Short answer

To design effective educational tools for complex issues like sustainability, actively involve and synthesize the diverse knowledge and values of the target community, moving beyond purely expert-driven approaches.

Field: User-Centred Design
Source: DigitalCommons@UTEP (The University of Texas at El Paso) (2015)
Method: Case Study
Sample: 6 participants
Evidence: Moderate effect

Incorporating diverse community knowledge and values into game development can create more meaningful and realistic educational tools for sustainability. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2015 study published in DigitalCommons@UTEP (The University of Texas at El Paso). Using Case study with 6 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: To design effective educational tools for complex issues like sustainability, actively involve and synthesize the diverse knowledge and values of the target community, moving beyond purely expert-driven approaches.

Study

User-Centred DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Community Knowledge Shapes Sustainable Game Design

Incorporating diverse community knowledge and values into game development can create more meaningful and realistic educational tools for sustainability.

DigitalCommons@UTEP (The University of Texas at El Paso) · 2015

Key Findings

01Community members brought personal dimensions to professional collaborations, enriching perspectives.
02The concept of the 'largest water user' was perceived as a dynamic, context-dependent idea.
03Community members' views on student engagement with the Rio Grande differed, with a majority believing students could develop a deeper connection.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing educational games or tools related to local environmental or social issues, conduct in-depth interviews and workshops with a diverse range of community members to gather their unique insights and incorporate them into the design.

Project actions

01When researching a design problem, consider interviewing people from different backgrounds related to the issue, not just those with formal expertise.
02Think about how personal experiences and cultural values might influence how users understand and interact with a product.

Method & Evidence

AimHow can the values, beliefs, meanings, and knowledge of community members from diverse backgrounds be integrated into the design of an educational video game to accurately represent local sustainability issues?

MethodCase Study

ProcedureThe study involved interviewing six community members with expertise in various fields (agriculture, urban systems, groundwater, desert ecology, traditional ecological knowledge) to understand their perspectives on local sustainability issues. This information was then used to inform the development of a role-playing adventure game.

Sample6 participants

ContextEnvironmental sustainability education through video games, El Paso-Rio Grande area.

Variables

IVCommunity member participation and integration of their knowledge

DVMeaning and knowledge constructed for the game, perceived realism and effectiveness of the educational game

CVFocus on sustainability issues in the El Paso-Rio Grande area, type of game (role-playing adventure)

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Emphasizes the value of qualitative data from real-world stakeholders.
+Provides a practical example of how to integrate diverse knowledge into design.

Limitations

The specific sustainability issues and community dynamics in El Paso might be unique, making direct application elsewhere challenging without further research.

Reliability & validity

The validity of the findings relies on the depth of the case study and the richness of the qualitative data. Reliability might be a concern due to the small sample size and the subjective nature of interpreting 'meaning and knowledge'.

Think critically

How might a designer balance the need for scientific accuracy with the subjective, culturally-informed knowledge of a community when designing educational materials?

Design Principles

"Co-design with community stakeholders to ensure authentic representation of complex issues."

This research highlights the importance of moving beyond purely scientific perspectives in design. By integrating the lived experiences and cultural contexts of a community, designers can develop products that resonate more deeply with users and better reflect the complexities of real-world issues.

What This Means for Your Design

To make games about environmental problems more helpful, designers should talk to people who live in the area and understand their local knowledge and feelings, not just scientists.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify the importance of user research beyond basic usability testing, especially when designing for social or environmental impact.
2.Cite this study when discussing the value of incorporating local knowledge and diverse stakeholder perspectives into the design process.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research underscores the critical role of user-centered design in developing impactful educational tools. By integrating the nuanced values, beliefs, and knowledge of diverse community members, as exemplified by the Sol y Agua project, designers can move beyond simplistic representations and create products that genuinely reflect real-world complexities and foster deeper user engagement with critical issues like sustainability.

Source

DigitalCommons@UTEP (The University of Texas at El Paso)

Constructing negotiated meaning and knowledge for the Sol y Agua Project's role-playing adventure game focused on sustainability problems in the El Paso-Rio Grande area

journal · 2015

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about community knowledge shapes sustainable game design?: To design effective educational tools for complex issues like sustainability, actively involve and synthesize the diverse knowledge and values of the target community, moving beyond purely expert-driven approaches. Evidence: DigitalCommons@UTEP (The University of Texas at El Paso) (2015).
Why does "Community Knowledge Shapes Sustainable Game Design" matter for design?: This research highlights the importance of moving beyond purely scientific perspectives in design. By integrating the lived experiences and cultural contexts of a community, designers can develop products that resonate more deeply with users and better reflect the complexities of real-world issues.
How can designers apply this research?: To design effective educational tools for complex issues like sustainability, actively involve and synthesize the diverse knowledge and values of the target community, moving beyond purely expert-driven approaches.
What were the main findings?: Community members brought personal dimensions to professional collaborations, enriching perspectives.. The concept of the 'largest water user' was perceived as a dynamic, context-dependent idea.. Community members' views on student engagement with the Rio Grande differed, with a majority believing students could develop a deeper connection.
What research method was used?: Case Study with 6 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2015 journal from DigitalCommons@UTEP (The University of Texas at El Paso).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing educational games or tools related to local environmental or social issues, conduct in-depth interviews and workshops with a diverse range of community members to gather their unique insights and incorporate them into the design.
What are the limitations?: The findings are specific to the El Paso-Rio Grande area and may not be directly generalizable to other regions without adaptation. The small sample size limits the breadth of perspectives captured.