Anders Nordby works at the Department of Game Education – The Game School at INN University, and has completed his PhD in the programme Innovation in Services in the Public and Private Sectors (INSEPP).
His thesis is titled "System Thinking in Serious Games".
"A system can be your bicycle, for example, which consists of many parts and systems connected to form a bike. However, it is difficult to recognize it as your bike if you only see the parts scattered on the ground. One must learn to see and describe systems and create models of them that can be tested to understand how they work. This can be done using scientific tools like System Thinking," explains Anders Nordby to inn.no.
This can be done by using a scientific tool called systems thinking.
"Games, including video games, are also systems, and System Thinking can be used to develop them. This is what I've been working on in my PhD thesis," he says.
Anders Nordby's PhD research question was: "How can systems thinking be used to understand, design, develop, and document the process of developing serious games?" The work also looks at how to learn (pedagogy), and how to create motivation (psychology).
"The focus is on "serious games" used for learning and training, but that doesn't mean the results are applicable to the development of entertainment games; it's just not the focus," says Nordby.
The research contributes a theoretical framework and practical insight into how systems thinking can be used to understand, design and develop serious games.
This in turn can contribute to turning serious games into more effective tools for learning and skill development. Among other things, it can be used to enable us to understand one of the greatest challenges of our time.
"Systems thinking and an understanding of systems are fundamental for insight into how climate and weather systems work. This is therefore important for understanding, for example, the climate crisis. Serious games can be used to convey and point out what can be done in a visual, simple and fun way," writes Anders Nordby to inn.no.
The main findings of the PhD:
- By applying systems thinking, developers gain a better understanding of the complex relationships and interactions within the game. This holistic approach enables more comprehensive and effective design.
- The emphasis on creating models of systems that can be tested contributes to improving game mechanics and dynamics, potentially leading to lower development costs.
- Proper documentation is crucial in any development process. Documentation using systems thinking contributes to better practices, facilitates knowledge sharing, and potentially accelerates future development of serious games.
Here you will find more information about Anders Nordby's public defence on 24 January 2024.
Contact information:
- anders.nordby@inn.no
- Phone
- +47 62 51 77 83