A talk Jesse Schell gave at Play Make Learn 2022 about the framework for transformational games that will be featured in the upcoming book by Barbara Chamberlin and Jesse Schell.

1. THE ART OF
EDUCATIONAL GAME
DESIGN
Jesse Schell and
Barbara Chamberlin

8. Schell Games Markets
Home Gaming
Education
Theme Parks
& Museums
Health

12. Transformational Games
Educational
Games
Games with
a Purpose
Serious
Games

13. https://www.transformationalframework.com/

14. Game Development Processes
Maintenance & Support
Research, Testing, and Evaluation
Prep
Design
Production

15. Game Development Processes
Maintenance & Support
Research, Testing, and Evaluation
Prep
Design
Production

16. The Transformational Design Process
Define the
action
Describe the
change
Design the
engagement

17. Describe the
change
Define the
action
Design the
engagement
C1: Physiology
C2: Emotion
C3: Knowledge
C4: Skill
C5: Behavior
A1: Receive
A2: Feel
A3: Try
A4: Apply
A5: Reflect
A6: Imagine
A7: Communicate
E1: Sensory
E2: Exploration
E3: Challenge
E4: Story
E5: Social
E6: Creative

18. Describe the change
C1:
Physiology
how they are
C2:
Emotion
how they feel
C3:
Knowledge
what they know
C4:
Skill
what they can do
C5:
Behavior
how they act

19. Describe the change
C1:
Physiology
how they are
C2:
Emotion
how they feel
C3:
Knowledge
what they know
C4:
Skill
what they can do
C5:
Behavior
how they act
appropriate
blood sugar
levels
prioritize
health
know what
impacts
sugar
able to test
properly
testing
regularly

20. Describe the change
C1:
Physiology
how they are
C2:
Emotion
how they feel
C3:
Knowledge
what they know
C4:
Skill
what they can do
C5:
Behavior
how they act
appropriate
blood sugar
levels
prioritize
health
know what
impacts
sugar
able to test
properly
testing
regularly

21. Describe the change
C1:
Physiology
how they are
C2:
Emotion
how they feel
C3:
Knowledge
what they know
C4:
Skill
what they can do
C5:
Behavior
how they act
appropriate
blood sugar
levels
prioritize
health
know what
impacts
sugar
able to test
properly
testing
regularly

22. The Transformational Design Process
Define the
action
Describe the
change

23. Define the action
The only
transformational
action
• Navigating the maze
• Collecting numbers
• Choosing which
numbers to use
• Attacking

24. Define the action
A1: Receive : watch, listen, read, experience, measure, monitor, notice, understand
A2: Feel : react, sympathize, empathize, be surprised
A3: Try : simply do, practice, attempt, fail, explore, experiment, set goals, create, play
A4: Apply : connect, bridge, combine, synthesize, relate, personalize
A5: Reflect : analyze, interpret, prioritize, question, reconsider
A6: Imagine : visualize, plan, predict, hypothesize, design
A7: Communicate : listen, explain, describe, articulate, share, discuss, persuade, collaborate

25. A1: Receive
watch, listen, read experience
measure and monitor
understand
notice

26. A1: Receive
Memory Heuristics
Heuristic 1: Repetition

29. Heuristic 2:
Primacy and
Recency

30. Heuristic 3: Surprise

33. Heuristic 4: Positive or Negative Outcomes

34. Heuristic 5: Emotional Impact

36. A1: Receive
Memory Heuristics
1. Repetition
2. Primacy and Recency
3. Surprise
4. Positive or Negative Outcomes
5. Emotional Impact

37. A2: Feel
Plutchik’s Wheel of
Emotions

38. A2: Feel
Plutchik’s Wheel of
Emotions

39. A3: Try
simply doing practice
set goals
experiment create play

40. A4: Apply
connect, bridge,
combine, synthesize
relate, personalize

41. A5: Reflect
analyze, interpret

42. A5: Reflect
prioritize

43. A5: Reflect
reconsider

44. A6: Imagine
visualize
plan
design
predict

45. A7: Communicate
listen, explain, describe, articulate, share, discuss,
persuade, collaborate

46. The Transformational Design Process
Define the
action
Describe the
change
Design the
engagement

47. E4: Story
E1: Sensory E3: Challenge
E6: Creative
E2: Exploration
E5: Social

48. Describe the
change
Define the
action
Design the
engagement
C1: Physiology
C2: Emotion
C3: Knowledge
C4: Skill
C5: Behavior
A1: Receive
A2: Feel
A3: Try
A4: Apply
A5: Reflect
A6: Imagine
A7: Communicate
E1: Sensory
E2: Exploration
E3: Challenge
E4: Story
E5: Social
E6: Creative

49. Three Transformational Questions
1. How do I want to change the player?
2. What activities will bring about this change?
3. What will make these activities engaging?

52. Thanks!
Slides: jesseschell.com
Twitter: @jesseschell, @bchamber
Email: jesse@schellgames.com
bchamber@nmsu.edu