challenge is to solve the problems of the company in one dark and stormy night. She's been given her marching orders and the tools to get started in the right direction (ie: a laptop).

You'll remember from the opening cinematic that the CEO issued Logan with a laptop, containing some important files. Let's take a quick look at them, beginning with the Heat Map. The Heat Map shows After Inc's business infrastructure, broken down into various functions or processes, and analyzed to identify areas within the company where there is the greatest opportunity for improvement - areas that are the "lowest hanging fruit"! The Heat Map is one of many BPM- or SOA-related artifacts that a player may encounter during game play.

In the To-do list you can find the tasks or activities you should follow. The To-do list is constantly updated throughout the game to keep you heading roughly in the right direction.

There are three levels in the game. In the Level 1, you will acquire all the information from the departments, and use a As-Is process model to put together smaller, individual pieces of the process. At the Level 2, you will collaborate with various After, Inc. process improvement stakeholders, and put bigger chunks together in the challenge to improve the process. You will take the process to the more difficulty level: creating a new To-Be process. The work from the Level 2 will result in a much improved To-Be process for the company. The company will proceed with assembling and deploying the new process into production. You will be given the responsibility to monitor and manage the new business process. In the Level 3, at the company’s Nerve Center, you are able to make decisions in real time and enjoy the visibility and dynamic control enabled by a true BPM solution built on an SOA. However, the challenge is far from over because “time is money” and each decision you make will directly affect the business, for better or worse! There are the dynamic business controls available at you fingertips, like fine-tuning knobs to adjust the new and improved process. The time and your decisions will tell if you win the game—how far you can get both of the gauges into the Green or you end up in the Red.

3. Innov8 Learning Objectives

Upon successful completing the game, you should be able to Understand the basic business process management lifecycle, from process discovery and modeling through

process monitoring and management Understand additional key business process management terminology and concepts

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IBM SOA & WebSphere – Innov8 October 31, 2007

Learning Objective 1: Understanding the Business Process Management (BPM) Lifecycle

The Innov8 storyline and game flow are meant to portray the progression of the game’s main character through and around key activities over the life of a virtual process improvement project… and hence through the stages of the BPM Lifecycle:

BPM Lifecycle Activity

Game Level 1

Understanding the As-Is Business Process

Game Level 2

Building the To-Be Business Process

Game Level 3

Monitoring and Managing the New Business Process

BPM Lifecycle Overview

“BPM 101” video shown on the large screen in the Level 1 entry area illustrates and explains the BPM lifecycle at a high level

Prioritizing Process

Improvement Projects

Opening Cinematic: Mike provides Logan with a Component Business Model Heat Map to guide the process improvement effort

Process DiscoveryLogan obtains an existing process map from the computer on Stavros’ desk.

Stella helps Logan understand how the As-Is process has changed.

Logan discovers data to populate the process model:- KPI’s from Operations- Headcount levels from HR- Labor costs from Finance- Call statistics from Operations

As data is collected, Logan incorporates it into the As-Is model. (Player can view by clicking Laptop > Model)

Process Model Construction

Logan initially imports a process map

Stella helps Logan create a new model by dragging and dropping elements into process model swim lanes.

Logan selects design elements that match stated requirements.

Process Requirements-

Gathering

Logan participates in global collaboration to collect To-Be process requirements from colleagues.

Sharon shares input on process issues gold-customer input on current process issues

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Process Analysis Logan finds a proposal on Virtual Agent (VA) technology which contains analysis of potential VA effectiveness.

Logan uses simulation to analyze the performance of the As-Is model and validate it against empirical data.

Colleagues provide Logan with information that theyhave derived through their own analysis:

Logan uses simulation to analyze use cases and answer “what-if” questions from Mike.

Logan publishes simulation results to colleagues to garner validation and feedback.

Logan can review and analyze process metrics within the KPI VIEW, to determine necessary process adjustments.

Process DesignLogan selects design elements that match stated requirements.

Logan publishes step-by-step model refinements to garner feedback.

Process Implementation and Deployment

The As-Is process has already been deployed when Logan is first introduced to the situation.

Sam refers to implementation and deployment in first interaction with Logan.

In IT, Logan (optionally) discovers software product boxes for tools used by IT to implement and deploy processes.

Logan (optionally) discovers Business Process Execution Language (BPEL) diagram on whiteboard within IT

Sam and Tomas mention various implementation tasks during global collaboration.

Staged implementation of improvements occurs as Business Rules, Knowledge Base, Virtual Agent technology, and customer interfaces are introduced separately over time.

