Serious games for research
Serious Games as a Research Tool Games as a Method Serious games can contribute to scientific research in many different ways and at many different stages. Think of collecting quantitative…
From research report to card game: Care Trivia!
Turning research findings into an effective intervention
A card game is an excellent way to bring your research report to life and share the knowledge gained in an engaging way. Curious about what that might look like? Get inspired by Care Trivia, a fun and competitive card game focused on the procurement of Wmo services. Developed in collaboration with researchers from Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen.
The challenge
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Bringing research results and in-depth material to life
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Improving collaboration around the procurement of Wmo services
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Facilitating early discussions between municipalities and care providers to ensure maximum quality of care
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Fun and entertaining enough to be played independently (again and again!)
Questions? Need a sparring partner?
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Mail johan@8d-games.nl
Johan likes to think along!
From Research to Card Game
The Wmo, or Social Support Act, is a Dutch law designed to help citizens live independently at home and participate in society for as long as possible. Municipalities are responsible for implementing this law and procuring care to support residents in living independently. However, the best approach to this procurement process is complex and not always clear to all stakeholders.
Researchers Anneloes Scholing and Gepke Veenstra from Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen identified the information needs of municipal officials involved in the procurement of Wmo services. This led to the development of a guide with in-depth information and tips on this topic. This valuable research result deserved to be complemented by an interactive format: a card game!
How we approached it
Our designers began with a Problem Storm session, where we gathered all stakeholders to frame the problem and map out the game context and parameters. Should the game be playable independently, or should a game facilitator be present at each session? How much time is available for a game session? In what setting will it be played? All these practical parameters are crucial for game design. Additionally, considering such matters early on significantly aids in implementing the intervention. It forces both our designers and the collaborative partner to carefully think about the long term: how will this product be implemented, used, and sustained over time? Several important parameters emerged from the Problem Storm session: the game must promote collaboration and mutual trust, be engaging enough to be played repeatedly without supervision, and motivate players to explore ‘the filing cabinet,’ where in-depth information about Wmo services can be found. This is a smart choice. Generally, independently playable games with high entertainment value are best suited for broad learning, such as stimulating conversations about a particular topic or giving players a low-threshold understanding of the field’s scope. In this case, the scope of Wmo services. Simplicity is key to the success of an independently playable educational game, and repetition—being fun enough to play repeatedly—is fantastic for solidifying the knowledge gained during play.
Care Trivia demonstrates how a creative approach can convey important learnings and research results interactively to people and society. This game actively engages people with the material, ensuring they repeat the information more often, which leads to better knowledge retention. Do you also want to turn your research results into an effective intervention? We create everything custom-made and are happy to advise you based on our knowledge of design and human behavior.
Photo’s: Hanzehogeschool Groningen
These were the results
Out of four creative concepts, ‘Care Trivia’ emerged as the most suitable. The game’s content is based on themes related to the Wmo procurement process and specific cases from the healthcare sector, depicted on trivia cards. The action cards add an element of surprise, allowing players to draw questions toward themselves or avoid them. This enables strategic play and well, heated discussions – in a good way. Who is right? If players can’t agree, the filing cabinet with in-depth information provides clarity. This keeps the game challenging and interactive, ensuring it achieves its goal: actively engaging players with the valuable information from the Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen research report.
