Serious games applied to professional training

Serious games applied to professional training
José M. Franco Pérez Innovalia Association, Spain José M. Cabello Montesino Innovalia Association, Spain Antonio Collado González Innovalia Association, Spain

Abstract
This chapter remarks the importance of an evolution in the field of professional training towards the emerging serious games. Throughout history, professional training has sufferedmany improvements, also aiming the same goal: provide the knowledge, techniques and tools needed to perform a job efficiently and with quality as fast as possible. However, there are still needs in professional training that would improve the effectiveness of the methods used, such as more and better aimed practical sessions or the use of new technologies in the process. Serious Games can cope withmany of these needs. In this paper, we describe how Serious Games will affect the field of Professional Training and the benefits of this new iteration, accompanying it with some examples that show initiatives and real cases that are being developed or deployed.

Introduction
Professional training has been around since the need of teaching people how to perform a specific job, which means for areally long time. Since then, thousands of methods, techniques and tools have been developed to achieve that goal in the fastest and most efficient way. Now, with the emerging of Serious Games, a new evolution of the professional training concept is arising. However, this evolution cannot happen from one day to another, but there is a process that needs to be taken into account in order toefficiently achieve the new iteration. This chapter analyzes the impact of this evolution using serious games in the field of professional training. That means, what are the consequences of such an approach, and why it is being taken. The chapter is divided into three main sections. First of all, the concept of professional training is described, remarking also on the history of the topic as well as itspresent state, in terms of evolution of the concept, methods used and impact on the organisations. Then, we identify several needs that professional training should improve in order to iterate in the best possible way in terms of effectiveness and quality. Finally, the impact of serious games in the field is analysed, describing how the different actors involved will be affected, and showingexamples of different initiatives and real cases that are being developed or deployed.

What is Professional Training?
During this chapter we want to highlight the importance of human resources professional training, developed in any organization or company regardless of their nature. Human resources management is an important task that provides human capabilities required by an organization and developsskills and abilities to get the most of the employees. It is important to not forget that organizations depend specially on the human element for their every day operation and development. It can be said without exaggeration that an organization is the portrait of its members, thus training processes allow to establish, maintain and recognize future requirements, as well as the supply ofqualified employees and ensure the development of human resources. Organizations use human, material, financial and technological resources to produce goods and services, generating different levels of profitability. Globally human resources management are

critical to achieving strategic objectives. For this reason, the importance of professional training has been increasing, because companies requirehighly qualified and motivated to adapt to the constantly changing environment.

Professional Training Concept
Training word has many meanings. Some specialist in human resources management believes that training is a means to develop the workforce in the offices. Education is the whole influence that man receives from the social environment during its lifetime to adapt to social norms and values...