Process Monitoring

Logan finds KPI’s during (optional) interaction with Sharon and posted on wall within Operations.

Logan can monitor process effectiveness through the HOLISTIC VIEW within the Nerve Center User Interface (UI).

Logan can review “real-time” Key Performance Indicators within the KPI VIEW.

Logan receives “real-time” process alerts within the ALERTS/NEWS VIEW.

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Process Management

Sam mentions dynamic business rules capability during collaboration on routing schemes.

Logan adjusts business rules, within the BUSINESS RULES VIEW, to modify process flow dynamically.

Logan adjusts human resource levels within the HUMAN RESOURCES VIEW.

Logan makes investment decisions regarding Virtual Agent technology within the INVESTMENT DECISIONS VIEW.

Logan can switch in-flight workload between partners in the WORKFLOW IN-FLIGHT VIEW.

Continuous Improvement

and Optimization

Mike reconvenes the global collaboration team to consider feedback from gold customers and make further process improvements

Mike sees the need for continued process refinement after the initial To-Be model is put into production.

Learning Objective 2: Glossary of BPM-Related Terminology

Innov8 potentially introduces you to a number of terms and phrases associated with Business Process Management:

Word or Phrase Definition Context within Innov8

Activity

A unit of work performed in a business process. Sub-processes, tasks, and services are examples of activities.

Mentioned by Sam during the Drag & Drop tutorial and by Stella as she describes how the process really works.

Alert In the context of BPM, an automatic notification from the process server that a significant event has happened or a key threshold has been reached.

The panel in the upper right of the Level 3 Nerve Center monitor screen shows “real-time” process alerts.

ArchitectIn the context of IT, 1) to map available hardware, software, message protocols, etc, against application or process requirements, in an effort to meet key metrics around performance, security, budget, etc. 2) a specialized role within the software development community that concerns itself with the above.

Architecting processes is mentioned in the BPM video that plays on the screen in the Level 1 entry area.

In the Level 2 Collaboration exercise, Logan meets Tomas, Lead IT Architect

“As-Is” Process Model

A model of a business process as it exists currently, prior to process improvement efforts.

Mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets her, and again by Mike at the beginning of the Level 2 Collaboration meeting.

Business Agility The ability of a business to respond rapidly to marketplace dynamics, without delay due to required IT infrastructure changes

At beginning of the Level 2 Collaboration meeting, Mike indicates he is seeking greater Business Agility.

Business Analyst A specialist who analyzes business needs and problems, consults with users and stakeholders to identify opportunities for improving business return through information technology, and transforms requirements into a technical form.

At the beginning of game play, Stavros introduces himself as “Business Analyst Extraordinaire”.

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Business Architecture “The grouping of business functions and related business objects into clusters (“business domains”) over which meaningful accountability can be taken” (Wikipedia)

Mike provides Logan with a “Business Architecture Heat Map” during the opening cinematic.

Once game play begins, the player can view AFTER Inc.’s Business Architecture by clicking Laptop>Files>Heat Map

Business Process Any activity or set of activities performed within a company or organization. In the context of modeling software, a process is a progressively continuing procedure consisting of a series of activities that are systematically directed toward a particular result or end.

Mike introduces the term in the Opening Cinematic as he gives Logan her mission.

A definition and illustration are provided within the BPM movie shown on the screen in the entry area of Level 1.

Business Process Execution Language

(BPEL)

A business process modeling language used by IT for the formal specification of business processes and business interaction protocols. BPEL is an executable language that orchestrates actions; for example, when to send or wait for messages. BPEL extends the basic Web services interaction model to support Business-to-Business exchanges.

A BPEL diagram appears on a whiteboard on the rear left wall in the main IT room.

Business Process Management (BPM)

A structured, often cross-functional approach - combining management methods with information technology - to improving business processes over time or adapting them to meet new customer or market needs.

Mike introduces the term in the Opening Cinematic as he gives Logan her mission.

A definition and illustration are provided within the BPM movie shown on the screen in the entry area of Level 1.

Business Process Management

Lifecycle

The lifecycle of management-initiated activities that lead to continuous process improvement over time. You architect and build a base process, implement the process, observe and analyze process performance, and then make changes to improve the process. And then you repeat the cycle, over and over, until the process is eventually retired.

Referred to and illustrated within the BPM movie shown on the screen in the entry area of Level 1.

