Design Thinking: Game Story

How might we use storytelling to demonstrate the power of our games to affect change?

Imagine your game as a story -- as someone going through the experiences your game suggests are truths for the people of Franklin County.   Write a roughly two to three page narrative in which you use narrative techniques such as subplots, parallel plots, mood, tone and/or multiple themes to illustrate your understanding of people's needs in Franklin County via the gameplay of your Games That Matter design challenge.  Your story must also demonstrate effective MUGS and reveal the depth of your empathy work and discovery research into the challenges of Franklin County.

You'll find the COMPLETE RUBRIC here. 

Design Thinking: Good Game Design Vids

Hey folks,

These videos from SnoMan Gaming are mostly about VIDEO GAME design ANNNNNND  SUPER APPLICABLE to YOUR WORK


and

Design Thinking: Help with Your Demo & Pitch Videos

When you are working on your demo & pitch videos and seeking to make the most convincing argument possible that your game will help, take a look at these resources and use them to inform your work.

You can also learn more about pitching from these resources.  (Some links may be broken.)

• The Pitch - Doing Whatever It Takes, Episode 101, Subway: The Pitch – AMC
• http://chrisoatley.com/pdf/RMPitchBible.pdf
• Writing Loglines that Sell
• Ready Camera One - The Pitch Bible
• The Pitch Bible: Just The Essentials | Animation World Network
• Sample Pitches | This American Life
• Pitch and Sell Your Reality TV Show Idea | Creating Ideas For TV 
  This shows you information on creating a logline.  And it includes great examples.
• Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds with Michael Hauge - YouTube
• How to Pitch a TV Show - Tim Gibbons 
  Tim Gibbons discussing the pitch and development of a show at HBO that never saw further development, but the process discussion is still fantastic

Design Thinking: Game Something That Matters Rubric & Design Challenge Outline

GAME SOMETHING THAT MATTERS

This design challenge calls upon you to pose an answer to this question:

How might we use games to address

community concerns in Franklin County?

This requires TWO levels of research and understanding: GAME DESIGN  & ISSUES/CONCERNS facing our Franklin County community.

Design a game that in which players achieve one of the following:

A. Create solutions to the problem

or

B. Understand the complexity of the problem

or

C. Empathize with people who are experiencing the problem

THEN create a video demonstration of your game -- you may want to include a slide deck -- that explains how your game works and serves as pitch to the community organizations that work on these issues to put your game to use for them.

FOUR DELIVERABLES

PLAYABLE GAME PROTOTYPE.

VIEWABLE & SHAREABLE. GAME DEMO & PITCH VIDEO.

CompIete INTENTION MAP for your GAME PROTOTYPE

Complete INTENTION MAP for your DEMO & PITCH VIDEO

Your final design will be assessed based on these two standards: your ability to draw general conclusions from multiple claims & evidence AND your ability to use digital (and analog) media to enhance understanding of reasoning.

NOTE: I’m trying an even more simplified approach to the rubrics with this one.  It is truly just copy and pasted from the MBC English curriculum Please let me know if you prefer this this rubric style or the ones I’ve given to you earlier this semester that included my descriptions and connections to the exact assignment.

ELA.08.SCC.01.02 Understands how to draw general conclusions from multiple comments, claims and evidence made on all sides of an issue.

Source of EVIDENCE: INTERVIEWS, VIDEOS & PODCASTS

DEMONSTRATIONS:  Intention Map, Game Design & Demo Video

Level of Understanding	Descriptor
4 Exceeds	The student draws conclusions  and identifies the logic (or lack of) behind the conclusions referencing and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of multiple comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue.
3.5 Meets/Exceeds	With a few small changes, the student will draw conclusions, and identify the logic (or lack of logic) behind the conclusions referencing and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of multiple comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue.
3 Meets at a Complex Level	During a collaborative conversation with the class the student draws conclusions from multiple comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue.
2.5 Independent Foundational	The student independently identifies (in writing or in a one on one conversation) multiple comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue.
2 Supported Foundational	With support the student identifies (in writing or in a one on one conversation)  multiple comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue.
1 Not Yet	With support the student struggles to identify multiple comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue.

ELA.05.SPS.01.01.B Is skilled at making strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence.

