Short answer

When designing for sensitive topics, prioritize expert consultation and develop specific, evidence-based guidelines to ensure ethical and effective outcomes.

Field
User-Centred Design
Source
JMIR Serious Games (2021)
Method
Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.
Evidence
Strong effect

Designing serious games for sensitive topics requires specific, expert-validated guidelines to ensure effectiveness and user acceptance. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2021 study published in JMIR Serious Games. Using Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing for sensitive topics, prioritize expert consultation and develop specific, evidence-based guidelines to ensure ethical and effective outcomes.

Study
User-Centred DesignHigh ImpactStrong effect

Expert-validated guidelines enhance serious game design for sensitive topics

Designing serious games for sensitive topics requires specific, expert-validated guidelines to ensure effectiveness and user acceptance.

JMIR Serious Games · 2021

01

Key Findings

  • 01Development of specific design guidelines for serious games on sensitive topics.
  • 02Demonstration of guideline applicability through a case study ('Above Water').
  • 03Validation of guideline generalizability to other sensitive subjects.
02

Application

Design takeaway

When designing for sensitive topics, prioritize expert consultation and develop specific, evidence-based guidelines to ensure ethical and effective outcomes.

How to apply

Before embarking on a design project involving sensitive themes (e.g., health, social issues, trauma), conduct a thorough literature review and seek input from domain experts to inform your design strategy.

Project actions

  • 01Identify and consult with subject matter experts relevant to your design project.
  • 02Document the process of guideline development and application thoroughly.
03

Method & Evidence

AimTo develop and validate a set of design guidelines for serious games addressing sensitive topics, using expert interviews.
MethodQualitative study using semi-structured interviews.
ProcedureResearchers conducted semi-structured interviews with experts in game design and serious games to gather insights and develop design guidelines. These guidelines were then applied to a sample serious game ('Above Water') designed to reduce mental health stigma, and their generalizability was explored.
ContextSerious game design for mental health stigma reduction.

Variables

IVDesign guidelines for serious games on sensitive topics.
DVEffectiveness and generalizability of design guidelines.
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Involves expert participants, lending credibility to the guidelines.
  • +Provides a practical framework with examples for application.

Limitations

The advice from experts might be subjective, and the sample game might not represent all possible sensitive topics. Real users' reactions could differ from expert predictions.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity is supported by the use of expert participants and the development of concrete guidelines. Reliability could be enhanced by having multiple independent groups of experts develop similar guidelines.

Think critically

To what extent can expert-generated guidelines fully capture the nuances of user experience when dealing with highly personal and sensitive topics?

05

Design Principles

"For sensitive subject matter, leverage expert consensus to establish design principles that ensure ethical considerations and user well-being are paramount."

This research provides a framework for designers tackling complex and sensitive subject matter within interactive experiences. By incorporating these guidelines, designers can create more impactful and ethically sound serious games that resonate with target audiences.

06

What This Means for Your Design

When making games about difficult topics like mental health, it's important to get advice from people who know a lot about both games and the topic itself. This helps make sure the game is helpful and doesn't cause harm.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference the development of your design approach by citing these guidelines, especially if your project touches on sensitive themes.
  • 2.Use the concept of expert consultation to justify your design decisions.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Drawing from expert-validated guidelines for serious games on sensitive topics (Wehbe et al., 2021), this design project prioritizes ethical considerations and user well-being by consulting with domain specialists to inform the development of [mention your design project's sensitive aspect]. This approach ensures that the design is not only functional but also sensitive to the complexities of the subject matter.

09

Source

JMIR Serious Games

Designing a Serious Game (Above Water) for Stigma Reduction Surrounding Mental Health: Semistructured Interview Study With Expert Participants

journal · 2021

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about expert-validated guidelines enhance serious game design for sensitive topics?
When designing for sensitive topics, prioritize expert consultation and develop specific, evidence-based guidelines to ensure ethical and effective outcomes. Evidence: JMIR Serious Games (2021).
Why does "Expert-validated guidelines enhance serious game design for sensitive topics" matter for design?
This research provides a framework for designers tackling complex and sensitive subject matter within interactive experiences. By incorporating these guidelines, designers can create more impactful and ethically sound serious games that resonate with target audiences.
How can designers apply this research?
When designing for sensitive topics, prioritize expert consultation and develop specific, evidence-based guidelines to ensure ethical and effective outcomes.
What were the main findings?
Development of specific design guidelines for serious games on sensitive topics.. Demonstration of guideline applicability through a case study ('Above Water').. Validation of guideline generalizability to other sensitive subjects.
What research method was used?
Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews..
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2021 journal from JMIR Serious Games.
What should I do differently in my next project?
Before embarking on a design project involving sensitive themes (e.g., health, social issues, trauma), conduct a thorough literature review and seek input from domain experts to inform your design strategy.
What are the limitations?
The study relied on expert opinions, and direct user testing of the guidelines with the target audience for the sample game was not detailed. Generalizability to all sensitive topics may vary.