Business Process Model

An abstract or conceptual representation of a business process usually developed for understanding, analyzing, improving, or replacing the process being represented. A model can include representations of activities, relationships, information flows, and constraints.

First mentioned by Sam when meeting Logan.

Business Rules In the context of BPM, a programming device by which business strategies are implemented and automatically enforced by the application or Process Server. Modern BPM systems often allow the Line of Business to modify business rules “on the fly” without having to modify the underlying IT infrastructure.

Business Rules are mentioned first by Sam during the Level 2 Collaboration, as a means to route calls to Partners under certain conditions.

CIO (Chief Information Officer)

A commonly used job title for the highest-ranking executive who oversees the information technology group within an enterprise.

When Logan first meets Sam, Sam indicates that the CIO has mandated the use of the modeling software Logan will use.

Collaboration “A structured, recursive process where two or more people work together by building consensus and sharing knowledge in an intellectual endeavor toward a common goal which is typically creative in nature. Collaboration does not require leadership and can even bring better results through decentralization and egalitarianism.” (Wikipedia)

Collaboration is first mentioned by Sharon if/when Logan meets her in the Level 1 entry area.

She and Mike co-host the “Global Collaboration” meeting that is the basis for Level 2.

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Connection A link between two elements in a process map or diagram. Connections are typically used to specify the chronological sequence of activities in a process.

Mentioned by Sam in the Drag and Drop tutorial. Then, as Logan builds the As-Is model, we see the model elements auto-connect.

Connections also appear in various model diagrams in the BPM video and throughout Levels 1, 2, and 3.

Core Activities (a.k.a. core competencies)

Strategic business capabilities that must be performed well, in order for the business to thrive. Businesses often seek synergy with one another, by outsourcing their own non-core activities to external partners who view the very same activities as their core activities.

During the Collaboration, Mike asks his team to identify non-core activities that can be minimized.

Dashboard In the context of IT, a business management tool used to visually ascertain the status (or "health") of a business process or enterprise via key performance indicators.

The monitor screen that Logan sees in the Level 3 Nerve Center (with its KPI panel) is representative of a business dashboard.

Decision Symbol A process element that routes an input to one of several alternative outgoing paths, depending on its condition. A decision is like a question that determines the exact set of activities to perform during a process run. Questions might include "What type of order?" and "How will the order be shipped?"

The “decision” symbol is defined and first used during the Drag and Drop challenge in Level1.

It also appears in model diagrams in the BPM video and throughout Levels 2 and 3.

Flexible Infrastructure

An IT infrastructure that has been architected specifically to provide business agility - capable of responding dynamically to both planned and unplanned business events.

Mike suggests in the Level 2 Collaboration that proposed changes are resulting in a more Flexible Infrastructure.

“Heat Map” In the context of Component Business Modeling, a graphical representation of data wherein the concentration of multiple factors under investigation is illustrated by a corresponding concentration of colors in the model. A heat map can be used to identify the greatest opportunities for reducing costs, delivering competitive advantage, or other factors.

Mike provides Logan with a “Business Architecture Heat Map” during the opening cinematic.

Once game play begins, the player can view AFTER Inc.’s Business Architecture by clicking Laptop>Files>Heat Map

“Import” To bring a model design – created within one tool – into a second tool, thereby saving time and reducing human errors due to re-keying. For example, a model developed by a Business Analyst may be imported into development or integration tooling used by IT.

Near the end of the Level 2 Collaboration, Sam indicates she will import Logan’s To-Be model into tooling used by IT.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)

A significant measurement used to track performance against a business objective. A key performance indicator has a target or ranges, or both, to measure the improvement or deterioration in the performance of an activity that is critical to the business.

First mentioned by Sharon if/when Logan meets her in the Level 1 entry area.

Later, Logan finds AFTER Inc Call Center KPI’s posted on a wall in Operations.

Knowledge Base (a.k.a. Repository)

“A special kind of database for knowledge management. It provides the means for the computerized collection, organization, and retrieval of knowledge.” (Wikipedia)

Mentioned by Sam during the Level 2 Collaboration as a means to collect and store call information for later retrieval.

Merge Symbol A process element that recombines multiple processing paths, typically after a decision. A merge brings several alternative paths together.

A “merge” symbol is defined and first used during the Drag and Drop challenge in Level1.

Portal “A Web framework for integrating information, applications, and processes across organizational boundaries.” (Wikipedia)

The monitor screen that Logan sees in the Level 3 Nerve Center is representative of a business portal.

