A Digital Simulation Game for Resource Management in Construction Projects

Abstract

The construction industry is on the verge of a digital transformation. Consequently, the gap widens between industry demands and fresh graduate capabilities. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a paradigm shift in the teaching approach for construction management education. To meet both industry demands and student expectations, Game-Based Learning (GBL) can substantially enhance both technical and transferable skills for digital-native students who struggle with traditional teaching methods. Although the body of knowledge recognizes GBL in general, their utilization remains limited in construction management. Moreover, there is little discussion on the design process of educational games. To address these gaps, this study adopted a unique approach to educational game design by developing a time-management strategy game about resource management in construction projects with unpredictable events. This paper presents the game design process and evaluation results of a single-player digital game called ‘Always Under Stress’ developed using the Godot game engine. The goal of the game is to introduce resource management in construction projects and its associated challenges. The design and development steps, game engine, and workflow are discussed in-depth in relation to the learning objectives. In addition, this study explains how elements of randomness in educational game design can be used to challenge students’ planning and adaptability skills. Various stakeholders (n = 31), comprising of students, professors, and industry professionals, were invited to evaluate the game across six dimensions of educational game design. Results revealed positive reception towards the developed prototype regarding educational value and critical comments regarding user experience and onboarding for beginners. The findings of this study provide invaluable guidelines, considerations and lessons learned for prospective educational game designers and researchers.