1. Design for the game itself.
When designing a game, think about what the player will be doing and what they will be learning. What are the skills and knowledge they need to learn? What is the best way to teach them?
For example, a training game on IT troubleshooting could be made into a mystery where the player must figure out how to fix a computer problem. In this case, you could create different steps that guide the player through troubleshooting.
2. Use gamification principles.
This means giving players points, badges, leaderboards, etc., as rewards for completing tasks or challenges in the game (also known as “achievements”). This works especially well if you are teaching something like project management skills or technical troubleshooting that requires players to perform multiple tasks over time to complete a larger goal.
This way, players can receive feedback on their progress toward completion of the overall goal at each step along the way (even if it is just knowing how many steps they have left). It also provides a sense of accomplishment as they see their progress accumulate and gives them an incentive to keep going even when things get difficult.
3. Provide options for replayability.
Players can get bored if they are playing the same game over and over again. This is especially true if the game is supposed to teach them something.
Players may learn a lesson or skill one time, but may not remember it when they go back to play the game again. One way to keep players engaged is to allow them to play the game multiple times and see different paths or ways of solving problems each time.
4. Provide fun and entertainment.
When designing games for eLearning, remember that you are also designing for fun and entertainment. If players don’t enjoy playing your game, they won’t learn anything from it either.
This doesn’t mean that your games have to be super funny or crazy, but you do want them to be engaging and challenging enough that players will want to come back for more (and more). If your games aren’t enjoyable, then there isn’t much point in using them at all!
5. Make it easy for learners to find what they need when they need it most.
When you are designing a game for eLearning, think about how you will help learners navigate through the learning experience once they start playing. If you have several different paths through the game, it is easy for players to get lost and confused about where they are supposed to go next.
Make sure you give them clear instructions on how to move through the game (such as which buttons to click, or which links to follow). This way, players can easily find what they need when they need it most.
