Rapid Games Designing; Constructing a Dynamic Metaphor to Explore Complex Systems and Abstract Concepts

Abstract

Initiated by a research project examining agricultural and water resilience in South Africa and tested in workshops on a range of topics, we reflect on our application of a half-to-one day “games designing” format for constructing dynamic metaphors for complex systems and related concepts (e.g., the resilience or sustainability of a catchment/agricultural marketing system). While this short format gives rich and detailed games that potentially could be played in an extended version of the workshop, we did not go ahead with this step. Instead, we devoted the limited time available to supporting participants in designing, comparing and discussing their games and to exploring the concepts and meanings of a given complex system, even if the latter was initially deemed by participants to be abstract and “academic”. Our abridged term for short-format games designing is “rapid games designing” (RGD). Key benefits to participating individuals, the whole group and workshop organizers include (a) the highly productive and creative use of limited time; (b) an inclusive group exercise that draws everyone into the process; (c) rich discussion of pluralist viewpoints through the comparison of the remarkable variety of games generated, including their differences in purpose, players and rules; and (d) observations on how the games construct a dynamic metaphor for the system and its properties, leading to deeper insights and knowledge building regarding system concepts and components. Here, we use two case studies in South Africa to explore what value RGD provides and how it does so, and then we briefly compare it to other similar methods. We also provide practical guidance for facilitating RGD workshops. In conclusion, we argue this format offers an option for the ongoing evolution of games about complex human, natural and socio-ecological systems and that it generates considerable creativity, learning, discussion and insights amongst all participants.

Serious Game Rapid Online Co-design to Facilitate Change Within Education

“…Acute time pressure provided a way to kick-start the complex process of serious game design, forcing swift collaborative decisions to produce a 'good enough' prototype. (The rapid games design approach for complex systems in the context of sustainability is discussed in [11].) Most of the games were further developed and/or tweaked after the workshop (varying between 1 -4 hours) to improve their gameplay and content.…”

“…Unfortunately, relatively little precise guidance exists to support the all-important linking of pedagogical foundations with game design in co-design methods, which risks ineffective serious games [10] and educators becoming overwhelmed by complexity [6]. Previous research by the authors explicitly addresses these challenges by marrying workflows suitable for game design novices [8,11] with rigorous matching of learning and game mechanics [12]. However, in the context of COVID19 lockdowns, a need emerged for online co-design (OCD) activities.…”

Metaphorical Description and Model Description of Complex Systems

“…e process of embodied embedding refers to the process of embedding the "virtual body" or "virtual me" into the mental space, assimilating oneself into a person, creature or even inorganic object in the space, setting up a specific perspective, perceiving the environment in the space, and thus acquiring a large and Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience complex meaning of feelings, emotions, logic, values, and knowledge related to the "world" presented in the mental space. e basis of this process is embodied embedded cognition [18][19][20]. Embodied embedded cognition integrates the emphasis of embodied cognition on the role of the body with the emphasis of embedded cognition on the subject's use of the environment to accomplish part of a complex cognitive task.…”

Examining the Use of Serious Games for Enhancing Community Resilience to Climate Risks in Thailand

“…In recent years, serious games have been utilized in areas relating to sustainable development [29][30][31] There are therefore multiple analyses on the subject that have influenced the development of the 'Kin dee You dee' toolkit. Ouriachi et al [32] explore different serious games in the field of sustainability and summarize their objectives as "(a) making players aware of the challenges associated with sustainability, (b) providing knowledge and understanding with the issue of sustainability, and (c) encouraging players to take actions and develop solutions that are environmental and socioeconomic balanced".…”