One of the common questions that people have, and which you might also have, is if this is really about education or games. And that is a fair question to ask. In truth, it is a bit of both. There is more than just a touch of the Montessori method inherent in teaching game design, but it is less a laissez faire approach than it appears on the surface. Rather, game design teaches a disciplined approach to problem-solving experiential issues.
Games require active participation; otherwise, they are ineffective. They have no value without engagement, and that requires incentives to keep people’s interest. To do this, designers have to not only understand the limitations of rules, but also what makes for a meaningful experience that brings players back time and again. This is the focus of design and the creation of an effective user interface and user experience—both of which are highly prized skills for customer-service oriented businesses. If there is no consistency in experience and yet a touch of uniqueness to each encounter, patrons are likely to venture off for a product that can provide both without appearing to slip from the seemingly opposed values.
Yes, embedded in game design are the same basic skills used for such disciplines. The structured play with rules and how they can interact with each other also covers the same fundamental concepts for experimentation under the scientific method and information theory. Designers learn how to define classifications of information, organize system of thought or lenses through which to interpret data, and how seemingly dissimilar features can disappear within the context of the space created for the game’s rules. Students learning through game design do not necessarily make these connections, but the trial-and-error method lets participants in the program see how disparate ideas can be connected and under what conditions without being given rote answers.
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Learning by Design – Introduction, Part 2
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Learning by Design – Introduction, Part 4