human-centered innovation

crossover collaboration

between the game and publishing sectors

human-centered innovation

• some information about us and the Utrecht model • some insights into applied games • some thoughts about game jams

• some areas for future collaboration between game and publishing sectors

the next game

human-centered innovation

HKU university of the arts utrecht

We seek to advance human-centered innovation

through the meaningful application of the creative arts

human-centered innovation

human-centered innovation

• founded in 2008 with support from EU Structural Funds and from the province and town of Utrecht • the mission was to create economic impact by stimulating the growth of the Dutch game industry and currently supports 70 enterprises

dutch game garden

human-centered innovation

dutch game garden

human-centered innovation

• europe is second largest games market globally, employing 100,000+ people and contributing more than 3.5bn euro to economy • dutch game sector has 330 companies and employs around 3,000 people with approx 200m euro turnover • relatively small enterprises based around Amsterdam and Utrecht • less focus on entertainment games, more on applied games

the game sector

you cannot be (too) serious

human-centered innovation

“Games are not fun because they are games, but are fun because they are well-designed” Sebastian Deterding

human-centered innovation

• almost every university across Europe has a serious games department • there is something of a contradiction in terms in ‘serious games’ • our approach is based around the idea of applied games • in this way we try to retain core game design concepts in the areas of application and contexts of use

•like mathematics, it is ‘unreasonably effective’

you cannot be (too) serious

human-centered innovation

but it is complex

human-centered innovation

• applied games do more than teach or train, and have other goals, such as persuasion, exercise, and (physical) therapy

• finding a good balance between the ‘fun’ and the ‘applied’ part of the game is often a major challenge • people who work in game companies are mostly not experts in the field for which the game is being created

• old sender-receiver models are very much alive

and we must always avoid.....

but it is complex

human-centered innovation

chocolate covered broccoli

human-centered innovation

we remain apart

human-centered innovation

• the cultural and creative sector is certainly unlike many other industrial sectors • there are many, many reports on just how ‘special’ this sector is • but no matter how special, the framework conditions and sector characteristics remain troubling • and no matter how well-meaning policy support may be

•we need to do more to make creative SMEs sustainable

we remain apart

human-centered innovation

but we must work together

human-centered innovation

• we must align the interests of organisations and stakeholders in the region and between CCI sectors • we must agree priorities and align these priorities with wider national and european challenges • we must do so within constantly changing environments and where there is limited understanding or acceptance of ‘design-based’approaches

• we must locate and focus on crossovers

• so, not easy but possible

but we must work together

human-centered innovation

applied game design: jam today

human-centered innovation

• game-based learning is becoming more and more popular, with many ‘serious games’ now being developed but not enough attention is given to how to implement these games in learning environments and how to make sure there are significant learning outcomes

jam today

human-centered innovation

• with the JamToday network, we want to use the principles of applied game design not just to create useful and meaningful games, but also to explicate and design the context (such as the classroom or curriculum) in which games can be most effectively implemented and used

jam today

human-centered innovation

• in this sense, our task is to help turn learning professionals into educational designers with the help of game design knowledge and practice • equally, we can help to turn learners into game- based thinkers and from only being technology users to becoming ICT practitioners

jam today

human-centered innovation

• each year, JamToday provides opportunities to collaborate at local, regional, national and European levels by establishing a series of game jams around different themes: • improving ICT skills • healthier lifestyles • learning maths

jam today

human-centered innovation

• expert advise for theme • game jams held across europe • evaluated for transfer to learning environments • annual conference • repeat year 2 • repeat year 3

jam today

human-centered innovation

publishing and game design

human-centered innovation

TISP 2: ICT & book sector

• TISP Recommendation 2: fostering cooperation between ICT and book sectors

• Organising events and supporting projects that include a full range of

stakeholders: software providers, start-ups, web and application

developers, but also publishers, content and service providers,

aggregators, operators in the supply chain, standard setting bodies (from

both IT and publishing), etc.

• Stimulating further convergence between book publishing and other

creative sectors, to enhance the trans-media aspects of book production

(for example via clustering, etc.); this growing convergence has to rely

on the industry operators themselves.

