Retail · Virtual training and simulation

Gap Inc. active threat training simulation

A browser-based, first-person active threat simulation Gap Inc. can roll out across stores, offices, and distribution centers, with no headset required.

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Gap Inc. active threat training simulation

Project snapshot

Client
Gap Inc.
Industry
Retail
Services
Virtual training and simulation, serious game development, 3D content
Platforms
Desktop and mobile browsers (WebGL)
Technology
Unity, WebGL, C#, 3ds Max, Adobe Photoshop
Methodology
Run, Hide, Fight
Team
5 to 6 specialists, including a project manager and an analyst
Year delivered
2024
Engagement
Full-cycle development

Overview

Gap Inc. needed one realistic, scalable way to prepare a large and varied workforce for emergency threats. Program-Ace built a first-person, browser-based simulation based on the Run, Hide, Fight method, tailored to three facility types, with outcome-based scoring and LMS analytics, deployable on desktop and mobile without headsets.

The challenge

Gap Inc. operates retail stores, offices, and distribution centers, each with different layouts, roles, and levels of familiarity with emergency procedures. The company wanted a standardized, scalable training format that would work across all of them, and a simulation realistic enough to build genuine readiness without relying on fear.

It also had to reach a diverse workforce on different schedules, which ruled out approaches that depend on specialized hardware or fixed classroom time.

The solution

Program-Ace built a first-person active threat simulation that runs in a web browser, so any employee can train from a desktop or a phone.

Environment-specific scenarios for retail stores, offices, and distribution centers.
The Run, Hide, Fight methodology, with interactive decision points such as locking doors and finding cover.
Threat-agnostic design that covers robbery, fire, accidents, and external hazards, not a single scenario.
Outcome-based scoring with built-in timing, so urgency and decisions shape the result.
LMS integration for analytics and reporting across the workforce.
Technology and approach

How we built it

The team built the simulation in Unity and shipped it to the browser with WebGL, which removed the need for app installs or headsets and made it deployable at scale. Environments and assets were modeled in 3ds Max and Adobe Photoshop, and the interaction and scoring logic was written in C#.

A team of five to six specialists, including a project manager and an analyst, delivered the project, working closely with Gap Inc. to get the scenarios and tone right in a subject area that was new to them.
Unity
Unity
WebGL
WebGL
C#
C#
3ds Max
3ds Max
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop

Results and value delivered

The simulation gave Gap Inc. one consistent, measurable way to train its entire workforce for emergencies.

One standardized format across stores, offices, and distribution centers.
No hardware barrier, since it runs in any modern browser on desktop and mobile.
Threat-agnostic scenarios, so a single tool covers many emergency types.
Objective scoring and LMS analytics, so readiness can be tracked, not assumed.
Realistic practice that builds preparedness without relying on fear.
Why it works

Why immersive training works

Up to 4x
Faster to train than in the classroom
275%
More confident to act on what they learned
Up to 4x
More focused than e-learners

Source: PwC immersive training study, 2020. Industry benchmark.

In the client's words
“Program-Ace's capabilities across a broad range of development and design tools and cost-effective solutions for complex issues are impressive. The team took the time to understand our goals in a space that was unknown to them previously.”
Joseph Baroh
Joseph Baroh
Sr Manager of Comms, Programs, and Platforms
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Services and expertise used

Virtual training and simulation

Immersive, scenario-based training built on real-time 3D for measurable readiness.

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Serious game development

Game mechanics and scoring applied to training, onboarding, and behavior change.

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Retail industry

Software and immersive solutions for retail operations, training, and customer experience.

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Free whitepaper

Immersive training in enterprises

A practical guide to planning, building, and measuring virtual training simulation programs, with frameworks, ROI benchmarks, and rollout checklists you can apply to your own workforce.

White paper
The role and future of immersive training in enterprises
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