Playtesting and Usability (5cr)

Objectives (course unit)

Student is able to:
- Plan, conduct and analyse playtests for game prototypes and finalized games
- Do heuristic game evaluations
- Iterate and communicate test results
- Integrate user research into game design process

Content (course unit)

Playtest planning, test preparation, test execution, test outcome analysis, expert evaluation and working with checklists, lean user testing, continuous testing.

Prerequisites (course unit)

None

Exam schedules

No final exam.
Students have to demonstrate knowledge and learned skills during the lectures and with assignments.

Assessment methods and criteria

- Active participation to lecture
- Preparation and presentation of homework
- Knowledge transfer to others (teach back)

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Lecture with integrated exercises and homework as pairs or single.

Learning materials

Based on following publications:
- Korhonen, Hannu, Evaluating Playability of Mobile Games with Expert Review Method
- Fullerton, Tracy, Game Design Workshop
- Krug, Steve, Rocket Surgery made Easy
- Schell, Jesse, The Art of Game Design
- Rubin, Jeffry and Chisnell, Dana, Handbook of Uability Testing
- Ibister, Katherin, Game Usability: Advancing the Player Experience
- Own material

Student workload

45 hours for attending to lectures
84 hours for homework and course preparation
129 hours in total

Content scheduling

- Introduction to playtesting and usability
- Expert evaluation based on heuristics
- Considering disabled game plalyers
- Usability test fundamentals
- Recruiting
- Questionnaire design
- Playtesting fundamentals
- Remote testing
- Implementing playtesting into a project
- User research methods
- External lecture (planned)

Practical training and working life cooperation

All major methods will be exercised with real life examples.

Further information

Aimed for Game Academy students.

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The students fails repeatedly to demonstrate basic skills.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

- Student is capable of demonstrating basic skills
- Student shows active participation for few major topics
- Student is satisfactory prepared for most lectures
- Student is capable of transferring basic knowledge and skills to others for most major topics

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

- Student is capable of demonstrating basic skills
- Student shows constant active participation for most major topics
- Student is well prepared for most lectures
- Student is capable of transferring knowledge and skills to others for most major topics

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

- Student shows constant active participation for all major topics
- Student is well prepared for all lectures
- Student is capable of transferring knowledge and skills to others for all major topics