Patent ID: 7089172

Claim:
A method for simulating a hypothetical computer environment using a simulated computer environment and evaluating user performance within the simulated computer environment, the method comprising: reading base data which defines the simulated computer environment, the simulated computer environment comprising a simulated component that emulates an actual component and initial condition data which defines a modification of a characteristic of the simulated component; representing the simulated computer environment by executing a simulator which simulates an actual software module of the hypothetical computer environment, the simulator managing the simulated component and modifying a characteristic of the simulated component with the modification defined in the initial condition data; presenting a simulation to the user using the simulator, the simulation comprising a scenario having a set of required tasks for the user to complete in the simulated computer environment; recording a set of tasks completed by the user interfacing with the simulator; and evaluating the set of completed tasks to determine the user's performance within the simulation.