Integrating interactive media skills
15 February 2012
Innovation
National
The Australian Games industry is facing significant pressures to remain relevant, both locally and overseas. In recent years, international publishers have scaled back on the release of big budget gaming titles to Australian development companies, seeing the closure of many major local development houses.
As a result, interactive media professionals with high-end skills have an opportunity to apply their knowledge to ‘non-games’ industry sectors. These skills will be in great demand with the roll out of the National Broadband Network.
ISIS is a 2-year workforce innovation project is focused on modelling the interplay of interactive media expertise in ‘non-games’ industry sectors.
As part of the ISIS Workforce Sustainability Program, a series of ‘Pilot Integrations’ will be undertaken through which teams of interactive media experts will be ‘integrated’ into organisations within non-games industry sectors to explore opportunities for increased commercial competitiveness through innovation creation and implementation.
This is happening in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.
The following companies are involved in the ISIS Pilot Integrations:
VIC: Australian Turntable Company
The Australian Turntable Company (ATC) designs, builds and installs various rotational movement systems, exporting to Iran, UAE, France and more.
The ATC designs custom solutions to suit their clients needs, using the latest in 3D-modelling interfacing, robotics and laser cutting technologies. As a result, the company is experiencing an increasing demand for truck and freight traffic management solutions.
In collaboration with Media Saints, a Melbourne-based cross platform production company, ATC through ISIS are now developing an online and interactive toolkit to assist the expansion of its international franchising operations.
RMIT students are being offered internships to work closely with both companies in establishing a proof of concept/prototype for commercial development. They will identify how the skills being taught in interactive media and games design studies can be applied to 'non-games' industry sectors.
NSW: QuickSmart in the Home
Neuroscientists at the University of New England's SiMERR (the National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia) have developed a numeracy and literacy development program specifically targeting disengaged youth in rural and regional areas.
The results through the program so far have been impressive and the program is increasingly extending its reach in schools across Australia. Currently there are 650 schools using the QuickSmart program availing it to over 10,000 students.
At this stage the program is largely card-based and delivered to students by trained staff in school. The opportunity to deliver the program online is an obvious next step and focus is shifting to the adult community.
Through the ISIS Program, SiMERR will partner with two interactive media teams with high-end skills in online teaching technologies and game development expertise (Toggle Media and Ark Games) to expand the capacity of their product for usage with a national and international audience.
Students at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) have now been selected to work closely with the teams from Toggle Media and Ark Games to obtain insights into the how to apply the skills and knowledge to the education sector.
QLD: GBI - Data Visualisation
Ground Breaking Innovations (GBI) has a revolutionary process for data and analytics of productivity in the mining sector. Currently, GBI brings together deep level analysis of various aspects of a mine's productivity and presents these findings back to the mine stakeholders and recommends revised processes for increased productivity.
GBI are looking to improve their data analytics services and products as they know currently they can be challenging for their clients to translate into production saving actions. This then leads to GBI also having to incur significant travel costs to present and explain data in person at mines across the country.
ISIS has partnered with GBI and introduced the services of a specialist data visualisation company in Brisbane, Zone 4. Through the Pilot Integration they will explore opportunities for online delivery of high-end graphical information, thereby making GBI's analytics easier to explain through world-class visual representations of their data and reducing the need for staff to travel.
QUT students are now being selected to work with the team from Zone4 and obtain insights into operational procedures for interactive media companies, applying this to the mining sector.
The program also includes elements of research, tool-development, student placements and mentoring.
Program Partners: ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation; the University of Technology, Sydney, Creative Industries Innovation Centre; QUT Creative Enterprise Australia.
Program Funders: Victoria Government’s Department of Business and Innovation; Australian Government’s Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and tertiary Education
The Interactive Skills Integration Scheme (ISIS) is one of four CIIC pilot programs which aim to identify new business models, opportunities, networks and markets.