About the project
During my 3rd year at the university, I did an internship at Bossers & Cknossen, an IT company located in Groningen. An opportunity was offered to conduct a research on the possibility to measure 21st century skills (the most relevant ones for the work field according to their research) with a game or a gamified product. My research was connected to their major educational project and product called ‘Tech-savvy’. The results of the research was delivered to the company, which they used for other projects. In addition, based on these results, I have created a game concept with the purpose to help their education program.
The concept of the game
The result of the research provided bases for the game concept. It had two main goals, to help the coaches of ‘Tech-savvy’ measure their trainees progress in three skills (cognitive flexibility, complex problem solving and critical thinking) and to help them develop these skills. The project delivered a paper prototype and a basic digital version, and the game also proved to be quite entertaining beside being educational. Set in a fantasy universe with a cliché environment, the game challenges the players’ tactical and problem-solving skills while encouraging team work. The setting is interchangeable, as the important element of the concept is to implement the theoretical background in an effective way.
The design of the game
For me this was a solo project, which meant that I had to stand my ground not only as a designer but also as a developer and an artist. I have worked in cooperation with the project group of ‘Tech-savvy’ and while this meant I had easy access to get expert opinion and feedback on my work, the actual research and develop process was up to me to perform. Doing all the research (primary and secondary) while performing all major roles was not an easy job, and I have managed to succeed in most thanks to the free available sources and teaching materials. I found it interesting, how much my own ‘Tech-savvyness’ has developed during the project.