• Encouraging and giving prominence (also in funding) to practical

collaborative initiatives such as joint projects, labs and incubators that

can foster R&D&I.

human-centered innovation

TISP 2: ICT & book sector

• TISP Recommendation 2: fostering cooperation between ICT and book sectors • NL game sector many initiatives to foster collaboration with other sectors (eg health, public, publishing)

• networking lunches, matchmaking events, joint proposals, living labs, game jams • need for inter-regional and european initiatives

• need to create some successes

human-centered innovation

TISP 3: more attractive e-products

• TISP Recommendation 3: ICT for more attractive e-products

• Integrated ICT/publishing solutions can make books more attractive -

especially to the digital natives - by a book or give it a new angle.

Investment should be encouraged in technologies that improve products, production, distribution and marketing processes.

human-centered innovation

TISP 3: more attractive e-products

• interaction design is a significant area and both game design and narrative design offer much for the publishing sector • on game design, multi-channel and multi-device content requires new approaches to the creation and production of e-content

• narrative design in general and the transmedia storytelling area in particular

• huge potential for new e-products and for crossover solutions

human-centered innovation

TISP 7: digital educational content

• TISP Recommendation 7: digital educational content

• It is a documented fact that digital content works wonders at capturing

the attention and unleashing the imagination of the younger generation.

ICT and publishing should increasingly work together to support the

creation and adoption of digital school books.

• Encouraging the development of formats that facilitate the integration of

educational content in a variety of school platforms and devices.

• Improving the e-skills of teachers, paying due attention to their capacity

to select and use quality e-content in pedagogical contexts.

human-centered innovation

TISP 7: digital educational content

• games are becoming a primary tool for engaging the imagination of learners • but both students and teachers need to be able to both ‘read and write’, meaning they need to understand how to make games

• new e-products that meaningfully merge educational content and playful interaction are much needed

• game design based approaches use an ‘extended user’ model that involves teachers in co-creation and co-design

human-centered innovation

TISP 8: e-skills

• TISP Recommendation 8: e-skills

• Digital skills have an increasing importance in the economy, including in

the publishing sector. Any targeted initiatives to enhance ICT skills will

benefit both sectors and should be supported, as well as those coupling

media and publishing skills with ICT curricula.

• Supporting publishers in promoting the publishing sector as a creative

and innovative industry with digital challenges and opportunities, to

universities and other higher education institutions with an ICT programme.

human-centered innovation

TISP 8: e-skills

• games and game jams offer many opportunities to focus on the development of e-skills

• this is especially important for intermediaries in the learning sector, or indeed intermediaries on any professional sector

• the born digital generation already has these e-skills

• the involvement of knowledge institutions in dealing with this shifting e-literacy landscape is essential; we try to remain a few weeks ahead…

human-centered innovation

TISP 11: research & innovation

• TISP Recommendation 11: research and innovation in book sector

• R&I is to be supported in all the phases of the production and distribution

of books, not limited to digital products. Fields for digitally-powered

innovation include (though not limited to):

• Content management systems and, more in general, technologies for

the management of the production process of paper and electronic

books in integrated and cost effective way.

• Design and development of new products and services, in all the

publishing areas (children and adult fiction and non-fiction, educational

content, research journals and monographs, professional content,

including databases, etc.).

human-centered innovation

TISP 11: research & innovation

• game companies use rather different production workflows than the publishing sector

• however there are several potential overlaps in the overall processes from composition to production

• this applies of course to the design of new products

• but less obviously to new opportunities to co-create and co-design new services and then to provide them to different sectors, from educational to health

human-centered innovation

potential collaboration

human-centered innovation

new instruments for learning (such as early algebra, new approaches to supporting conceptualisation) new instruments for industry (such as new tools for game-based SMEs, innovation in creative design processes and new toolkits for playful intervention) new approaches to societal challenges (such as smallDATA rather than BIG DATA, smartSPACES rather than smartCITIES)

potential collaboration

human-centered innovation

david crombie HKU university of the arts utrecht

david.crombie@hku.nl

jan-pieter van seventer dutch game garden

jp@dutchgamegarden.nl

jam today network info@jamtoday.eu

more information

thank you