GSDgame: A Serious Game for the Acquisition of the Competencies Needed in GSD

Abstract

The phenomenon of globalization has, in recent years, forced companies to change their business model. Software development companies are no exception, and have attempted to join the global market so as to be able to hire labor in other countries in an attempt to reduce costs, increase productivity and gain competitive advantages. This is known as Global Software Development (GSD). Those companies that wish to carry out this practice require developers who possess the knowledge and skills required to solve problems that arise as a result of geographical, temporal and cultural distance. Traditional methods for teaching students or employees how to work in GSD environments are usually expensive, and require much effort. Serious games could, therefore, play a key role in this process, as they are educational games that allow the acquisition of knowledge and skills at a low cost. This paper presents a serious game called "GSDgame" with which some of the competencies needed in GSD can be acquired. The game simulates scenarios that usually occur in the overall development of a software project, thus enabling the user to become aware of the problems concerning GSD and gain some experience in solving these problems. Finally, we present the validation and testing developed by experts in serious games by means of an SG-based quality model.