Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
application as the focal point of design decisions. For a game designer to try to
separate user experience from game design is to lose game play itself. At each stage,
game designers ask themselves, how does this decision impact the user experience
in positive or negative way?
While the purpose of e-learning courses differs from that of video games, there is
an important correlation between the two. E-learning courses can be user-centered,
which is focused on the desired outcome of instruction—a successful transference
of knowledge—and providing instruction in a meaningful and memorable way.
The question e-learning designers ask themselves is, how does this design deci-
sion impact the effectiveness of the learning experience in a positive or negative
way?
User-centered design is an important consideration in any application design that
includes human-machine interaction because it shapes the quality of the user experi-
ence. The quality of the user experience influences a variety of outcomes, such as the
likelihood of using the application again and the amount of interference experienced
that prevents the user from achieving his or her objectives. However, e-learning
and video games share the characteristic of striving to create a unique and pur-
poseful user experience (as opposed to, for example, a word processing application
which does not necessarily have a linear progression of events) and both games and
e-learning are designed to fulfill a purpose in which the user gets from point A to
point Z. The emphasis on the journey, rather than the destination, may vary amongst
different types of games and courseware; both e-learning and games are structured
for fulfilling specific objectives.
In this way, user-centered design shares many similarities with learner-centered
design, where the design process focuses on creating an experience based on the
learners' abilities and needs. This correlation between user- and learner-centered
exists on many levels. To further illustrate, player progression in games is depen-
dent on the player's ability to demonstrate skills, and these skills, including strategy,
are acquired during the course of game play. Game designers are aware of the
player experience—and even assume the role of the player—when designing game
play progression in order to anticipate information gaps and to evaluate the effec-
tiveness of the design. Learner-centered design also adopts the perspective of the
learner and determines how best to present content based on the attributes and
skill set of the target audience. These two approaches include an awareness of
how the student/player acquires information, an awareness of the objectives, the
ability to build upon existing knowledge, the student/player's ability to strate-
gize, and consideration of the components that motivate the student/player to
participate.
To further illustrate evidence of learner-centered design in video games, a typ-
ical design strategy in Role Playing Games (RPGs) is to present a few character
skills in the beginning and allow the player to become familiar with each skill's
limitations and capabilities through experience in less complex situations. As the
player successfully completes simple challenges, more complex circumstances are
introduced in which the player must figure out how to apply the same skills but
in a different manner because the situations are different. For example, World of
Warcraft (WoW), low-level characters are given only three to four combat skills.
