A MOO-Based Virtual Training Environment

We have implemented a virtual environment to support the training of engineers in Panels of Experts (POE), a vehicle for gathering customer data. The environment, which is implemented using multi-user domain (MUD) technology, simulates a hotel conference facility, the context in which POEs generally take place. Within the environment, simulated customer data gathering activities support training through practice. We describe the environment, discuss some issues of communication and interaction raised by the technology, and relay the experiences of new users within this environment.