Bronze IITT Award for Tata Interactive Systems
The global learning provider, Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), won a bronze award in the eLearning Project of the Year category at the Institute of IT Training (IITT) Awards, announced at the Dorchester, Park Lane, London, in February. The IITT Awards recognise outstanding examples of high standards, best practice, innovation and excellence within the IT training sector.
TIS won its award for a game – using its Game-based Learning Objects (GamBLs™) model – which it developed for ICICI Bank in India. The game casts players – drawn from ICICI Bank’s Process Managers – as airport managers and involves optimising the airport’s revenue by managing the throughput of travellers.
This helped the managers to learn the principles behind the bank’s Dynamic Queue Management (DQM) system. TIS’s Reg Agyeman, explained: “A key factor in improving bank customer satisfaction levels is minimising waiting time – which is what the ICICI Bank’s DQM system addresses, automatically assigning incoming customers to relevant counters.
“The DQM software also enables the branch managers to get a real-time view of the situation on the branch floor and to make adjustments to the service mix across the counters. Ideally, this should reduce bottlenecks at any particular counter, reduce customer wait time and improve customer satisfaction.
“However, DQM reports gathered for analysis showed unexpected queues building up, which meant that the managers were not using the system to manage footfall efficiently,” he said.
TIS’s solution – deliberately placing the learners in a non-financial services context to help them focus on the learning rather than the industry setting – means that players study the pattern of incoming aircraft, both in terms of numbers and required services. Players can then set up specific services at the different airport hangars and watch the airport in action.
Agyeman commented: “ICICI Bank Process Managers were impressed with the game’s graphical richness and innovative instructional design strategy. They found that the DQM GamBLs™ provided an innovative, immersive environment where they could practise their skills at queue management, while enjoying a ‘fun experience’.
“Since the game only lasted 15 minutes or so, managers were receptive to trying it out during the course of a normally busy day. Finally, the competitive nature of the game also helped acceptance among the target audience.”
Based on this feedback from the users, ICICI Bank is rolling out the DQM GamBLs™ across its vast network of branches.
“We’re delighted that this slightly unusual approach to a learning need in the financial service sector, which ensures that the right customers get the right service at the right time, has been recognised by winning a prestigious IITT Award,” said Alan Samuel, head of TIS in the UK.
Now in their 12th year, the Awards are firmly established as the benchmark for excellence throughout the IT training industry. They recognise and celebrate outstanding examples of high standards, best practice, innovation and excellence across the IT Training industry.
All completed entries were assessed by an independent panel of judges, followed by a 30-minute presentation to a separate judging panel for each award. These presentations took place during November/December last year.
End