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The militaries of several countries use computer games and simulations to both educate and train soldiers and officers in tasks and thought processes connected to their missions and specializations.

This method is moving (little by little) into the business world as well, and one of the places where it's making the largest inroads is in the realm of executive training.

From the perspective of training new managers in your own organization, computer games and board games can be used to huge effect, however, there are some dangers. First, make sure that you're conscious of what objective you're aiming for - education or guidance? Educational games center on one nested set of decisions and lean to remain quite theoretical.

A high-quality educational game - focused on project management training for instance - should permit the players to investigate the decision space reflected by that kind of game.

A training simulation is intended to determine how well a student is getting familiar and re-enacting knowledge and training techniques.

Though a first person shooting game, like Doom or Counter Strike is no replacement for rifle training for a soldier, it's an excellent instrument to observe if soldiers have learned about movement, communications, and coordinated actions in a hostile situation, as the same things that will keep you alive in the field will keep you alive in the game - moving from cover to concealment, mobilized over watch, and similar concepts.

Education isn't just regurgitation of principles and training, it's acquainting of the decision creation processes.

For exedcutives (and officers in the armed forces) there needs to be stress on education as well as guidance.

A excellent executive should be familiar with the decision creation process of the layer of management that informs to him, and for two levels higher than him.

The same applies to a manager in most organizations.

Furthermore, an executive (or supervisor) should to be able to assess challenges to his line of actions, be aware of assets available to him, and with initiative, be capable to use those assets without compromising the tactics of those higher than him.

When taking instructions from computer games, center on the decision creation loops, and focus on concepts.

When trying to turn computer games into planned schooling for your workers, keep in mind that games are intended to be enjoyable.

Games that aren't entertaining tend to get negative criticism from the players, and the lessons imparted by them don't stick.

Focus on how the core concepts of the game will assist your fresh managers work in your company, but let them enjoy in what they're doing - people learn more, and take in the instructions better, when they're having fun.

So, the next time you're trapped playing a computer game in the office, maybe you can defend it as certified development.

More on < a href="http://www.wandelendecoach.info/project-management-training/pmt005.htm">Learning project management skills made easy by playing computer games