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Process Automation A process that businesses use to contain costs, by deploying and integrating software applicationss and cutting labor wherever possible.

In Level 1 play, Logan may discover a proposal for Virtual Agent technology that automates call-handling. During the Level 2 Collaboration, Mike asks if it is not possible to automate the handling of certain calls.

Process Deployment The actions that IT takes, to move a process from the development and test environment into production.

Deployment is mentioned in the BPM video that plays on the screen in the Level 1 entry area.

In the main IT room, Logan may examine product boxes for software that AFTER Inc apparently uses to “deploy and run business processes.

Process Implementation

The actions that IT takes, to convert the business process model into working application code that runs on specific computer hardware and software.

During the Level 2 Collaboration, Sam mentions implementing Virtual Agent and Knowledge Base technologies.

Process Improvement 1. A proactive set of management activities aimed at identifying, analyzing, adapting and improving existing business processes to meet specific goals and objectives. 2. An incremental result of such activity.

During the BPM video shown on the screen in the Level 1 entry area, process improvement is mentioned as a basic objective of BPM.

Process Innovation A change in a process which results in a radical shift in process metrics and/or structure, typically in response to evolutionary changes in the marketplace.

During the BPM video shown on the screen in the Level 1 entry area, innovation is mentioned as a means to dramatically reduce the cost and time of business adaptation.

Process Map (a.k.a. Process Diagram)

A diagram that depicts the activities and decisions that are performed within a business process and the order (chronological time sequence) in which they are performed. Process maps are augmented with various element attributes, such as costs and durations, to yield more comprehensive process models to support simulations and other process analysis tasks.

When Sam first meets Logan Sam advises to look for someone in Operations who may have a Process Map to use as a starting point.

Logan retrieves one of several process maps from the computer on Stavros’ desk.

Process Model A typically visual representation of a real business process that is composed of the individual steps or activities that make up the process, contains the conditions that dictate when they occur, and identifies the resources required for its performance or run.

First mentioned in the BPM video that plays on the screen in the Level 1 entry way, and again by Sam when Logan first meets her.

Process Model Elements

Distinct, self-contained units of a business process map or model. Examples of elements are tasks, decisions, merges, and connections.

Sam discusses the various model elements during the tutorial for the Drag and Drop exercise.

Process Server Specialized software platform for executing and “choreographing” business processes during run-time (i.e. in production).

During the Level 2 Collaboration, Tomas mentions the Process Server as the group discusses dynamic selection of services.

“Publishing” In the context of process modeling, the notion of posting a copy of a modeling project or some of its elements to a server for review and reference by process stakeholders.

First mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets her.

Then, Logan has to publish her intermediate results during the Collaboration meeting.

Service A capability – typically external to an organization - that can be utilized repeatedly within the pro-cesses of that organization, using a prescribed interface. Services typically implement functionalities most humans would recognize as services, such as checking an individual’s credit history, or placing an airline ticket order. Services that can be invoked over the World Wide Web are referred to as Web services.

Logan mentions services in the context of SOA if/when she finds the book in the Level 1 entry area.

She mentions services again if/when she finds the Service Lifecycle or the BPEL diagram in the main IT room.

Then, Sam and Tomas mention services several times in the Level 2 Collaboration.

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Services Registry A software facility for storing basic information about services, including how to interact with the service, who has access rights to the service, and which applications currently use the service.

Mentioned by Tomas, during the Level 2 Collaboration, as a mechanism for enabling dynamic service selection.

Services Lifecycle

Simulation A key analytical capability providing faster-than-real-time execution of a process in a virtual environment. Simulation enables organizations to observe how a process is likely to perform in response to variations of inputs to the process. Simulation output can provide detailed information regarding resource usage levels and the results of cost and cycle-time calculations.

First mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets her.

Logan uses simulation to validate the As-Is model.

Logan uses it again to explore To-Be model use cases during the Level 2 Collaboration.

SOA (Services Oriented

Architecture)

A business-centric IT architectural approach that supports integrating business as linked, repeatable business tasks, or services. SOA helps users build composite applications, which are applications that draw upon functionality from multiple sources within and beyond the enterprise to support end-to-end business processes.

The book lying on one of the tables in the Level 1 entry area is titled “SOA and Web 2.0 – The New Language of Business”.

Logan’s corresponding “thought dialogue” expands on the SOA acronym.

SOA Governance SOA governance is an extension of IT governance that focuses on the lifecycle of services and composite applications in an organization’s service-oriented architecture (SOA). Key functions of SOA governance are 1) to define decision rights for the development, deployment and management of new services, and 2) to monitor, capture and communicate results.

