reaching across organizations with virtual worlds april 7, 2009 ms. helen q. sherman
TRANSCRIPT
Reaching Across Organizations with Virtual Worlds
April 7, 2009
Ms. Helen Q. Sherman
“A global learning community for government’s most promising information leaders.”
Dr. Paulette Robinson Information Resources Management College, NDU, Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds
Mr. Kent TaylorProgram Analyst, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) CIO, USDA/NDU Virtual Worlds Prototype
Ms. Karen CooperNaval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Team Orlando Project
Mr. Derek ParksNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Mr. Eric HackathornNOAA, SCILANDS (Second Life)
Reaching Across Organizations with Virtual Worlds
Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds Collaboration
Paulette Robinson, PhD
Assistant Dean for Teaching, Learning & Technology
Information Resources Management College
National Defense University
202-685-3891
Leader: Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds
Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds
History Purpose Working groups Communication channels
http://www.ndu.edu/irmc/fedconsortium.html Brainkeeper wiki IRMC Info Leader (meetings & video streaming)
Federal Virtual Worlds Events Annual April Conference
April 22, 14 VW Demonstrations
April 23 & 24
Guest speakers around working group interests
Areas of Virtual World Use
1. Information Delivery (e.g., NOAA, NASA, CDC)
2. Meetings (IRM College Government Center)
3. Education and Training
4. Prototyping (facilities)
5. Analytical work spaces (individual and group)
Types of Virtual Worlds
Over 100 virtual worlds in existence Most common in the government
Second Life Forterra (built on Olive platform) Protosphere 3DXplorer Active Worlds Open Sim Qwak (build on Open Source Croquet platform) Nexus (National Guard) Real World (DARPA)
IRM College Second Life Government Center
Welcome Center
Crisis Center
Conference Center - 60
Meeting Rooms 25
Auditorium for 220 (in June 08)
Challenges of Virtual Worlds
Emerging Technology Learning Curve: Movement and actions are not intuitive Client on agency/organization desktop image Security (working across agencies)
Avatar level Network level
Content Cost of development Ability to share content
Worlds are not interoperable Identity Privacy
Benefits of Virtual Worlds
Collaboration across agencies Collaboration from anywhere
Telework Collaborative work projects Education and training Continuity of Operations
Synchronous Communication Text chat Voice Body movement Desktop sharing
3-D representation of objects Intelligent agents and bots Avatar personalization Presence and Transference Can be fun
Challenges to Collaboration
Silos between agencies that inhibit multi-agency collaboration at all levels of government (federal, regional, state, local)
Business Models Funding mechanisms for multi-agency efforts
Costing models to get economies of scale
Development of software tools to benefit all of the government IT (e.g., security, databases, etc.)
Sharing digital resources (e.g., content) Organizational cultures within and between agencies
Sharing information Missions & Goals Strategic Planning Policy Procedures “How it has always been done”
Benefits of the Collaboration
Creates secure access to common meeting “places” Forges networks of common interest
Creates groups to work on common issues Share best practices & resources
Offers solutions for multi-agency platform for collaboration Security resolved Workspaces Communities of Practice
Economies of scale Provides venues to share resources
Content Contracts Software development costs
Connects vendors for improvements in platform Offers a model for other government collaborative activities Future meeting places for citizens that humanize large government
Why do we bother and why virtual worlds???
Why do we bother?
To facilitate multi-agency collaboration across the government to work on the thorny complex problems facing government across the boundaries of agencies, geography and time.
Why virtual worlds?
They provide a robust virtual environment that provides the ability to work together from any place at any time with social media, communication and productivity tools to enable the work.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Chief Information Officer
April 7th, 2009DTIC Conference
Kent TaylorOffice of the Chief Information Officer
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA & IRM College: Trusted Source Prototype for Federal Government Access
History of USDA/IRM College Prototype
IRM College’s Need for Collaborative Virtual World Space CoP for CFO Community, Classroom Simulation, and Role Play Multiagency Access Secure Government Network
USDA Hosting Capabilities and Authentication Product NITC Hosting Capabilities Application Development Team E-Authentication Solution Used Internally and Externally
Virtual World Prototype
Two Virtual World Applications Selected Protoshpere – IRMC CoP for CFO Community Forterra – IRMC Education Simulation and Role Play
Working to Integrate E-Authentication into Both Applications
Building Sustainable Cost Model for Hosting Virtual Worlds
Enable a Secure Multiagency Collaborative Space
Benefits of Prototype
Provide a secure digital space for productive interagency collaboration – projects, conferences, meetings, etc.
