Applying simulation experience design methods to creating serious game-based adaptive training systems

The purpose of the present paper is to briefly introduce adaptive training systems, and describe the Simulation Experience Design Method. Adaptive training systems are serious games whose goal it is to engender communication opportunities for players to learn about their strengths and weaknesses, receive real-time in-game performance feedback, and share diverse solutions and strategies during, between, and after game play in order to update, or adapt, player understanding. The Simulation Experience Design Method extends HCI approaches to create engaging multiplayer learning experiences by focusing on how dynamic game content, roles, scenarios, and assessment feedback contribute to emergent culture. Preliminary evaluations of an earlier instantiation of serious game-based adaptive training systems employing this design method have been positive. The contribution of the present paper lies in describing how designers create rich systems of experiences for serious games and adaptive training systems by employing HCI principles and the Simulation Experience Design Method. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.