Mentioned in Logan’s “thought dialogue” if/when she finds the Services Lifecycle screen saver in the main IT room.

Standards-Based Tooling

The notion that some tooling implements and enforces accepted industry standards – including protocols and user interface elements - that enable interoperability and exchange of information between tools, and facilitate rapid assimilation of the tooling by new users.

When Logan first meets Sam, Sam indicates that the CIO has mandated the use of standards-based tooling.

“Swim Lane” Derived from an analogy to lanes in a swimming pool, a visually separated row in a process flow diagram that groups all the activities in the process that are performed by a particular combination of roles, resources, organizations, or locations.

Swim Lanes are explained by Sam during the Drag and Drop tutorial and illustrated during the Drag and Drop challenge.

Task The lowest unit of work (activity) represented in a process model diagram.

The “task” symbol is defined and used during the Drag and Drop challenge. The symbol is also used in process diagrams throughout Levels 1, 2 and 3.

“To-Be” Process Model

A model of a business process as it is intended to look in the future, following process improvement efforts.

Mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets her, and again by Mike at the beginning of the Level 2 Collaboration meeting.

Tooling Specialized software for modeling, designing and building applications or entire business processes.

First mentioned by Mike in the Opening Cinematic when he tells Logan to acquire needed tooling from Sam. Sam later explains the function of the tooling Logan will use.

Validation In the context of business process modeling, ensuring that a model is correct syntactically and that it accurately reflects the process as it is or as it is expected to be. Automatic syntax checking (validation) is often provided within the modeling tooling. But determining model accuracy requires inspection by true process experts and/or comparison of simulated results to empirical data.

When Logan first meets Sam, Sam advises Logan to make sure she validates the As-Is model with a true process expert.

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Web 2.0 A set of “second generation” web-based technologies, communities and hosted services — such as social-networking sites, wikis, etc — which aim to facilitate collaboration and sharing between users. (Adapted from Wikipedia)

The book lying on one of the tables in the Level 1 entry area is titled “SOA and Web 2.0 – The New Language of Business”

“Wiring” Connecting services together within a process or composite application. Some BPM tooling enables the Integration Developer to “wire” services to one another through a graphical user interface - connecting the output interface of one activity with the input interface of the next activity within the process sequence.

Logan mentions wiring in her thought dialogue if/when she finds the BPEL diagram in the main IT room.

Later, Sam mentions wiring services during the Level 2 Collaboration.

The following is the additional learning points illustrated within Innov8:

Learning Point Context within Innov8Successful implementation of BPM usually requires a strong partnership between the Line of Business and IT.

Logan finds a poster describing the partnership between business and IT in the main IT room, and wonders if it is all “just fluff”. Then, in the Level 2 Collaboration, IT and the business work together to recommend and eventually implement needed process improvements. IT provides the tooling and implementation support, while the LoB supplies process expertise.

To help maximize ROI, process improvement efforts should be guided by some overarching strategy, based on methodologies like Component Business Modeling hot-spot analysis.

In the Opening Cinematic, Mike provides Logan with a Heat Map which assesses various business areas with respect to opportunities for lowering costs, gaining revenue, etc. The point is not that a specific methodology must be used, but rather that an organization should have some rational approach to prioritizing potential improvement projects.

There are many ways to help reduce risk during a business process improvement project.

Logan and AFTER Inc manage risk in a number of ways, including: Executive sponsorship from Mike; recruitment of Logan to drive the project (she supposedly is uniquely qualified for her mission); group collaboration during process re-design; use of simulation to test To-Be model variants; etc.

You don't always have to start from scratch. Often there is someone who can provide a helpful starting point.

Sam advises Logan to look for someone in Operations who might have an existing process map which can be used as a starting point.

You may get erroneous and even intentionally misleading inputs from some individuals and you have to be able to sort that out somehow.

Logan obtains a process map from Stavros, a self-described “Business Analyst extraordinaire.” But Logan learns from Call Center guru that the map is out-of-date. Logan might have guessed there would be problems with Stavros’ map, given his poor attitude towards work and his lack of eagerness to help Logan in her quest.

You should always validate As-Is process flows with real experts, i.e. people that know the real business flow first-hand.

This is a corollary to the point above. The point is, you can't always trust supposed experts who may have personal agendas, nor information sources like procedures manuals that are often obsolete and may never have been accurate in the first place. Too often, “current” process maps portray processes as they used to be, or are thought to be, or as they should be, rather than as they are.  

