Developing a serious game to evaluate and train group decision making skills

Conor Linehan; Shaun Lawson; Mark Doughty; Ben Kirman

Developing a serious game to evaluate and train group decision making skills

Conor Linehan, Shaun Lawson, Mark Doughty, Ben Kirman

Theatre, Film, TV and Interactive Media

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

The current paper describes the building of a serious game designed to teach group decision making skills to a unique audience; people who co-ordinate responses to real-world emergencies such as floods, fires, volcanoes and chemical spills. Eighteen participants were recruited and videotaped while playing a paper prototype of the game. Players? actions within the game were analysed in terms of whether the challenges that are present in real world decision-making environments are also present in the game-world decision making environment. It appears that the defining characteristics of group decision making behaviour, especially the mistakes, are evident in groups that play our game. In addition, the round-based game structure allows a tutor the opportunity to deliver in-depth qualitative feedback without interrupting game play. Thus, the game design should prove to be a valid environment in which to train, practice and evaluate the decision making behaviour of groups and function as a valuable and engaging part of a group decision making skills training course.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of ACM Academic MindTrek Conference
Pages	106-113
Number of pages	8
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2009

Keywords

ARRAY(0x7f06618ec650)

Access to Document

http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/2209/

Cite this

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title = "Developing a serious game to evaluate and train group decision making skills",

abstract = "The current paper describes the building of a serious game designed to teach group decision making skills to a unique audience; people who co-ordinate responses to real-world emergencies such as floods, fires, volcanoes and chemical spills. Eighteen participants were recruited and videotaped while playing a paper prototype of the game. Players? actions within the game were analysed in terms of whether the challenges that are present in real world decision-making environments are also present in the game-world decision making environment. It appears that the defining characteristics of group decision making behaviour, especially the mistakes, are evident in groups that play our game. In addition, the round-based game structure allows a tutor the opportunity to deliver in-depth qualitative feedback without interrupting game play. Thus, the game design should prove to be a valid environment in which to train, practice and evaluate the decision making behaviour of groups and function as a valuable and engaging part of a group decision making skills training course.",

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