Google’s Security Education team wanted to reduce potential software vulnerabilities through use of a process called Threat Modeling. Threat Modeling is an industry practice where software developers and project managers analyze the flow of data through products and services, creatively thinking about what could go wrong and coming up with mitigation strategies.The traditional instructor-led training approach had not proved to be effective, due to:
Scalability: Coordinating dozens of training sessions for hundreds of engineers across the country
Facilitation skills: Finding threat model experts who could also lead a collaborative discussion
Participation: Getting attendees to take ownership of the process and contribute equallyGoogle and Plum eLearning, therefore, collaborated on the design and development of an online game that would address these challenges. Teams could play the game in person, over video conference, or a combination. A customizable question database and personalized prompts eliminated the need for a human facilitator. And player registration allowed the game to call on specific players to increase participation. The game has been a smashing success since its launch, with over 1,700 teams playing the game in its first year, resulting in almost 15,000 action items or bugs generated to decrease or mitigate real-world software vulnerabilities. The activity has spread through word of mouth and a clever promo video (password: threatmodelgame).
In this session, we will walk through the game, demonstrating how each aspect was carefully designed and developed to meet specific objectives, including:
Main theme and art
Tutorials
Resource allocation phase
Progress indicators and final scoring
The innovative guided discussion approach at the heart of the game
Register your place today
Award: Two times Silver winner
‘Best use of social and collaborative learning technologies’
&
‘Best learning game’
“An honest review of the in-person learning model led to a gamified alternative being developed. This approach enabled the learners to immerse themselves in identifying real-life threats and collaboratively finding solutions through a simulation. The impact of the learning approach enabled cross-discipline collaboration, blurring the lines between a simulated learning environment and a real-life application. The judges were impressed at the quality learning solution on offer in such a complex field of work, especially with the speed to deployment and scalability which was unavailable with the face to face model.”
Judges comments
About your presenters:
As Director of Consulting Services for Plum eLearning, Rebecca works closely with clients to articulate business goals and connect them to learning objectives in order to develop targeted performance-based eLearning.
Since earning her Masters in Adult Education and Training from Seattle University, Rebecca has designed instructor-led training, virtual instructor-led training, and eLearning for employers and clients such as T-Mobile, Walmart, Comcast, the University of Washington, Microsoft, Google, and various government and nonprofit organizations.
Follow Rebecca on LinkedIn.
Navdeep is the world’s preeminent SmartBuilder developer, having authored over a zillion eLearning courses for clients such as CompTIA, Google, US Courts, and The Nature Conservancy.
After being exposed to boring eLearning at a young age, Navdeep obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Cognitive Science from UCSD and has worked to create and foster engaging and meaningful eLearning ever since.
Follow Navdeep on LinkedIn.
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