DEMONSTRATIONS:  intention map, game design, demo video

Level of Understanding	Descriptor
4 Exceeds	The student creates a multimedia display that is is inventive, offers a solution, has problem solving capability, and/or demonstrates inductive or deductive reasoning.
3.5 Meets/Exceeds	The student creates a multimedia display that with a few small changes or conversations with the teacher would be inventive, offer a solution, have problem solving capabilities, and/or demonstrate inductive or deductive reasoning.
3 Meets at a Complex Level	The student can independently create/make an effective multimedia display that enhances findings, reasoning, and evidence. It may analyze, classify, symbolize and/or present an argument.
2.5 Independent Foundational	The student can independently identify and create a multimedia display that conveys findings, reasoning, and evidence.
2 Supported Foundational	The student creates a display and consistently needs support from the teacher as they create and/or present a project with findings, reasoning, and evidence.
1 Not Yet	With support, the student struggles to identify and/or create a multimedia display.

Design Thinking: Experiment Phase: Game Something That Matters Design Challenge Work Days

Hi folks,

This Tuesday and Thursday are big, major, design and make and build and prototype days.  

The designs are due next Monday and you are expected to have a playable prototype and either video or slide deck that explains the intention behind your design, your empathy work to ensure your game is meeting needs and solving problems.

Here's one pathway to framing out your work between now and next Monday.

TUESDAY.

Prototype the Game Play.

Determine how your game is played and how that will achieve the goal of addressing the actual need -- whether it is making it possible for players to create solutions to the problem, to understand the complexity of the problem, to empathize with people who are experiencing the problem, or another goal.

If you are struggling, that's a very good place to start.  

DEFINE THE PROBLEM   Some residents [you can better define your target than "residents"] of Franklin County are experiencing _______________  because of ________________ and need _________________________.

Answer this question:

Is your game intended to help players: 

A. Create solutions to the problem

or

B. Understand the complexity of the problem

or

C. Empathize with people who are experiencing the problem 

This is a challenging design because you are trying to meet the needs of TWO user groups: 

one, you are trying to help those folks experiencing the problem.  

two, you are trying to help the players have a good game experience.

THURSDAY.

Prototype the Game Materials.

Cards, Boards, Pieces, Decks.  Make use of ALL the Success & Innovation Center has to offer.

We've got everything from 3D printing to laminating to recycled toys to wooden bits to LEGO to iPads to Makey Makey to LEDs and all that other good stuff in between.    

NEXT MONDAY.

Complete the Pitch Deck & Demo Video.  This will be what we share with partner organizations for feedback.  We will also be playing the games in class over the next several classes to get feedback.  

NEXT WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY.  We start investigating bias, telling  & begin our book-based design challenge.  Another narrative writing assignment is coming your way as well -- story of bias.  Similar to the story of empathy, this one will also ask you to use RESEARCH about BIAS in your piece as well. 

Design Thinking: Adventure Grid Research Assessment

Today, your design team needs to dig into researching both game design and your Franklin County concern area.

You need to start by identifying the community partners at United Way of the Tri Valley area that work on your concern area.  This is vital because you need to reach out during class and schedule an interview during Friday’s class.

The graphic organizer is shared with you in your google drive and shown below.

ADVENTURE GRID

READ? What did you read (articles, books, blogs, social media, etc.) to better find solutions to the problem? (Be specific! Add links! Do some research & thinking!)	WATCH? What did you watch (documentaries, films, YouTube, news, etc.) to better find solutions to the problem? (Be specific! Add links! Do some research & thinking!)
LISTEN? To what did you listen (empathy interviews w users, interviews with experts, podcasts, interviews, music, etc.) to find better solutions to the problem? (Be specific! Add links! Do some research & thinking!)	DO? What did you do (build, create, visit, experience) to find better solutions to the problem? (Be specific)

Design Thinking: Visualizing McGonigal & Game Design 3

VISUALIZING MCGONIGAL & GAME DESIGN 3

For your third Visualizing McGonigal assignment, we asked you to visualize one of these videos or podcasts.

