CNR IMATI

Best Practices for an Effective Design and Evaluation of Serious Games

Serious games serve as a critical tool for professional development and education, yet the industry suffers from a lack of standardized methodologies for their design and evaluation.

• Serious games must integrate pedagogical frameworks like constructivism, experiential learning, and Bloom’s taxonomy to ensure game mechanics actively support specific educational goals rather than serving as aesthetic overlays.
• Effective design requires a structured three-phase facilitation process consisting of briefing, gaming, and debriefing to reinforce complex concepts.
• To improve usability and learning outcomes, developers should prioritize meaningful context and reduce cognitive load through intuitive user interface design.