Engineering a Clinically Traceable Serious Game for Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Bruna M. Barbosa UFG
• Carlos Henrique R. Souza UFG
• Halleffy H. Reis Santos UFG
• Pedro M. R. G. Silva UFG
• Daniela F. do Nascimento UFG
• Luciana O. Berretta UFG
• Sérgio T. Carvalho UFG

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbgames.2026.26301

Resumo

Introduction: Serious Games for Health (SGH) increasingly support clinical and therapeutic interventions, yet developers still rely heavily on ad hoc practices that limit software quality, clinical traceability, and long-term maintainability. Objective: This study presents the construction of a serious game for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through a Requirements Engineering framework that systematically translates clinical requirements into auditable game mechanics. Method: We grounded the proposed framework around the triad of People, Processes, and Products. The framework organizes development through four iterative stages: elicitation, analysis, specification, and validation. To demonstrate its application, we developed a high-fidelity vertical slice in Unity 1 focused on social-pragmatic training for adults with ASD. Results: The prototype implemented clinically grounded features, including a non-punitive correction loop, sensory-safe interaction design, and structured telemetry export for clinical monitoring. Internal and external evaluators confirmed that the resulting artifact preserved clinical intent, met sensory accessibility constraints, and provided sufficient technical autonomy for reproducible development. Conclusion: The results show that structured requirements artifacts can guide the construction of clinically coherent and technically auditable SGH, supporting more reliable and scalable digital health interventions.

Palavras-chave: Serious Games, Requirements Engineering, Traceability, Software Governance, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

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