PODCAST: Big Think: Think Again with Jane McGonigal

PODCAST: Tim Ferris with Jane McConigal   Be certain to use the “show notes” -- found by scrolling down -- to help you jump to the moments in the podcast that are most likely to help you out.  

TED Talks:  Jane McGonigal:  Gaming Can Make the World a Better Place  -- be certain to use the transcript to help you jump to the moments in the talk that help you most AND to quote from her directly.

TED Talks: Jane McGongial: Thumb Wrestling  


Your CHOICES for visualizing the Q&A were as follows:

• ICON the video/podcast using icons from the Noun Project.
• SKETCHNOTE the video/podcastusing techniques such as those at Sketchnote Army
• EMOJI the video/podcast using emojis from Emjoipedia.org 

• PLAYLIST the video/podcast using 3 songs you believe relate to key ideas in the video/podcast  and building it out on Spotify, YouTube or another streaming platform. 
• GAME the video/podcast by identifying three games (video/board/card/sport) that reflect the key ideas such as those at Sketchnote Army
• GIF the video/podcast  using three GIFs from GIPHY that reflect key ideas in the video/podcast.

After creating your visual translation of the  video/podcast , you needed to explain the intention behind your creation in a short video and upload it to our FlipGrid here.

You will be assessed on your reading comprehension standards for this assessment, so it's important you get your videos posted with all of your evidence.

Design Thinking: Visualizing McGonigal & Game Design 2

VISUALIZING MCGONIGAL & GAME DESIGN 2

For your second Visualizing McGonigal assignment, we asked you to visualize this 2015 Interview from McLean's with Jane McGongial.  (We found that article using the Maine MARVEL Databases.)

Your CHOICES for visualizing the Q&A were as follows:

• PLAYLIST the article using 3 songs you believe relate to key ideas in the article and building it out on Spotify, YouTube or another streaming platform. f
• GAME the article by identifying three games (video/board/card/sport) that reflect the key ideas  such as those at Sketchnote Army
• GIF the article using three GIFs from GIPHY that reflect key ideas in the article.

After creating your visual translation of the article, you needed to explain the intention behind your creation in a short video and upload it to our FlipGrid here.

You will be assessed on your reading comprehension standards for this assessment, so it's important you get your videos posted with all of your evidence.

Design Thinking: Visualizing McGonigal & Game Design 1

VISUALIZING MCGOINGAL & GAME DESIGN 1

For your first Visualizing McGonigal assignment, we asked you to visualize this 2015 Q&A from Self Magazine with Jane McGongial.  (We found that article using the Maine MARVEL Databases.)

Your choices for visualizing the Q&A were as follows:

ICON the article using icons from the Noun Project.

SKETCHNOTE the article using techniques such as those at Sketchnote Army

EMOJI the article using emojis from Emjoipedia.org 

After creating your visual translation of the article, you needed to explain the intention behind your creation in a short video and upload it to our FlipGrid here.

You will be assessed on your reading comprehension standards for this assessment, so it's important you get your videos posted with all of your evidence. 

Design Thinking: Research Based Writing: Quote Sandwiches & Games to Solve Problems

Hey folks,

Below is the rubric for this written design challenge:

How might we create a one-page written argument that games may be used to solve problems using the words of Jane McGonigal to support our arguments?

Now, in the world of design, this challenge is full of all sorts of hitches -- it's already presenting the solution (a one-page written argument) and limiting the scope of discovery (McGonigal's work).  HOWEVER, what I'm hoping folks realize is that any assignment given in school can be framed as a design challenge with CREATIVE CONSTRAINTS -- certain boundaries in which we have to function and criteria we may have to meet to appease our core users a.k.a. teachers who are assessing our work. 

By thinking about assignments as design challenges, it lets us uncover all sorts of different strategies and approaches to solving the problem -- we don't have to go about solving our problems via any one particular way.  We have options. 

One option we presented to you folks last class: quote sandwiches.

1. Make a point that proves your argument.
2.  Support the point with quoted evidence from a reliable source.
3.  Support the point with a combination of your words and quoted evidence from a reliable source.
4.  Use your words to come to a conclusion/complete your point and answer the "so what?" or "so why does this matter?" question that your reader may be thinking inside their head as they read.