Establishes and controls identity of participants Reduce travel cost for meetings, training, education, etc. Takes advantage of economies of scale
Cost of software Avoids resource duplication
Agencies share in the development of functionality Agencies share 3D content in repository
Challenges of Prototype
E-Authentication with virtual world applications E-Authentication scaling across Federal Government Creating policies and procedures Creating a flexible cost model Creating a communication plan Current architecture of applications Enabling virtual worlds as business offerings Sharing content across federal agencies Agency adoption of virtual worlds as collaboration solution
Vision for Virtual World Prototype
Create a secure collaboration space that erases interagency boundaries and enables creative solutions to issues across the Federal Government.
Agency participation in Virtual Worlds to leverage expertise and diverse perspectives in order to shape the way the Federal Government communicates and fulfills its mission.
Virtual World Collaboration
Team Orlando
Virtual World Collaboration
Team Orlando
Karen CooperApril 7, 2009
Karen CooperApril 7, 2009
Team Orlando
• Working together to accomplish their respective missions
• Common goal of improving human performance through simulation, training and education
Charter members are located in the Central Florida Research Park.
• Community of organizations (Defense, Government, Academia, and Industry)
History
Informal Network of Researchers
JTIEC: (Joint Technical Integration and Evaluation Center )
• Money
NAWCTSD: (Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division)
• Network
RDECOM: (Research Development & Engineering Command)
• Build expertise
History (Cont.)
Concept:• 3-D visualization extension to 2-D Team
Orlando website
• Provide “sandbox” for exploring virtual worlds within the training domain
• SL island paid up through FY10
• Continuation based on Team Orlando feedback
Benefits• Could not be successful individually
• Synergy
• Networking
• Best Practices / Lessons Learner Shared
• Culture for Sharing
Challenges
Varying • Policies• Security Requirements• Network Access
Individual Accreditations
Joint Model• Military Coalition• Synergy• Governance Board
– NAWCTSD* (Navy)
– PEOSTRI* (Army)
– PMTRASYS* (Marine Corps)
– AFAMS* (Air Force)
– ADL Co-Lab– JTIEC– RDECOM
Island Layout (working stage)Island Layout (working stage)
VariousGroup Display
Areas
AmphitheaterOpen Air
Meeting Area
ConferenceHall, Exhibit
Area
ClassroomEvents, etc.
Garden AreaTeam Orlando
Exhibits (sandbox)
Executive Tower (8 Floors)
Walking PathVarious
Group Display Areas
Army Air Force
Marines Navy
Mr. Eric Hackathorn
NOAA, SCILANDS (Second Life)
SCILANDS Collaboration
• Second Life (SL) is a virtual word developed and lauched in 2003 as accessible via the Internet.
• Second Life Viewer enables its users, called Residents, to create avatars and interact with each other.
Second Life
• SCILANDS
• A specialized region of Second Life for Science and Technology based organizations.
SCILANDS
(Click to view)
Questions?
Reaching Across Organizationswith Virtual Worlds
Points of Contact
Dr. Paulette Robinson Information Resources Management CollegeNational Defense University (NDU)Federal Consortium for Virtual [email protected]
Mr. Kent TaylorProgram AnalystUS Department of Agriculture (USDA) CIOUSDA/NDU Virtual Worlds [email protected]
Points of Contact
Ms. Karen CooperNaval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
Navair Training Systems DivisionTeam Orlando Project [email protected]
Points of Contact
Mr. Eric Hackathorn(SL: Hackshaven Harford)NOAASCILANDS (Second Life)[email protected]
Ms. Helen Q. ShermanDirector, User [email protected]
Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
Disclaimer of Endorsement