Grupo Alarcos · Conference paper · 2013
Simulating Global Software Development Processes for Use in Education: A Feasibility Study
Miguel Jiménez Monasor, Aurora Vizcaíno Barceló, Mario Piattini Velthuis, John Noll, Sarah Beecham
VENTURE is a simulation-based training platform aimed at helping practitioners overcome process problems that arise in Global Software Development (GSD). VENTURE places practitioners in simulated GSD scenarios in which they play a role and interact with Virtual Agents, who represent team members from different nationalities. VENTURE makes it possible to simulate cultural, linguistic and GSD procedural problems gathered from experience and empirical studies. This paper reports on a Feasibility Study aimed to determine the potential of VENTURE to: 1) simulate GSD scenarios and processes of potential conflict, and 2) train practitioners to cope with these conflicts by interacting with virtual agents. A group of researchers and experts studied the platform and, through a survey-based method, they provided their endorsement of the concept. We received positive feedback and encouragement, in that the simulation of GSD processes will effectively provide training in industrial settings, helping practitioners to identify and resolve predefined problems.