Successful modeling typically requires translating verbal or text requirements into representative diagram segments and/or elements.

Logan puts this critical skill to use in the Drag and Drop exercise of Level 1 and the Collaboration exercise of Level 2.

A standard set of modeling symbols helps to communicate effectively & to share design information between tools seamlessly.

Sam stresses that the modeling software is standards-based and mandated by the CIO, partly because it enables better communications. Stella leads Logan through the Drag and Drop exercise where standard symbols are used to construct the As-Is model. Then, in the Level 2 Collaboration, individuals from all areas of the business are able to quickly understand model changes which Logan has made. In the real world, there is no one standard set of symbols used by all modeling software vendors, although the industry appears to be moving in that direction with the growing acceptance of Business Process Management Notation (BPMN) – a standard proposed and maintained by the Object Management Group.

There are typically many variables (resource levels, event arrival rates, etc), within the process, which must be specified correctly if the model is to reflect reality. The better the inputs,

Sam makes this point with Logan, following the Drag and Drop challenge. Logan must visit all four departments within Level 1, in search of data to populate the model.

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the more reliable the outputs.

Best practice usually suggests validating the As-Is model before embarking on the To-Be process.

This only makes sense, because the To-Be model is typically an adaptation of the To-Be. And validating the As-Is can build needed credibility in the face of difficult process changes. Logan validates the model flow with process expert Stella, and then uses simulation to validate the complete model against empirical data (KPI’s).

Collaboration can greatly accelerate process improvement and innovation.

The Collaboration meeting of Level 2 brings together individuals from several areas of the business, each contributing their own perspectives, expertise, ideas and values.

Flexible business rules make a process more dynamic and responsive to changing conditions.

In the Level 2 Collaboration, the team decides to implement business rules to control call flow, allowing Logan to react to new information and “tweak” performance, in response to changing arrival rates and call mix.

Simulation can help identify bottlenecks prior to implementation.

In the Level 2 Collaboration, Logan adjusts the arrival rate within a particular use case and identifies the point at which the Low-skill queue becomes a bottleneck and results in call abandonment.

There is no such thing as an “optimal” process because, in theory, there is always some way to reduce costs, shorten durations, etc for particular process activities.

In this case, for example, AFTER Inc. could always spend more money on call-taker education, seek a new business partner who is willing to undercut the prices set by Partner 1, or invest more money in Knowledge Base and Virtual Agent software to achieve greater efficiencies.

For a given business process and scenario (use case), depending on the objectives there can be multiple “good”, "right", or “acceptable” solutions.

In the Level 3 Nerve Center challenge, there are many combinations of business rule setting and resource levels which will result in KPI values that meet Mike’s objectives.

Because of competing objectives, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to truly “optimize” a business process.

In this case, Logan can shift more calls to Partners to lower costs but at the expense of increasing service times for medium and hard calls. And vice versa.

4. Installing Innov8 on Windows Platforms

You computer must meet the following requirements, or you may not be able to successfully use INN0V8

OS: Microsoft Windows Vista/XP/2000/98/MeRAM: 128 MB RAM or moreDisk space: Approximately 750MBProcessor: Pentium III or Athlon 800 MHz or greaterSound: 16-bit DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card and driversCD-ROM: 4x CD-ROM drive and driversVideo card: 3D hardware accelerator card, for optimal performance:- nVidia GeForce2 or equivalent ATI card (or higher);- DirectX 9.0c (compliant 32 MB Video card and drivers) or higher

INN0V8 is NOT supported on MAC or LINUX platforms

Steps have been taken to enable Innov8 to run on systems that do not meet the precise video card (nVidia and ATI) specifications stated above. Generally speaking, if your system is DirectX 9.03c compliant, there is a reasonable expectation that the game will run. Inevitably, there will be exceptions to this rule-of-thumb. Moreover, in some environments – where key graphics card functions have been emulated within the software – Innov8 may run but with unacceptably slow performance.

The current set-up should allow the game to launch regardless of the video feature set available on your system. If a warning message appears, there is a chance the game will exit shortly after that message. Otherwise the game should function correctly.