For example:

Families come together over games.  McGonigal writes, "Some of my earliest memories are of playing games with my dad and sister." The bonds we form from playing games, "build positive relationships better than anything else."  When families are struggling, games can be a common bond that strengthen the weakest links." 

So . . .  now you've got to get writing your 1st paragraph of your own.  That is due today.  One solid research based paragraph.   The page will come. 

 And then we will remix board games in the service of our community based design challenge . . . but this post is all about the writing . . 

McGONIGAL and GAMING

Jane McGonigal is one of the most important names in game design.  While she may not be a household name, her impact on the world can be seen in the work she’s done with companies, organizations and governments in finding better ways to engage people in issues that matter.  Because we will be designing games to address the problems in our community, it is important to use her words and ideas to inspire and inform our work.

Read, watch, and listen to the resources in THIS FOLDER and compile your findings into a ONE-PAGE written synthesis of your thoughts on how games can matter backed up with evidence from McGonigal.  You will need to use MLA FORMAT to cite the sources.

ELA.05.WAR.01.01.CP Is skilled at integrating relevant information from multiple authoritative sources into a text, maintaining the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, all while following a standard format for citation.

Level of Understanding	Descriptor
4 Exceeds	The student effectively integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources into a text, maintaining the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, all while following a standard format for citation. In addition an effective source analysis is provided to clarify the purpose and limitations of sources.	Your one-page synthesis effectively integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources, maintains a  flow of ideas, avoids plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, and uses MLA Format. You’ve included a source analysis -- where you explain the benefits and limitations of each source.
3.5 Meets/Exceeds	With a few small changes, the student effectively integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources into a text, maintaining the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, all while following a standard format for citation. In addition, a source analysis is provided to clarify the purpose and limitations of sources.	With a few small changes, your one-page synthesis would effectively integrate relevant information from multiple authoritative sources, maintains a  flow of ideas, avoids plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, and uses MLA Format. You’ve included a source analysis -- where you explain the benefits and limitations of each source.
3 Meets at a Complex Level	The student integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources into a text, maintaining the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, all while following a standard format for citation.	Your one-page synthesis effectively integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources, maintains a  flow of ideas, avoids plagiarism and overreliance on any one source, and uses MLA Format.
2.5 Independent Foundational	The student independently integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources into a text, avoiding plagiarism, and following a standard format for citation.	On your own,  you were able to compose a one-page synthesis effectively integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources, avoids plagiarism and uses MLA Format.
2 Supported Foundational	With support, the student integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources into a text.	With some help, you’re able to compose a  one-page synthesis effectively integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative source.
1 Not Yet	With support, the student struggles to integrate relevant information from multiple authoritative sources into a text.	Even with help, you struggle to compose a one-page synthesis that effectively integrates relevant information from multiple authoritative sources,

Design Thinking: Day 7: Extraordinaires Design Lab & WonderWalk Unpack

Hey folks,

On Day 6, we attended a presentation about growing up black in Maine with an exceptional speaker from UMaine.  She discussed race and gender identity in Maine and the challenges with growing up without being able to identify with those around you — and those folks being unable to identify with you.  It was powerful and we didn’t get a chance to talk about it on Day 7.  So Day 8?  Day 8 you will participate in another collaborative conversation — your second opportunity to demonstrate your speaking and listening skills.  One of your goals running throughout the class is building up evidence of understanding — every activity, every experience can be evidence of your ability to meet or exceed the standard, if you choose to take advantage of those opportunities.

DAY 7 Here’s what we did!  

We played Extraordinaires!  It’s a design game intended to help people understand the design process while having a fantastic go of it.  We co-opted the rules a little bit for our purposes and to tighten up the time frame, but you got the gist.

Here’s a video that explains a little more.

https://youtu.be/xH-xu5agaJI

From there we unpacked our WonderWalks.  Now, at this moment I realize I left my list of notes from the wonderwalk back in the SIC and right now I cannot get them.  So here’s what I recall.

Doorbell.  Front office staff dealing with folks who aren’t ringing the doorbell to let them know they are there.  Also just trying the door without ringing the door bell at all.  

Foot mats.  The carpets in the entryway are not absorbent enough to deal with the volume of water and sand and salt from outside, creating slippery hallways.

