primer on play: case study for knowledge guru

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A Primer on PlayHow to use games for learning

brought to you by Bottom-Line Performance, Inc.

Featuring the Knowledge Guru™ Game engine

Your Game Masters…aka presenters

Sharon BollerPresidentLead designer, Knowledge Guru™ game engine.

Steve BollerMarketing Strategist

Developer, MobileConnect Guru game

Using Your Controls

You’ll be able to see YOUR responses/questions….but not anyone else’s. They won’t see yours either.

What do we even MEAN by game?

An activity that has an explicit goal or challenge, rules that guide achievement of the goal, interactivity with either other players or the game environment (or both), and feedback mechanisms that give clear cues as to how well or poorly you are performing. It results in a quantifiable outcome (you win/you lose, you hit the target, etc). Usually generates an emotional reaction in players.

• My organization currently uses game-based learning (GBL).

• My organization wants to implement game-based learning.

• I want to learn more about designing them.• My organization doesn’t understand the value of

game-based learning.• In my organization, games = frivolous.

A Poll – What’s True for You?

When I say game-based learning, you think…?

• Video game or computer-based, desktop or laptop game.

• Board game• Team-building or experiential game• Mobile game for tablet or phone.• Simulation

Here’s some examples we’ve produced

A Paycheck Away: A tabletop game about homelessness


The Grower Game: A digital game about growing rice


Destroy the BBP: Avoiding blood-borne pathogens

Today’s agendaWhy games

work

Getting started designing

learning games

An example of GBL: Kguru & ExactTarget

• Hermann Ebbinghaus (1885) – exponential nature of forgetting. • Ability to retain information declines over time. In “schoolbook” or training

settings, most students only remember about 10% after 3-6 days, meaning 90% gets lost WITHOUT REINFORCEMENT or OTHER MEANS. Red = no reinforcement.

The Forgetting Curve

Why games?

Play Game

“I learned SO much by playing this game. It was

tons of fun. I learned more by playing this game than any webinar,

meeting, or document I’ve encountered.”

“Mind-blowing”

“Can you create

more stuff like this?”

Why do games work?1

32

The short answer?

Why do games work?1

32

Because they are FUN.

But what’s FUN?

• Winning• Achieving goals• Triumphing• Collaborating • Exploring and building• Collecting• Problem-solving or strategizing• Role playing or imagining • Surprise – surprising others and

being surprised ourselves.

What’s Required to Learn?

MotivationRelevant Practice

Specific, timely feedback

Ability to retrieve later

Risk of Forgetting Curve!!!

Examples: Feedback Loops

“The premise of a feedback loop is simple: Provide people with information about their actions in real time, then give them a chance to change those actions, pushing them toward better behaviors.”

Wired Magazine, June 19, 2011

www.bottomlineperformance.com

Linking Games to LearningLearning Element Game Elements that Match

Motivation Game goals or challenges, conflict, time, cooperation, reward structures (feedback, points, achievements), - all help equate to the “fun” in games.

Relevant practice Game goal or challenges, rules within game, reward structures, game loops

Feedback Pretty much a 1:1 here – reward structures in game supply feedback. “Game loop” also supplies feedback

Retrieval later Lots of ways games help with retrieval: Context, story, desire for repeat play, emotion attached to game play.

Today’s agenda

Why games work

An example of GBL: Kguru & ExactTarget Getting started

designing learning games

ExactTarget (NYSE: ET)

They have: 1,500 employees worldwide 250,000 users worldwide 500 + partners worldwide

Why ExactTarget wanted our Guru game

1. Multiple Product Lines and Multiple Product Launches• 9 distinct product lines within organization• Product line releases each month

2. Employees, clients, and partners had training overload; ET needed to find a way to “mix it up.”

3. MobileConnect was one of the largest product launches ever. Critical to educate folks.

4. ET’s Scott Thomas had played Guru; liked it. Wanted to try it.

What is the Knowledge Guru?

