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The militaries of quite a few countries use computer games and simulations to equally teach and coach soldiers and officers in tasks and thought processes related to their missions and specializations.

This method is moving (slowly) into the corporate world as well, and one of the places where it's making the greatest inroads is in the realm of decision-making training.

From the viewpoint of teaching fresh managers in your own organization, computer games and board games can be used to huge effect, though, there are some dangers. First, make sure that you're conscious of what objective you're aiming for - education or training? Educational games focus on one nested set of decisions and tend to remain fairly abstract.

A good didactic game - focused on project management training for instance - should permit the players to explore the decision space reflected by that kind of game.

A training simulation is intended to measure how well a student is absorbing and re-enacting doctrines and training techniques.

While a first person shooting game, like Doom or Counter Strike is no replacement for rifle training for a soldier, it's an excellent tool to see if soldiers have learned about movement, communications, and coordinated actions in an aggressive environment, as the same things that will keep you breathing in the field will keep you breathing in the game - moving from cover to concealment, mobilized over watch, and comparable concepts.

Schooling isn't just regurgitation of principles and training, it's acquainting of the decision creation processes.

For leaders (and officers in the armed forces) there needs to be stress on teaching as well as coaching.

A good executive should be familiar with the decision creation process of the layer of management that informs to him, and for two levels higher than him.

The same applies to a executive in most businesses.

In addition, an executive (or manager) should to be able to assess challenges to his course of actions, be aware of assets accessible to him, and with initiative, be able to use those assets without compromising the tactics of those above him.

When taking instructions from computer games, focus on the decision creation loops, and focus on concepts.

While trying to turn computer games into planned education for your workers, remember that games are intended to be fun.

Games that aren't fun tend to get negative criticism from the players, and the teaching imparted by them don't stick.

Center on how the core concepts of the game will assist your new executives work in your business, but let them enjoy in what they're doing - people learn more, and take in the instructions better, when they're having enjoyment.

So, the first time you're trapped playing a computer game in the workplace, maybe you can defend it as certified development.

Read more on How computer games can help you develop your project management skills