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If your system is DirectX 9.03c compliant and you still experience problems installing or launching the game, please use the following procedure to collect information for our developers.

a. Click "Start" on the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the screen.b. Click "Run" c. Type in "dxdiag"; without the quotes d. Click "Ok". e. Click the third tab labeled "Display" to view your video card and driver informationf. Click "Save all information" to save the screen information to a new file on your computer.g. Send the saved file to Dave Daniel at ddaniel1@us.ibm.com

If you are replacing a previously-installed version of Innov8, go to Start > Settings > Control Panel and use Add or Remove Programs to remove the previous Innov8 game version from your system.

Navigate to the distributed zip file. Right-click on it and click Extract All… and use the Compressed Folders Extraction Wizard to extract the contents of the zip file.

Find the extracted setup.exe file and double-click to invoke the Innov8 InstallShield Wizard.

Click Next on the InstallShield welcome screen.

Accept the terms of the IBM license agreement and click Next.

Click Next to install to the selected folder, or click Change to install to a different folder.

Click Install to begin the installation.

Click Yes to accept the Microsoft DirectX Software License Terms.

Click Finish to exit the InstallShield Wizard.

The install process should create a shortcut on your Windows Desktop. Click the shortcut or navigate to where Innov8 has been installed, find INNOV8.exe, and double-click to launch the game.

If a shortcut is not automatically created on your desktop, to expedite launching in the future, right-click on INNOV8.exe and click Create Shortcut, then drag the Shortcut to INNOV8.exe file to your desktop. As long as you install future copies of Innov8 in the same location, the same shortcut should work.

It is possible to run Innov8 in full screen mode. We do not recommend full screen mode at this time, as performance is slower and can result in situations where you ‘lose’ your cursor. However, if you want to test it or just see how it looks, you can go to Start > Run, click Browse to locate the INNOV8.exe file, and then add the switch “/fullscreen” (without the quotes) after the path/file name. Then click OK to launch the game.

5. About Innov8 Support

IBM's created Innov8 to deliver a unique BPM educational experience using modern 3D gaming technologies. While business simulators have been around since the 50's, it's the combination of business simulators with advanced 3D graphics that makes Innov8 truly unique. Innov8 is not a commercial product or an IBM 'program product. It is distributed AS-IS, with no implied warranties or support. You can read the exact license text here. As you might imagine, the economics of providing support for innovative, 3D-intensive software that is distributed to the academic community AT NO CHARGE are 'challenging'.

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That said, we want Innov users to have a great experience, and when issues arise, our strategy is to help users find answers as quickly as possible. To that end, we've provided a clear set of Innov8 Technical Requirements, a Trouble-shooting FAQ, and an Innov8 Forum on IBM DeveloperWorks where we think we can address 99% of the questions that will come up.

We can't promise you'll LIKE the answer you find using these methods. It's a simple fact that Innov8 won't work on EVERY PC or laptop. However, we do sincerely want to help you assess your situation as fast as possible, with minimum frustration.

We believe strongly in this approach and hope that many will play the game and find it beneficial. That's why we're making it available through IBM's Academic Initiative AT NO CHARGE. As you can imagine, our NO CHARGE 'business model' implies that we must deliver end-user support in a very cost effective manner. This means relying heavily on web-based tools to share information and build community knowledge about tips, tricks, and best practices. We'd like to invite you to tell us how we're doing in the INN0V8 Forum. Ideas, compliments, gripes... we'd like to hear them all.

And if you have ideas on how we can do this even better, we'd love to hear from you in the Innov8 Forum.

6. And a few more words on technical requirements ...

Unfortunately, given the requirements of 3D applications, and the infinite combinations of PC hardware, software, and componentry in the market today, it's a simple fact that INN0V8 will not run on EVERY laptop or PC.

Why? Some of the most common reasons are that 3D applications need a minimum level of capability to function, and not all machines meet the minimum. Laptop manufacturers often make trade-offs between graphical capability and longer battery life. PC makers often make trade-offs between graphical capability and cost.

Similarly, we've tried to balance our love for cool, visually dazzling displays with the realities of the I.T. environments we think we'll encounter. To that end we've tried to select technologies that will deliver an impressive experience with relatively modest hardware pre-reqs. We hope we've hit the right balance. Let us know in the Innov8 Forum.

