IBM is trying novel ways to get folks interested in service-oriented architecture, including devising a three-dimensional game to help foster SOA skills in users. Sandy Carter, vice president of SOA and Web services strategy at IBM, said IBM has produced an interactive SOA game called "Innov8: A BPM Simulator." "Innov8" is an interactive, 3-D educational game simulator designed to bridge the gap in understanding between IT teams and business leaders in an organization, Carter said. Carter spoke at IBM's Impact 2007 conference focused on SOA here.

"Innov8" is one such tool. The game is the result of an annual IBM SOA case study competition among graduate students at Duke University and the University of North Carolina, Carter said. The game, which is played with a joystick, is based on advanced, commercial gaming technologies and allows players to visualize how an SOA affects different parts of an organization, IBM officials said. Users can see business processes, identify bottlenecks and explore 'what if' scenarios before the SOA is deployed, officials said Via eWork.com Sourced via Serious Games Listserv