Gamified Participation: Challenging the current participation methods in urban development with Minecraft
Translated title
Gamified Participation
Authors
Johansen, August Gade ; Pedersen, Camilla Bech
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-06-07
Pages
100
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan gamification (brug af spilelementer i ikke-spil-sammenhænge) og serious games (spil udviklet til læring eller beslutningsstøtte) kan bruges til at inddrage borgere i byplanlægning. I dag foregår borgerinddragelse ofte via offentlige høringer eller enkle digitale løsninger som debatter på sociale medier og webbaserede spørgeskemaer. Disse formater fungerer for nogle, men tiltrækker sjældent unge familier og de helt unge. Generation Y, som er vant til fleksible tidspunkter og til at navigere i virtuelle verdener, kan være mere motiveret for at deltage digitalt, måske endda hjemmefra. Interaktive virtuelle værktøjer kan også styrke deltagernes rumlige forståelse, hvilket er kernen i digitale spil. Med udviklingen af Budolfi Plads i Aalborg som case sammenligner specialet traditionel borgerinddragelse med en gamificeret tilgang. I en pilot lod specialet 17 interviewpersoner opleve de planlagte bygninger i Minecraft og beskrive, hvordan denne immersion påvirkede deres forståelse af stedet. Resultaterne er samlet i en mappe vedlagt specialet, og der anbefales på det kraftigste mere afprøvning og brug af disse metoder i virkelige planprocesser, både for bedre at forstå deres fordele og udfordringer og for at følge med den voksende udbredelse af gamification.
This thesis explores how gamification (adding game-like elements to non-game contexts) and serious games (games designed for learning or decision-making) can be used to involve citizens in urban planning. Today, participation often happens through public hearings or simple online tools like social media debates and web surveys. These formats work for some people, but they tend to attract few young families and younger residents. Generation Y, used to flexible schedules and navigating virtual worlds, may prefer to take part through digital media, possibly from home. Interactive virtual tools can also improve participants' spatial understanding, which is central to digital games. Using the development of Budolfi Square in Aalborg as a case, the thesis compares traditional citizen involvement with a gamified approach. In a pilot, 17 interviewees used Minecraft to experience the planned buildings and then described how this immersion affected their understanding of the site. The thesis compiles the insights in an attached folder and strongly recommends further testing and practical use of these methods in real planning processes, both to better understand their strengths and limitations and to keep pace with the growing use of gamification.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Keywords
Documents