Blank walls.  The walls around the music rooms and Main office are blank and uninspiring. 

Food court.  3rd lunch.  There isn’t any food left. That’s a problem for kids in third lunch and a problem that admin thinks has been resolved.

2nd Floor Landing B-Wing.  People are misusing the space making it impossible for people who are actually allowed to be there to use it well.

Stairwells.  See through stairwells are creating an unsafe environment for people wearing skirts as well as people in general whose privacy may be violated.

Social behavior.  At least one of the students in special education on campus is in need of videos that help him better understand how to behave appropriately.

I feel like I’m definitely forgetting one or more of the ideas on the table, but those are what I can recall at the moment.

On Thursday, during Class 8, you will need to identify the challenge you want to tackle and the design team with whom you most want to work.  You can work in a group of 1, 2 or 3 designers for this challenge.  These numbers maximize the likelihood of a successful design SINCE you will only have three days to complete the challenge!   The Monday, Wednesday and Friday after break.  Yup.  That will be our time for the design sprint. By that Friday you will have come up with a feedback worthy prototype.

 Also during Class 8 you will do a little more empathy analysis work by examining two poems, one by Shane Koyczan and one by Lucille Clifton.  My internet is acting up so I’ll have to send those along to you at a later time.

Make sure you TURN IN YOUR EMPATHY STORY!   It was due Tuesday after being pushed back because of weather and such.  Stay on pace. To turn it in, place it in your Design Thinking Google Drive INBOX folder.

Design Thinking: Spring 18: Day 5: WonderWalk & Problem Hunting

Quick Day 4 recap!

Watched a terrific episode of the design documentary series, Abstract, featuring shoe design legend, Tinker Hatfield.  (Hatfield designed the iconic editions of the Air Jordan amongst a slew of other shoes for Nike.) 

You participated in your first collaborative conversation -- centered around the ideas of the documentary as well as empathy and the "how might we . . . ?" mindset possibilities.

And got a reminder that your empathy story is due this Friday, February 9th.

You will have some time to work on that story in class today -- we'll do a little writer's maker workshop to generate ideas build out possible structures for your stories.

Most importantly today!  We are going on a WonderWalk, an exploration of the campus looking for tension points, problem spots, and doing some on the fly empathy interviews so we might better understand the needs of our campus.  This is going to lay the ground work for our first major design challenge:  How might we improve the Mt. Blue Campus experience?  (That HMW is wayyyyy too broad -- hence why we need to WonderWalk and see how we might narrow it down AND design for a particular group of users.)

We will start as whole group and then break into smaller teams, hunt things down, take pictures, video and more.  Wednesday, we will unpack our walks -- see what trends exist.

During your WonderWalk, your team must do the following.

1. Create a map that tracks your movements and identifies the locations/spaces/environments on campus where you went hunting.
2. Take photos and/or video of evidence of the problems you encounter. 
3. Record at least one rapid empathy interview (audio is fine, video would be great) with a member of the campus community who is facing a particular challenge.
4. Brainstorm a list of How Might We . . .?  questions inspired by your walk.  The more the better, so I'm looking for at least ten from your group.  Don't worry about how good they are -- focus more on the generation.

Wednesday, we'll also experience the beauty that is "Yes/And," the importance of adding more and more ideas, validating contributions of others, and solving by growing rather than correcting and negating (no/but). 

FOR FRIDAY:  Story of a Design.  The RUBRIC IS COMING!  I SWEAR!  (Today!  It might even be here before you know it!  The creative constraints were here.

FIRST MAJOR WRITING ASSESSMENT

After the debrief, we will assign your first major writing assessment: A Design Story of Empathy.   Storytelling is a

Creative Constraints and Expectation.

Prompt: Tell the story of an individual using empathy to solve a problem.

Show the conflicts this individual faces in the problem.

Demonstrate the extent to which you understand empathy as a tool for meaningful problem solving.

The story may be a piece of fiction of any genre or creative non-fiction about you or someone you know.  The goal is to tell a great story.

Use one or more of the following storytelling elements/devices to enhance your piece

• Dialogue
• Point of View
• Symbolism

1st Submission Draft for Feedback:  Due FRIDAY, FEB 9.