When you hear the term video games, what comes to mind? Someone sitting in front of a TV, computer or mobile device with their attention fixated onto the screen for hours on end? Many think that video games are a bad thing as a lot of our time is consumed out of the day from them. But what if games can be used differently; in such a way that it can improve our design skills or even educate and/or train us to do certain tasks? The term for this comes as “serious games” where simulation software have become popular among researchers.
To put it into perspective, let’s take a look at a couple of examples of how these simulations can help with some careers out in the real world. Surgeons have a difficult task by handling instruments meticulously to get inside the human body (or other animals) make alterations, and seal it back up properly, all without causing further implications. These days a lot of a surgeon’s instrument have been converted to electronic or digital devices like lasers and precision equipment and by using simulators, they can get the practice they need to conduct flawless surgeries by improving spatial perception and hand-eye coordination. Firefighters are also learning to use simulators as a means to experience burning buildings and how to work with other responders as a team. Interaction designers can help with the process of creating these simulators whether if its fully digital or not with a little background on the mechanics of video games.
Works Cited
Collins, Kc & Kanev, Kamen & Kapralos, Bill. (2010). Using games as a method of evaluation of usability and user experience in human-computer interaction design. 5-10.
Michael, David & Chen, Sandra. (2006). Serious Games: Games That Educate, Train, and Inform. 1-10.
Bringsjord, Selmer. “Is It Possible to Build Dramatically Compelling Interactive Digital Entertainment (in the Form, E.g., of Computer Games)?*1.”, July 2001, www.gamestudies.org/0101/bringsjord/index.html.
Rutherford, Zack. “How Video Games Improve Your Interaction Design.” The Next Web, 7 Oct. 2015, thenextweb.com/dd/2015/10/07/how-video-games-improve-your-interaction-design/.
“15 Professions That Are Using Games for Training.” Mental Floss, 15 July 2015, www.mentalfloss.com/article/66066/15-professions-are-using-games-training.
the term serious game is an interesting one. but i would like to learn more about the relationship between game and interaction design
It’s interesting to see how human behavior a lot of times will naturally gravitate towards something that’s formatted like a game, and so designers can harness that motivation for productivity and growth.