Time:
- Prepare: 10-15 min
- Implementation: 15-25 min
Type(s) of Essential(s):
Design
Critical Review
Prerequisite:
- None
Overview
Educators present an overview of the transformational design process to learners.
Essentials in the Activity
Learners become familiar with the steps developers use to design games and examples of games developed using the Transformational Design Framework. Specifically, they learn five different ways games can change a player - skill, behavior, knowledge, emotions, and physiology-and activities within a game that can cause these changes. Introducing this framework exposes learners to design vocabulary and concepts, the connection between designer goals, audience, and game development, and the iterative process of design. They are also exposed to a framework that will be foundational to producing their game pitch and prototype.
Goals and Outcomes
Goal: Learners become more knowledgeable about the process the developers at the Innovative Media Research and Extension apply in their work.
Outcomes: Learners acquire information about the game design process, which learners will use as a foundation for critically reviewing serious games and informing their game pitch.
Materials
Video explaining the Transformational Design Framework available on YouTube: Creating Games that Matter - Transformational Design Framework
Preparation
Review video prior to sharing it with learners
Implementation and Completion
Use the video to present information about the Transformational Design Framework. The video covers the three steps of the design process:
- What change do I want to see in the learner?
- What activities lead to that change?
- How can our game facilitate those activities?