Beyond the user experience: Evaluating a Digital Serious Game in Project Management

  • Fúlvia Fernanda de Lima UFPE
  • Adriano Ednaldo da Silva UFPE
  • Kaylane Gonçalves Lira UFPE
  • Eduardo Geber de Melo Albuquerque UFPE
  • Alexandre José Henrique de Oliveira Luna UFPE

Resumo


Context: The project management classroom often relies on theoretical teaching methods. However, a gap exists between the demand for skilled project managers and the ability of traditional education to fully prepare students. Problem: A major challenge in education, including project management learning, is maintaining student engagement and knowledge retention. Traditional methods often struggle to replicate real-world complexities, resulting in a gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. This study explores whether a serious game can effectively bridge this gap. Solution: Serious games emerge as a promising solution to enhance engagement and knowledge retention in various learning contexts. In this study, we evaluated a digital serious game to improve both the tool and the students' experience. IS Theory: The theory of organizational learning proposes that organizations can learn and adapt. Serious align with this theory by providing simulated environments for collaborative learning and practical experience. Method: The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques to evaluate a serious game by a group of project management students. Summarization of Results: The study found that the serious game was effective in engaging students and enhancing their understanding of project management concepts. Students reported positive experiences with the game, highlighting its ability to simulate real-world scenarios. The game also demonstrated potential for improving knowledge retention and practical skill development. Contributions and Impact on IS: Providing empirical evidence for the effectiveness of serious games in project management, the study can inform future research and practice in the field.

Palavras-chave: Project Management learning, Serious Game, Active Learning, Evaluation Process, DSR

Referências

PMI. (2021). PMI Talent Gap Report Highlights Persistent Disparity Between Available Talent and the Growing Demand for Project Management Skills. Retrieved September 9, 2021, from [link]

Xexéo, G. Silva E., Ouriques, L. Costa, L. F. C, and ‘Monclar, R. S. 2021. Games as Information Systems. In XVII Brazilian Symposium on Information Systems (SBSI 2021), June 7–10, 2021, Uberlândia, Brazil. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 8 pages. DOI: 10.1145/3466933.3466961

Westera, W. (2019). Why and how serious games can become far more effective: Accommodating productive learning experiences, learner motivation and monitoring of learning gains. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 22(1), 59–69.

de Vries, P. W., & Knol, E. (2011). Serious gaming as a means to change adolescents' attitudes towards saving energy: Preliminary results from the enercities case. EDEN Annual Conference Dublin, Ireland.

Keys, B., & Wolfe, J. (1990). The Role of Management Games and Simulations in Education and Research. Journal of Management, 16(2), 307-336. DOI: 10.1177/014920639001600205

Westerlund, K. K., & Kincaid, J. P. (2009). Simulation in Education and Training. In M. D. Rossetti, H. R. R, B. Johansson, A. Dunklin, & R. Ingalls (Ed.), Winter Simulation Conference. Austin.

Boscarioli, C.; Araujo, R. M.; Maciel, R. S. P. “I GranDSI-BR – Grand Research Challenges in Information Systems in Brazil 2016-2026”. Special Committee on Information Systems (CE-SI). Brazilian Computer Society (SBC). ISBN: [978-85-7669-384-0]. 2017. 184p.

Rufino Júnior, R., Classe, T. M., and Siqueira, S. W. M. (2023). Games with training purpose for hazard situations in the industry - systematic mapping of the literature. In Proceedings of IXX Brazilian Symposium of Information Systems, pages 1–10, New York. ACM. DOI: 10.1145/3592813.3592904.

Dempsey, J. V., Lucassen, B., & Rasmussen, K. (1996). Serious games: Games that educate, inform, motivate, and make money. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital game-based learning. McGraw-Hill.

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining gamification. In Proceedings of the 15th international academic mindtrek conference: Envisioning future media environments (pp. 9-15). ACM

IMARC, “Serious Games Market Report by Gaming Platform, Application, Industry Vertical, and Region 2024-2032,” 2023.

Hendrix, M., Al-Sherbaz, A., & Victoria, J. (2016). Serious games for project management education: A systematic review. Computers & Education, 95, 24-42.

Yost Hammer, E., & Giordano, P. J. (2012). Active Learning. In Effective College and University Teaching: Strategies and Tactics for the New Professoriate (pp. 99–106). 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks California 91320 United States: SAGE Publications, Inc. DOI: 10.4135/9781452244006.n11

Tanaka, M., Matsuda, T., & Otsuki, K. (2013). The effectiveness of serious games for project management education: A case study. In Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Computers in Education (pp. 453-457).

Tews, A., Göbel, S., & Fischer, G. (2020). Serious games for project management education: A systematic literature review. Computers & Education, 142, 103748.

Faisal, N., Chadhar, M., Goriss-Hunter, A., & Stranieri, A. (2022). Business Simulation Games in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of Empirical Research. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2022, 1–28. DOI: 10.1155/2022/1578791

Senge, P. M. (1990). A quinta disciplina: arte e prática da organização que aprende. Rio de Janeiro: Best Seller.

Luna, A. J. H. de O., Marinho, M. L. M., and Moura, H. P. de. 2020. Agile Governance Theory: operationalization. Innovations in Systems and Software Engineering, 16(3), 44. DOI: 10.1007/s11334-019-00345-3.

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (Third Edit). Los Angeles, US: SAGE Publications Inc.

Hevner, A. R., Chatterjee, S. 2012. Design Science in Information Systems. Springer (Vol. 28). DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-6108-2.

IPMA, G. (2015). Individual Competence Baseline. Nijkerk, The Netherlands, 432.

Lang, M., Freeman, M., Kiely, G., & Woszczynski, A. B. (2022). Special Issue Editorial: Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in IS Education.

Bardin, Laurence. Análise de conteúdo. São Paulo: Edições 70, 2011, 229 p.

Schaufeli, W. B., & Bakker, A. B. (2003). The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Student Version (UWES-S). Verfügbar Unter [link].

Trinkenreich, B. Santos, G. Barcellos, M. P. Sinis: A GQM+Strategies-based approach for identifying goals, strategies and indicators for IT services. Information and Software Technology, [S. l.], v. 100, n. October,Kłos, S.;

Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

DeVellis, R. F. (2012). Scale development: Theory and applications (3rd ed). California: Sage publications.

Skrzypek, K.; Dabrowski, K. 2017. A knowledge-management system for the innovation-strategy development of SME enterprises. Communications in Computer and Information Science, v. 756, p. 15-24.

Eito – Brun, R., Sicilia, M. 2017. An innovation activity model for Very Small Entities in the software sector: an empirical study. R&D Management, 47(5).
Publicado
19/05/2025
LIMA, Fúlvia Fernanda de; SILVA, Adriano Ednaldo da; LIRA, Kaylane Gonçalves; ALBUQUERQUE, Eduardo Geber de Melo; LUNA, Alexandre José Henrique de Oliveira. Beyond the user experience: Evaluating a Digital Serious Game in Project Management. In: SIMPÓSIO BRASILEIRO DE SISTEMAS DE INFORMAÇÃO (SBSI), 21. , 2025, Recife/PE. Anais [...]. Porto Alegre: Sociedade Brasileira de Computação, 2025 . p. 818-827. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbsi.2025.246659.