Setting Up and Conducting the Co-design of an Intergenerational Digital Game: A State-of-the-Art Literature Review

Abstract

In our ageing society, health and social problems of older people are on the rise. A possible way to deal with these issues is to ensure older people remain actively engaged in society by stimulating social interaction with other generations, such as (grand) children. Playing intergenerational digital games could be a way to achieve this kind of social interaction. The present state-ofthe-art literature review aims to provide insight into the factors to take into consideration for setting up and conducting the co-design (involving younger and older adults interacting both with one another and with game designers) for an intergenerational digital game. Finally, this paper offers recommendations for the co-design of such games.

A Case Study on Co-designing Digital Games with Older Adults and Children: Game Elements, Assets, and Challenges

“…The proportion of older adults worldwide is growing (United Nations 2017). Although digital games have become a popular pastime activity among older adults (Interactive Software Federation of Europe 2018), there is a limited number of studies on older adults and children as intergenerational digital game co-designers (de la Hera et al 2017;Loos et al 2019).…”

“…The authors started by observing older adults in their everyday lives in order to identify what positive experiences they encounter; the game design process was then based on these experiences. Loos et al (2019) present a literature review of eight studies focusing on co-designing intergenerational digital games and give seven recommendations to facilitate the co-design of such games. Romero and Ouellet (2016) state that game co-design is a powerful learning activity that could benefit the learning processes of users from childhood to older age.…”

“…They do not hesitate to be truthful A comment in the middle of the design process criticizes a prototype of the game: "I wouldn't be interested in playing for a long time if this [game] is like this." (female, aged 57) Ijsselsteijn et al 2007;Loos et al 2019;Marston 2013a;Romero and Ouellet 2016;Vanden Abeele and Van Rompaey 2006;Veloso and Costa 2015;Weisman 1983), greater ressearch is needed. The next step is to understand and appreciate older adults' assets as designers of digital games of their own choosing.…”

4. Looking Beyond Persuasion Through Rule-Based Representations in Digital Games: Designing Games to Shape, Reinforce, or Change Attitudes

“…We know that persuasive games can be applied to a great variety of persuasive goals that can be aimed at multiple target groups and can be played in different contexts and situations (Jacobs, Jansz, & De la Hera, 2017). For example, we can talk about games that aim to change eating habits (Orji, Mandryk, Vassileva, & Gerling, 2013); influence children's attitudes toward sports (Staiano & Calvert, 2011); foster empathy toward refugees (Kors, Ferri, van der Spek, Ketel, & Schouten, 2016;Raessens, 2010); change players' views in relation to climate change (Raessens, 2018(Raessens, , 2019a; or foster multicultural or intergenerational interactions (Alencar & De la Hera, 2018;De la Hera, Loos, Simons, & Bloom, 2017;Loos, De la Hera, Simons, & Gevers, 2019). We can also talk about mobile games (Winter et al, 2011), online games (Wen, Kow, & Chen, 2011), virtual reality games (Raessens, 2019b;Reid, 2002), and pervasive games (Walz & Ballagas, 2007).…”

Using Academic Work Places to Involve Older People in the Design of Digital Applications. Presentation of a Methodological Framework to Advance Co-design in Later Life

“…Including older people and their experiences of their daily life have contributed both to innovations and to an increased knowledge of the older people's preferences and the conditions of ageing in digitised societies. These examples encompass designing buildings [45], bikes [46], telerobots [54], furniture [48], digital communications [49], digital games [50,51,57,58], as well as methodological developments [39] and using daily experiences [50,59].…”