2009 Volume 19 Issue 2 Pages 145-156
This research proposes both a new development framework and a game evaluation method for business game developers. The objectives for proposing a new development framework are two-fold: first, so that developers can create a business game which captures the features of the envisioned business accurately, and second, so that game players can easily understand the business’s features. Meanwhile, the latter aspect of this study aims to measure players’ understanding about the factors and structures of business games by employing a newly developed “business game understanding sheet,” and to clarify what sort of business games maximize educational effects.
In order to measure the effects of the proposed framework, we performed laboratory experiments on the “business modeling” lecture at GSSM over a two-year period. Similarly, in order to test the validity of the evaluation method, we conducted experiments on the “business game” lecture at the same university for MBA students already in the work force. From these experiments, our main conclusions are as follows: First, games developed using the framework can tell players the features of the business. Second, the proposed framework can prevent creators from failing to convey their ideas effectively. Also, our results imply that the framework is useful for presenting the development procedure and sharing knowledge among game developers.
