Glance of expert

5 years on, the market has continued to develop, the number of    providers has increased significantly … along with a plethora of  definitions of the term « serious game » with the risk of building a  rather fragile bridge … In any case a certain confusion reigns amongst  decision makers and end-users whilst giving rise to misrepresentation  or over-simplification.  Is it realistic to consider that adding a score is sufficient to transform a  task into an intense and « fun » experience? That repeated clicking on  a mouse is sufficient to retain a message? Or, better again, that a  Serious Game can radically change the world or provide an alternative  to science?

 

We certainly don’t believe this to be the case. Since its inception in 2002, the Dæsign team has relentlessly strived to reinforce the links between gaming and learning by using GamePlay as the fulcrum that allows them to work together. By « together », we mean in a complementary fashion, each ingredient reinforcing the other.

 

Multiple illustrations exist that prove that a simple association of basic « gaming » principles and « serious » subject matter is not sufficient to produce a Serious Game, but rather an eLearning module dressed-up as a game, or a game (be it good or bad …) that provides an opportunity … to play.

 

We are constantly reminded of the extent to which a Serious Game must be integrated into an overall strategy in order to have any chance of achieving a lasting impact. A training or awareness program will, of course, depend on its end-users. So that the inherent promise of a game becomes an explicit and accepted learning objective, learner engagement is necessary and in itself a mission that the Serious Game must fulfil. However, the success of the overall initiative depends, first and foremost, on the corporate decision makers who must actively promote and accompany their Serious Game throughout its life-cycle and through all levels of hierarchy – starting at the top. Only then can the fun element become the key success factor in providing end-user engagement over time – a lasting engagement that is necessary to achieve operational change.