GAME MENU

A Design Element for A Merit-Funded Research Project

Reimagining a board game to conduct research on Internet Infrastructure in Rural Communities!

Timeline

Sept 2023 – Dec 2024

Tools

Adobe Illustrator, Miro

What was the problem?

Rural participants need a comfortable and engaging way to share their experiences to provide valuable feedback on the connectivity challenges they face to inform the design of infrastructure that better meets their localized needs.

My Role & Process

As a research assistant, I worked along side Dr. Jean Hardy, an Assistant Professor and completed an end-to-end research process.

Phase 1

1

Define

2

Ideation

3 Prototype

4 Test

5 Analyze

Phase 2

Phase 3

6

Reiterate

7

Implement

8

Analyze

PHASE 1

1. Define

To encourage active participation and make the process more engaging, we would create an interactive game that allows rural residents to comfortably share their experiences and insights, providing valuable feedback on the connectivity challenges they face and helping to inform the design of more localized infrastructure solutions.

2. Ideation

Brainstorming Session

What kind of game could foster collaboration, evoke past experiences, and encourage participants to share stories while still being fun?

In a one-hour brainstorming session, Dr. Jean Hardy and I explored various game ideas such as Clue, Monopoly, and The Game of Life. We ultimately found that The Game of Life was the perfect fit—it’s a more upbeat, positive game that many people are familiar with from their childhood. This familiarity makes it an ideal way to help participants reflect on their past while creating a comfortable and engaging environment.

Sketching

How exactly will this game look? What will change to make it more similar to rural life?

I sketched several ideas for enhancing the board design and mapping out the game’s path.

PHASE 2

3. Prototype

I created a rough prototype using cardboard and paper to bring our concept into a physical form. This allowed us to explore and visualize the idea more tangibly. We then held a collaborative workshop to sketch out and refine ideas, setting a foundation for the project’s development.

Next, I developed a refined prototype based on our solidified ideas, incorporating a cleaner, more polished design. This version was prepared for testing with a group to gather feedback and validate our concepts.

4. Test

Testing Group #1

We initially tested the prototype with a research lab group of four participants, who played through the game and provided feedback.

Key insights:

Balancing the positive and negative spaces for each player
Adding more "payday" events toward the game’s end
Incorporating additional internet-related spaces, as the dice rolls didn’t frequently lead players to those areas

Testing Group #2

Next, we tested the game with two game design professors who provided valuable insights.

Key insights:

Adding a unique colored space to represent infrastructural breakdowns that would impact all players upon passing
Testing with diverse groups from various backgrounds to broaden the game’s applicability and relevance

5. Analyze

Audio Recordings

Following feedback from both testing groups, I reviewed session recordings to analyze participants' interactions with the game. This analysis provided deeper insights into gameplay dynamics, participant engagement, and areas needing refinement based on observed behaviors and feedback.

Key insights:

The concept's ability to spark conversation especially if people knew one another
Players became frustrated when they encountered too many negative aspects
Participants enjoyed a gamification to share their experiences

Spaces

Next, I analyzed which spaces impacted gameplay most, focusing on participant reactions during the sessions. Based on these insights, we adjusted or removed certain spaces to improve the overall experience and flow of the game.

Excel Spreadsheet of Game Spaces

PHASE 3

6. Reiterate

Using the feedback and analysis from the testing sessions, I refined the original design and elements to enhance gameplay. I transitioned to Adobe Illustrator to create a cleaner, more polished version of the game, moving closer to the final design. Working digitally allowed for easy adjustments, ensuring the design aligned with our updated vision.

Key elements:

Balanced the game spaces to include positive, negative, and internet-related topics for a well-rounded experience
Incorporated design elements aimed at trying to get players to reflect on their own rural experiences
Optimized the game’s length and layout to enhance engagement and maintain a steady pace for participants

Digital Copy of Game Design

7. Implement

Over the course of a month, we hosted five workshops with 2-3 student participants from rural areas. Using a board game as a research tool, we facilitated discussions, conducted interviews, and explored challenges related to rural connectivity and infrastructure breakdown. These sessions provided valuable insights into participants' lived experiences, shaping our understanding of critical connectivity gaps.

8. Analyze

I analyzed qualitative data using an affinity diagram on Miro, identifying seven key themes and five impactful quotes to guide the project's conclusions.

Affinity Diagram

CONCLUSION

By combining a thoughtful research process with a creative board game design device, we fostered a comfortable and engaging environment for rural participants to share their experiences. This approach enabled us to gather valuable insights into the connectivity challenges they face, ensuring the feedback directly informed the design of infrastructure tailored to their localized needs.