Adapting Cognitive Task Analysis to Elicit the Skill Chain of a Game

Playing a game is a complex skill that comprises a set of more basic skills which map onto the component mechanics of the game. Basic skills and mechanics typically build and depend on each other in a nested learning hierarchy, which game designers have modelled as skill chains of skill atoms. For players to optimally learn and enjoy a game, it should introduce skill atoms in the ideal sequence of this hierarchy or chain. However, game designers typically construct and use hypothetical skill chains based solely on design intent, theory, or personal observation, rather than empirical observation of players. To address this need, this paper presents an adapted cognitive task analysis method for eliciting the empirical skill chain of a game. A case study illustrates and critically reflects the method. While effective in foregrounding overlooked low-level skills required by a game, its efficiency and generalizability remain to be proven

Games as Systems for Rehabilitation: A Design Strategy for Game-based Exercise Rehabilitation for Parkinson\u27s Disease

Games are of interest for health interventions including but not limited to physical activity and rehabilitation, behavior change, motor-cognitive training, and mood elevation. Despite increased interest in using games to produce positive health outcomes, the development or selection process of games, or their suitability for a target demographic in a context of health and rehabilitation, remains ad-hoc. As a result, game-based interventions lacking application specificity produce variable outcomes that obscure the true treatment effect of game-based therapies. To address this issue, we present a design strategy for game-based rehabilitation that uses a player-centric approach to develop/select games for specific contexts such as for improving functional deficits in patients with Parkinson’s disease. This strategy establishes a relationship between the exercise rehabilitation regimen and gameplay by incorporating the rehabilitation requirements, patient condition, and player affordances, into the game world. In addition, we present guiding questions to support the application of the design strategy for improving the effectiveness of game-based rehabilitations

The Tracer Method: Don\u27t Blink or You Might Miss it. A Novel Methodology Combining Cognitive Task Analysis and Eye Tracking

This thesis describes the development and first demonstration of a new Human Factors method, The Tracer Method, which is a combination of Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) and Eye Tracking. The study evaluated whether the two methods together produce new and different information than either method alone could provide. The method was tested using a video game, Overwatch, a dynamic, complex, and multiplayer game. The evaluation included: 1. Examining both in the same context (game), 2. Establishing unique contributions of each method alone, and 3. Evaluating overlapping information. Results identified some overlap between the two methods that provided some cross-validation of the data. Cognitive Task Analysis provided higher level strategies and course of actions that players implement during their games, while eye tracking provided visual patterns of search (order of eye movements). However, when combined, the two methods provide strategy information in context that neither method alone can provide. CTA elicits insight into how individuals make decisions and apply previous knowledge, experience, and environmental information. Eye tracking can support this through predictive models of individual’s eye tracking, to understand which elements are utilized in making predictions and situational assessments. We provide a tutorial and insight into best practices for implementation of The Tracer Method. This is the initial development of the new method, and on-going research is validating it in different environments. The Tracer Method is the first combined and documented systematic methodology that utilizes a changing and complicated environment and tests the interaction and output of Critical Decision Method and Eye Tracking