An important part ofserious game development is the use of analytics. Analytics, and morespecifically learning analytics, involves the measurement, compilation, andanalysis of data for the purpose of optimizing learning outcomes. Analytics arebasically “actionable insights,” which means they allow you to take a deeperlook at the overall performance of a serious game and determine whether or notit is meeting your learning objective.
Understanding what,exactly, analytics are and why they are important to serious game developmentwill help you in the design process and also in assessing the educational valueof your game.
Why analytics are important
Learning analytics andassessment data give you the information you need to measure how effectivelythe serious game is achieving your intended goal. There is also an additionalbenefit in that analytics provide you with detailed insight into whatadjustments you can make to improve your results.
This informationindicates which tasks, rewards, and challenges are helping the learnersaccomplish the overall objective, and which areas they might be strugglingwith. There are various methods you can use to collect data, all of which willgive you a clearer perspective of how your game is performing and how youraudience is interacting with it. The more data you have at your disposal, thegreater your ability to make decisions that will ensure success.
Getting the data
Here are three ways totrack and store necessary data to analyze your serious game:
SCORM
SCORM tracks four basicmetrics: time, date, pass/fail, and score. For example, when the learner beginsthe game, SCORM communicates that information to your learning managementsystem (LMS). The same goes for completion; when the learner completes the trainingand receives a score, SCORM relays that information to your LMS. This is verylimiting and does not provide you with what is actually happening within theserious game.
The xAPI
The Experience API (xAPI;formerly Tin Can) is an external database able to track metrics outside of whatis available with SCORM. When an activity occurs that needs to be recorded, thexAPI sends that information to a Learning Record Store (LRS), which then relaysthe information to your LMS. The LRS can stand alone or work inside an LMS. ThexAPI is a great tool, if your LMS is compatible with it. Be sure to ask yourLMS provider if they are xAPI-compatible and ask for an example.
Custom learner tracking system
With a custom learnertracking system (LTS) you are able to track the metrics of your choice withinyour custom LTS. A custom LTS may be a good option if you are looking for morein-depth insight into your serious game and it will provide you the data youwant to know about the learners. The LTS gives you the ability to track whathappens within the game, as well as any additional relevant metrics.
Taking action
Analytics in serious gamesare essential to the success of the project. There are many different methodsthat may fit your specific needs, and you must align the analytics to the goalsand learning outcomes. By making a point of collecting data and tracking userprogress and other key points throughout the game, you should then be able todetermine what is working and what isn’t. With this understanding, you candetermine how well your serious game is reaching the desired learningobjective.