A solution to a problem we’ve seen a lot with our clients.

We wanted…For people to be able to PLAY.

For them to LEARN while they played.

For clients to TRACK what people were learning (or not learning).

And for players to REMEMBER, long after they played.

Play Game

https://www.theknowledgeguru.com/mobileconnect


We wanted…For people to be able to PLAY.

For them to LEARN while they played.

For clients to TRACK what people were learning (or not learning).

And for players to REMEMBER, long after they played.

And…we wanted people to be able to play across multiple

devices: desktop, iPad, or Android tablet via web app or

native app.

We wanted a solution that could work independently of an

LMS…or be Tin Can compliant so it COULD work with an

LMS

Play Game



How Guru does MeasurementAdmin tool lets you verify what people do – and don’t get

Positioning the game

2.

Marketed the heck out of it.

1. Reinforcement tactic rather than primary learning method.

Positioning the game (cont.)

3. Required in some functional units.

4. Provided managers with idea kits.

5.Drew attention to leaderboards on a regular basis.

What Did Folks Say…

The game was great! It was a fun way to learn about

MobileConnect. I enjoyed the scenario-type questions,

which put it all in perspective.





I’m a pretty competitive person, so challenging myself to get

one of the top scores added a layer of fun to learning about the MobileConnect product.





I’m a pretty competitive person, so challenging myself to get

one of the top scores added a layer of fun to learning about the MobileConnect product.

The repetition of the different paths helped me

retain the information.

Business Results…

Annika, Age 8

Today’s agenda

Why games work

An example of GBL: Kguru & ExactTarget Getting started

designing learning games

Sounds GREAT but how do I get started?

Play games; evaluate what you

are playing

Get familiar w/ game elements & how to use them.

Think about the learning – and then the game.

Dump ADDIE. Go agile instead.

Playtest.Playtest.Did I say playtest?

Play games; evaluate what you are playing

Get familiar with game elements & how to use them

Goal Story Aesthetics Resources

Time* Conflict Competition Cooperation

Dynamics Levels Boundaries Outcome

Rules & Procedures

Reward Structures

Define learning need, then game concepts

Define learning need, then game concepts

What problem are you trying to solve? Is it a learning problem…or caused by something else? What does learner need to know/do to achieve game outcome? What is current skill level of players? What are the logistics re: when/how game will be played? What are technical requirements/constraints?

You start by asking the same questions you would ask for other learning solutions:

Dump ADDIE; go agile instead (iterative)Playtest. Playtest. Did I say playtest?

Splash/title screen

Phil screen – game

orientation

Territory or orientation

?

Overview of formulations

Formulations game (territory map) with 5 customer sites

available. (4 sites grayed out on first entrance).

Once a customer is selected from territory map….

Easy to hard, challenge, or back to main

map?

Question 1: multiple choice

Question 1 feedback



Question 2 feedback

Question 3 feedback

Challenge scenario

Ask customer questions

Talk to Phil Review past issue Respond

Within challenge scenario, learner can return to main “challenge” screen from any of the four “options” screens listed here. They will increase their customer satisfaction and sales scores the more things they check out. When they respond incorrectly, they will detract from their customer sat and sales and increase customer complaints. A correct response will increase customer sat and sales and decrease customer complaints. They cannot leave challenge until they’ve responded to customer.

Learners can choose from two paths: easy to hard or straight to the challenge. In “easy to hard” path, learners receive 3 multiple-choice questions. Correct responses will improve customer sat and sales and decrease complaints. Incorrect responses will have the opposite effect. After completing “easy,” learners can return to main map or go onto the challenge scenario.

At start of course, learner sees “splash” screen with course title and then is greeted by Phil, the learning agent. Phil orients learner to purpose of game and then offers choice: get overview of formulations or go straight to territory and game play. Doing orientation FIRST will improve sat and sales ratings and decrease complaints. From orientation, learner can also travel to territory.

