ETERNA
EteRNA is a citizen science game that thrives from the contributions of its players. Each level teaches a different fundamental of protein folding. The game coaches players to solve protein folding problems already understood by an underlying algorithm. Expert players can incorporate their knowledge of fundamentals to solve highly complex folding problems that the underlying game algorithm cannot solve. Their submissions to a lab at Stanfod University are tested diagnose diseases like tuberculosis.
Our team wanted to improve the on-boarding experience of the game, to advanced more players to expert levels sooner. We also intended to support citizen science research by engaging a diverse population in evaluations and improving the quality of their contributions to science.
On-boarding Redesign for a Citizen Science Game
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Research Skills:
Literature review
Parsing online forums
Qualitative data coding
UX Plan Development
A/B Testing
Post-test surveying
THE CHALLENGE
UNDERSTAND THEORETICAL CONTEXT FOR MULTIMEDIA LEARNING
How do non-experts engage with complex topics for the first time? How can design reduce burden for novice learners?
IDENTIFY DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERFACE REDESIGN
How can we leverage the existing on-boarding levels in future designs?
DEVELOP AND TEST STRATEGY GUIDE
What insights can we gain after testing with diverse populations?
DESIGN AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
LITERATURE REVIEW
Researched literature across computing and education venues related to multimedia learning, and established evidence-base for design specifications.
PARSED ONLINE FORUMS
Reviewed posts in online forums dedicated to problem-solving between expert and novice players, and documented FAQs that new players had about concepts, the interface, and gameplay.
DEFINED DESIGN NEEDS
Created a plan of action using findings from literature review and online forum engagement.
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Identified that novice users:
Prefer simplicity over complexity when learning science concepts
Require reminders to solidify their understanding of new definitions and
Are accustomed to gradual learning formats and build their knowledge as they play (instead of all at once)
DESIGNED STRATEGY GUIDE
Designed a prototype of the strategy guide that included tutorials for game features and a search features.
The sidebar included:
Explanations of scientific concepts and their relevance in gameplay
Detailed GIFs demonstrating new aspects of gameplay
Tips for best practices informed by advice by expert players
EVALUATED STRATEGY GUIDE
Used A/B testing and post-test questionnaires to experimentally evaluate variations in performance between groups. Recruited non-Eterna players using Amazon's Mechanical Turk.
RESULTS
IDENTIFIED THAT THE SIDEBAR IS FEASIBLE FOR INTEGRATION IN THE EXISTING ON-BOARDING LEVELS, AND IMPROVES NOVICE PLAYER'S PROGRESSION TOWARD EXPERT STATUS
Players who saw the sidebar scored higher on questions that tested their understanding of scientific concepts, advanced through levels faster than those in the control group, and had higher confidence ratings in their understanding of the game.
