Modeling Human Dynamics and Breakdowns — Intelligent Agents for Internet Games and Recruitment

In the last two chapters we have looked into the application of four components of the HCVM. In this chapter we wish to demonstrate two other facets of the human-centered virtual machine, which have not been specifically looked at until now. These are the role of computer-based intermediaries (for back up support in problem solving), distributed communication in human-centered multi-agent systems and using computer-based artifacts to model breakdowns in human decision making. The role of intermediaries and distributed communication is illustrated by way of an intelligent distributed multi-agent multimedia euchre application on the net. In addition, aspects of a sales recruitment and benchmarking application are described to illustrate how computer-based artifact is used to overcome breakdowns in the sales, customer service and telesales recruitment decision making. In fact the modeling of the breakdowns is the prime motivator for the sales managers and sales personnel to use the computerized system for management of recruitment and benchmarking. The sales recruitment system described in this chapter (and developed by the first author) has been used in the industry for approximately the past three years.