Short answer
Actively involve a diverse range of users in the design of character creation systems to uncover limitations in current interfaces and co-create more inclusive and representative options.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- IEEE Transactions on Games (2024)
- Method
- Participatory Design and Play-Interviews
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Designing character creation interfaces with diverse user input leads to more inclusive options and better representation in digital games. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2024 study published in IEEE Transactions on Games. Using Participatory design and play-interviews, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Actively involve a diverse range of users in the design of character creation systems to uncover limitations in current interfaces and co-create more inclusive and representative options.
Inclusive Character Creation Interfaces Increase Player Representation
Designing character creation interfaces with diverse user input leads to more inclusive options and better representation in digital games.
IEEE Transactions on Games · 2024
Key Findings
- 01Existing character configuration interfaces often default to a 'white-male' standard, creating points of tension for diverse users.
- 02Participatory design activities with diverse users generated novel interface concepts that challenge current design homogeneity.
- 03Inclusive interfaces can support more diverse narratives and game worlds by reconfiguring design constraints.
Application
Design takeaway
Actively involve a diverse range of users in the design of character creation systems to uncover limitations in current interfaces and co-create more inclusive and representative options.
How to apply
When designing character creation tools, conduct play-testing sessions with a deliberately diverse group of users and use their feedback to iterate on interface options and default settings.
Project actions
- 01When researching user interfaces, consider how different user groups might interact with them differently.
- 02Use participatory design methods to gather rich qualitative data about user needs and preferences.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Employs a participatory approach, directly involving users in the design process.
- +Focuses on intersectional diversity, acknowledging multiple aspects of identity.
Limitations
The specific games and the cultural context of the participants might influence the findings, so results may not be universally applicable without further testing.
Reliability & validity
The validity is strengthened by the use of play-interviews and participatory design, which provide rich qualitative data. Reliability could be enhanced by standardizing the play-interview tasks and using multiple coders for qualitative data analysis.
Think critically
To what extent do the 'default' settings in user interfaces reflect the designers' own biases rather than objective usability standards?
Design Principles
"Design interfaces for character customization through a lens of intersectional diversity, ensuring that all users can find authentic self-representation."
The gaming industry is a significant global market, and as its audience diversifies, so too must its design practices. User experience research and interface design must adopt inclusive perspectives to reflect this growing diversity, ensuring that all players can see themselves represented within the games they play.
What This Means for Your Design
When making character creators in games, ask lots of different people how they would make themselves and use their ideas to make the creator better for everyone.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of user diversity in interface design and the benefits of participatory design methods.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the critical role of user-centred design in fostering inclusivity within digital products. By employing participatory methods and engaging diverse user groups in the design of character creation interfaces, designers can move beyond default representations and develop systems that better reflect the varied identities of their audience, ultimately enhancing player experience and representation.
Source
IEEE Transactions on Games
Piecing Together Performance: Collaborative, Participatory Research-Through-Design for Better Diversity in Games
journal · 2024
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about inclusive character creation interfaces increase player representation?
- Actively involve a diverse range of users in the design of character creation systems to uncover limitations in current interfaces and co-create more inclusive and representative options. Evidence: IEEE Transactions on Games (2024).
- Why does "Inclusive Character Creation Interfaces Increase Player Representation" matter for design?
- The gaming industry is a significant global market, and as its audience diversifies, so too must its design practices. User experience research and interface design must adopt inclusive perspectives to reflect this growing diversity, ensuring that all players can see themselves represented within the games they play.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Actively involve a diverse range of users in the design of character creation systems to uncover limitations in current interfaces and co-create more inclusive and representative options.
- What were the main findings?
- Existing character configuration interfaces often default to a 'white-male' standard, creating points of tension for diverse users.. Participatory design activities with diverse users generated novel interface concepts that challenge current design homogeneity.. Inclusive interfaces can support more diverse narratives and game worlds by reconfiguring design constraints.
- What research method was used?
- Participatory Design and Play-Interviews.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2024 journal from IEEE Transactions on Games.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing character creation tools, conduct play-testing sessions with a deliberately diverse group of users and use their feedback to iterate on interface options and default settings.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings are specific to the games and participants involved; broader generalizability may require further research across different game genres and user demographics.