Getting to know the ghost in the machine : avatars as a new dimension for simulation and training

Mentoring activities are considered extremely valuable constituents of the holistic learning experience in operational environments. In Australasia, constraining factors such as high staff turnover and increased pressure on training budgets has diminished the quality and opportunity for this process to occur. This short paper provides a basis for exploring the potential of avatars to facilitate mentoring in simulator-based learning, and for the process of coaching more generally. The example of current training practice in the Australian rail industry is given to examine how avatars could be adopted as a legitimate solution, both to address future skill shortages but also as a way of extending their potential based on current practices. The paper argues for the viability of avatars, and provides an account of the possible obstacles in the way of designing and implementing them. These include issues on various topics and considerations including interface design, human dimensions, knowledge elicitation, software engineering, and end-user psychology. The paper also applies a basic model of the mentoring dynamic to determine the characteristics that would shape the design of an avatar, and to that end, provides a conceptual framework outlining futures avenues of interdisciplinary practice for the simulation and training community.