Short answer

When designing educational digital products, prioritize a multidisciplinary approach, agile development, and deeply contextualized content to create immersive and effective learning experiences.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: JMIR Formative Research (2023)
Method: Case Study / Development Study
Evidence: Moderate effect

Developing serious games for entrepreneurship education requires a multidisciplinary team, agile project management, and contextually relevant narrative and art to effectively simulate real-world challenges and opportunities. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in JMIR Formative Research. Using Case study / development study, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing educational digital products, prioritize a multidisciplinary approach, agile development, and deeply contextualized content to create immersive and effective learning experiences.

Study

Innovation & DesignRecentModerate effect

Serious Games Enhance Entrepreneurship Education Through Immersive Simulation

JMIR Formative Research · 2023

Key Findings

01A multidisciplinary team is essential for serious game development.
02Agile project management (Scrum) is effective for managing complex game development.
03Contextually relevant narrative and art (based on local culture and environment) enhance player engagement and learning.
04Simulation of real-world entrepreneurial challenges (opportunities, barriers, risks) is crucial for effective learning.
05Elements like world, objects, agents, and events are fundamental to serious game design.

Application

Design takeaway

When designing educational digital products, prioritize a multidisciplinary approach, agile development, and deeply contextualized content to create immersive and effective learning experiences.

How to apply

When designing educational tools, consider using game-based learning principles, incorporating elements of simulation, and ensuring the content is culturally and contextually relevant to the intended users.

Project actions

01Form a diverse team with varied skill sets (e.g., programming, art, subject matter expertise).
02Utilize agile project management frameworks like Scrum to iterate and adapt during development.
03Research and integrate local context into the game's narrative, visuals, and sound design for greater relevance.

Method & Evidence

AimWhat are the key considerations and methodologies for developing a serious game designed to teach entrepreneurship?

MethodCase Study / Development Study

ProcedureA multidisciplinary team (professors, professionals, students) was assembled to develop a serious game called ATIC. The Scrum agile methodology was adopted for project management. Concept art was developed through reference gathering, and the game's narrative was based on the life of a recent university graduate in Ecuador, incorporating local characteristics and settings. The game was built in Unity 3D, simulating business formation, opportunities, barriers, and risks.

ContextEducational technology, Entrepreneurship training, Game development

Variables

IV["Team composition (multidisciplinary vs. single discipline)","Project management methodology (Agile vs. traditional)","Narrative and art contextualization (local vs. generic)"]

DV["Game development efficiency","Player engagement","Perceived learning effectiveness"]

CV["Game engine used (Unity 3D)","Target subject (Entrepreneurship)","Core game elements (world, objects, agents, events)"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Addresses a practical need for innovative entrepreneurship education.
+Employs a recognized agile methodology (Scrum).
+Highlights the importance of contextualization in digital design.

Limitations

The development process itself was the focus; the actual learning impact of the game needs more rigorous testing. The specific effectiveness of individual game mechanics on entrepreneurship learning is not deeply explored.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity lies in its detailed account of the development process and the rationale behind design choices. Reliability could be enhanced by further studies that replicate the development process or rigorously test the game's learning outcomes.

Think critically

How might the effectiveness of this serious game differ across different cultural contexts or for learners with varying levels of prior business knowledge?

Design Principles

"Contextualized simulation through serious games can accelerate skill acquisition and understanding of complex domains."

This approach leverages the engaging nature of video games to provide practical, experiential learning for aspiring entrepreneurs. By simulating business scenarios, decision-making processes, and market dynamics, these games can accelerate skill development and foster a deeper understanding of entrepreneurial principles in a risk-free environment.

What This Means for Your Design

Making educational video games (serious games) about starting a business works best when you have a team with different skills, use a flexible project plan, and make the game's story and look feel real to the people playing it.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the development of digital learning tools, the use of serious games, or the application of agile methodologies in design projects.
2.Use it to justify the importance of multidisciplinary teams and contextual design in your own project.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The development of ATIC, a serious game for entrepreneurship education, demonstrates the critical role of a multidisciplinary team and agile project management (Scrum) in creating engaging and contextually relevant learning experiences. By simulating real-world entrepreneurial challenges within a narrative rooted in Ecuadorian culture, the project underscores how immersive digital environments can effectively teach complex business concepts.

Source

JMIR Formative Research

A Video Game for Entrepreneurship Learning in Ecuador: Development Study

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about serious games enhance entrepreneurship education through immersive simulation?: When designing educational digital products, prioritize a multidisciplinary approach, agile development, and deeply contextualized content to create immersive and effective learning experiences. Evidence: JMIR Formative Research (2023).
Why does "Serious Games Enhance Entrepreneurship Education Through Immersive Simulation" matter for design?: This approach leverages the engaging nature of video games to provide practical, experiential learning for aspiring entrepreneurs. By simulating business scenarios, decision-making processes, and market dynamics, these games can accelerate skill development and foster a deeper understanding of entrepreneurial principles in a risk-free environment.
How can designers apply this research?: When designing educational digital products, prioritize a multidisciplinary approach, agile development, and deeply contextualized content to create immersive and effective learning experiences.
What were the main findings?: A multidisciplinary team is essential for serious game development.. Agile project management (Scrum) is effective for managing complex game development.. Contextually relevant narrative and art (based on local culture and environment) enhance player engagement and learning.. Simulation of real-world entrepreneurial challenges (opportunities, barriers, risks) is crucial for effective learning.
What research method was used?: Case Study / Development Study.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from JMIR Formative Research.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing educational tools, consider using game-based learning principles, incorporating elements of simulation, and ensuring the content is culturally and contextually relevant to the intended users.
What are the limitations?: The study focuses on the development process and does not extensively detail the learning outcomes or user testing of the game itself. The specific effectiveness of the game's mechanics on entrepreneurship learning requires further validation.