7. Troubleshooting F.A.Q. -- Start Here

a) Ensure your system meets the minimum system requirements. We really mean it. b) Please ensure your operating system is up to date. To do this, please ensure you are logged in as an administrator

and go to http://www.windowsupdate.com. Scan your computer using the link provided, and download and install the necessary updates. You may need to do this several times until no updates are required.

c) Ensure your graphics card driver is up to date. Please go to the support section for your computer manufacturer's website (Example: for Lenovo, www.lenovo.com) or the graphics card support site (nVidia, ATi, etc.) and download the latest drivers for your video card. (To confirm the name of your video card, click on the Windows Start button on the taskbar, click on "Run" and type in "dxdiag"; without the quotes. Click on the third tab labeled "Display" to verify your video card's name.)

d) Ensure you have the latest installation of Innov8

8. Tips for Playing Innov8

a) You can reposition the game window after the game launches. When you click Start Game the Opening Cinematic will play (1 minute and 40 seconds).

b) If you have already played the game and want to skip the introduction, you can right-click during the Cinematic to end it and go directly to game play.

c) When game play begins, note the Laptop button in the upper right of the UI. You can click to view the assets you have collected (initially, only the Heat Map that CEO Mike has provided). You can also view your To-Do List, which will be automatically updated as you progress. So in theory, if you forget what your next mission is, you check your to-do list.

d) There is also a Menu button which includes player control options. Go to Menu>Options>Controls. The Menu section will eventually enable the player to Save/Restart, but that function is not yet activated.

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e) The game play is similar to other first person games that you are typically familiar with. Below are repeated the key assignments for player controls. It is the easiest to control movement using the “w” and “s” keys with your left index finger while controlling direction using your right hand fingers on the left and right arrow keys, but “to each his own”. Note that we may change this navigation scheme later, as our use of “s” for running is considered non-standard. For a diversion, you can use the space bar to help Logan climb the art sculpture behind Stella’s desk and jump onto the globe.

w = up arrow = “walk forward”

s = shift+up arrow = “jog forward”

Ctrl + s = “run high speed forward”

d = right arrow = “turn right”

a = left arrow = “turn left”

space bar = “jump”

f) As you approach a character, you will automatically engage him/her when you get within their “zone”. We may change this later. The dialogue will begin and you use “Click to continue” to advance.

g) When you come near a “Point of Interest”, you will see an option to “Examine” it more closely. Just click the message on the screen. “Thought dialogue” appears as Logan examines each item.

h) As you move through the game, you can adjust the camera angle/direction by right clicking and moving the mouse simultaneously. This will allow you to see into cubicles and peek around corners but can sometimes be difficult to direct precisely.

i) The tutorial for the drag and drop challenge with Stella has been improved. The idea is to create the model to look like the image below, one column at a time, starting from the left. Stella gives a hint, a column will be highlighted, and you point, click and drop the appropriate shape(s) into the column. You select from the choice of labels provided. You have to click “Next” to move to the next column. After the last activity, the model transforms and you are off to the next challenge. If the player doesn’t get a column right after a few tries, Stella takes over and completes that column, and you advance to the next column.

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Slide: 13

Level 1: Navigation

W

SA D

↑

→←

walk

left jog right

Ctrl + S = sprint

Space Bar = jump

Ctrl + ↑ = sprintShift + ↑ = jog

walk

left right

Right mouse click = camera turn

j) Following the drag and drop, you have to locate and download four assets to advance. We plan to introduce some character interactions into this part of the game, but in the meantime,

Performance data (KPIs) are posted on a wall as you enter Operations. Call Statistics are in a spreadsheet on a desk in IT Resource Levels (HC) are in the left-rear cubical in Human Resources. Resource Costs are on a desk in the front-right cubical in Finance.

k) Level 2 (Collaboration) is relatively complete and straightforward, although we will be adjusting the dialogue and instructions based on feedback. Follow the dialogue by clicking “Continue”, when prompted by Mike, use the large up and down arrows scroll vertically and select the appropriate design element, and hit “Publish to Team” to get feedback and/or advance. Then you have to simulate a use case. Use the small up and down arrows to manipulate the input variable (bottom left of screen), use “Simulate” to see the impact on the output variable, and “Publish to Team” when you have the answer to Mike’s question.

l) A (highly-recommended) tutorial exists for Level 3 which is currently playable for four turns. The objective is to get both KPI gauges at or below target values. There are many ways to do it. One simple way is to route 100% of both medium and easy calls to the partner queue. To meet budget constraints, reduce high-skill resources to 3 (any lower and you suffer queue backup on hard calls) and low-skill resources to 3 or less. When we activate the remainder of the game (2nd pass through Levels 2 and 3), the storyline will be that we need to pull back on the outsourcing strategy, at least for “gold” customers.

m) If you get stuck or have any questions, call 412-443-0746 or send a note to ddaniel1@us.ibm.com.

n) Good luck!!

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