Raul’s Easy Questions

You answered all easy questions – return to Customer home

Customer home

Insert challenge description here.

Raul: Can I store this?

Raul has questions related to storage. Your potential sales with Raul are 180,000 gilders.

You can start with easy questions or try the challenge right away.

Answer easy questions

Ask Raul questions

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Customer home

Customer home

Talk to Phil

Customer home

Review Raul’s past issue

Past issue described here.

Respond to Raul:

Rough/Dirty mockups of game flow.

65

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but something BAD is about to happen.

66

Game Opening. Would dissolve into opportunity to select expert cohort.

Before calamity strikes, please select from among these highly qualified experts to assist you.

67

Dr. Steve Music

68

Newscast video

Once expert cohort selected, player is taken to screen with video player. Video auto launches. AT conclusion of video, you’re “taken” directly to bunker (next

slide)

Expert’s bunker: start here. Click Map to see all Recruitment Center locations. Bunker will be on map. Player returns to bunker between levels

to exchange resources

69

Expert’s directions communicated via talk bubbles.

Resource Shelf

Brief Case

Game map

Available powerupsX X X

No.

of e

xper

ts

Your tally

Martians’ tally

Game Map

70Brief Case

Game map

Available power-upsX X X

No.

of e

xper

ts

Your tally

Martians’ tally

Recruitment Center 1





Dr. Music’s bunker

Level Map

71Brief Case

Game map


No.

of e

xper

ts

Your tally

Martians’ tally


Alien’s directions/explanatory info communicated via talk bubbles.

Icon/Thumbnail for mini-game




Mini Game

72Brief Case

Game map


No.

of e

xper

ts

Your tally

Martians’ tally

Back to Recruitment Center

“Mini-game – earn 1, 2, or 3 stars based on performance.

Expert cohort

Great way to get us all killed! Check XYZ in your briefcase try again if you want anyone to survive.

Want More? Tell us via poll• I want more info on workshops or tools that can help

me learn how to learn to design learning games.• I want more info on using Knowledge Guru to create

games.• I want info on online resources that can help me

learn more about game-based learning and serious games.

• I’m good with what I got – nothing further for me.

Want more?

Want more?

August 28, 2013 – Indianapolis, IN

Play games; evaluate learning /fun factors?

Link games to learning; identify appropriate reward structures and best games types for various situations

Master the lingo; create your own learning game.

Playtest your paper prototype; revise.

What else can I do?

I can’t go to those workshops. How else can I get help?• Call us or email us; we can do a learning game design

work shop for your specific project: – (317) 861-5935; we can help you get started!– [email protected]

• Stay on our email list; we send stuff out monthly:

mailto:[email protected]

Quiz Time! So Let’s see if you can talk about the value of games and why Knowledge Guru works.

Q1) What 4 things are required for people to

Learn?

MotivationRelevant Practice

Specific, timely feedback

Ability to retrieve later

Q2) What game elements link to the

learning elements?

Learning Element Game Elements that Match

Motivation Game goals or challenges, conflict, time, cooperation, reward structures (feedback, points, achievements), - all help equate to the “fun” in games.

Relevant practice Game goal or challenges, rules within game, reward structures, game loops

Feedback Pretty much a 1:1 here – reward structures in game supply feedback. “Game loop” also supplies feedback

Retrieval later Lots of ways games help with retrieval: Context, story, desire for repeat play, emotion attached to game play.

Q3) What % of information do people forget after 3 days w/out repetition?

90%

Q4) I mentioned 5 steps for getting started in game design. How many can you list?

Play games; evaluate what you

are playing

Get familiar w/ game elements & how to use them.

Think about the learning – and then the game.

Dump ADDIE. Go agile instead.

Playtest.Playtest.Did I say playtest?

Final Questions for me?

?????

primer on play: case study for knowledge guru

Business

grower game

digital game

experiential game mobile

value of game

game environment

tabletop game

laptop game

video game