IF for PS Interactive Fiction for Performance Support Marci Paino marci.paino@gmail.com Kristina Killian kristina.killian@gmail.com Chrissy Chamberlain cmchambe@gmail.com

Overview | Instructional Objective | Learners | Context | Scope | Object of Game | Design Details

Competing Products | Motivational Issues | Design Process | References

Overview

In the recently published book, Job Aids and Performance Support: Moving from Knowledge in the Classroom to Knowledge Everywhere, Rossett and Schafer (2006) explain, “Efforts associated with performance support span the white space in organizations.  The effort often involves coping with what Gloria Gery called ‘the law of diminishing astonishment,’ as people who originally thought performance support was a nifty idea lose their enthusiasm for it” (p. 16*).  Contextual learning and just-in-time resources are changing the face of training and requiring practitioners to acquire a new set of skills. 

Interactive fiction (IF) is an ideal platform for simulating an instructional design case that enables practitioners to experience the ramifications of implementing performance support tools in a business context.  The real-world scenario allows players to make decisions based on anticipating and communicating benefits, and mitigating threats, like the law of diminishing astonishment, by utilizing the implementation principles described in Rossett & Schafer’s book.

Instructional Objective

This interactive case study enables players to experience real-world implications of implementing performance support tools in organizations.  Players will navigate through a large computer support company and need to make decisions regarding the implementation of a performance support tool, a sidekick, for technical support associates.  The case study will proceed based on the player’s decisions.  This interactive fiction game will enable players to:

• identify and mitigate threats to the success of performance support tools,
• anticipate and communicate benefits for utilizing performance support systems, 
• increase continuous buy-in among all employees, and
• use performance support implementation principles. 

Learners

This interactive fiction game is designed for anyone thinking about building and receiving benefits from performance support.  Specifically, this game focuses on two target audiences:

1. undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students studying instructional design, informational systems development or performance technology, and
2. practitioners in the field seeking professional development to better use the options now available to them for developing and supporting performance in the context of work and life. 

Moreover, learners will be eighteen years of age or older, have at least a high school education and familiarity with educational technology practice.

Context of Use

Setting.  The interactive case study can be used in several contexts, including an instructor-led class, a professional development workshop, or an individual assignment to be completed in a distance-learning classroom.  Players will need either a Mac or a PC computer and access to a website that will be setup to provide the e-game file, an interpreter, a game aid, and directions for using all components.

Accommodations.  In order to work on all platforms, the computer needs to have the game file and an interpreter, such as: Zoom or TADS.  The game will work on both Macs and PCs and any operating system can be used.  Internet connection is not needed to play the IF game; however, the game’s support will be located on a website.  If Internet connection is an issue, instructors can download the game file and the interpreter on all computers prior to the class.  The game cannot be used in an Internet browser; however, all components needed for game play will be included on a website so that eager players can quickly get their hands on the game.

Game Play.  The game can be played in small groups with no more than 3 to 4 people, or individually.  The benefit of playing in a group is the collaborative effort that enables players the opportunity to share multiple perspectives and experience levels.  A job aid, also called game aid, will be provided to allow players a reference of commands to use throughout the game.  This will ensure attention directed toward case problems rather than technical, game play problems.   

Pre-play.  Players will be asked to read the book by Allison Rossett and Lisa Schafer, Job Aids and Performance Support: Moving from Knowledge in the Classroom to Knowledge Everywhere, before playing the game.  This will ensure that they are familiar with the research and concepts surrounding performance support and contextual learning.  In addition, a self-assessment will be provided for those interested in understanding their current level of knowledge in areas addressed in the game.  Finally, the player will need to read the pithy directions on how to play the IF game and become familiar with the game aid described above.

Post-play.  At the conclusion of the game, a series of debriefing questions will be posed to allow players to reflect on their learning experience.  The debrief will include two parts: 1) questions for self or group reflection on what was done right and wrong and what could be done differently in the future and 2) compare and contrast exercise to assess decisions in comparison to Allison Rossett’s and Lisa Schafer’s expert decisions.  Finally, players are expected to apply skills and knowledge gained from the game on-the-job.

Scope

The whole game activity will last twelve to twenty minutes including game play (eight to ten minutes) and debriefing (five to ten minutes).  The content provided within the game includes the situation, the detailed plan and design for a sidekick performance support tool, the audience and stakeholders, and the challenge.  The game assumes the player has already planned and is ready for the implementation of the performance support tool.  Based on this premise, excluded content includes the performance analysis and needs assessment that lead to the decision to use a performance support tool as a solution.

The game begins with a single screen that introduces the scenario and then branches into various directions based on a player’s actions.   These actions will help identify threats and drivers to the initial and continuous success of a performance support tool, and could include: assuring executive sponsorship, conducting focus groups for evaluation, administering usability tests, running technical tests, communicating and promoting the tools, working with the vendor, training employees to use the tools as part of a blended solution, and introducing change management in relation to the use of the tools in the organization.  In some cases actions will lead to a quick and painless rollout that improves performance, maintains constant usage by technical support employees, and is continuously supported and updated by the organization.  However, other actions might lead down a road that would require a player to compensate for bad decisions, or to the implementation of a performance support tool in which employees and the organization quickly lose interest.  Preliminarily, the game will include approximately twenty screens and four branches; however, as the game is built, screens and branches are subject to change and sub-branches may be added.

Object of the Game

The goal of the game is to earn the most points in a given amount of time.  The time limit can be anywhere from five to ten minutes, depending on the parameters of the given learning environment.  Points are earned based on the effectiveness of the player’s decisions.  Making the right strategic decisions on the first try will result in the highest point allotment and making the wrong decisions will result in the lowest point allotment.  Ideally, the player’s decisions should parallel those of an expert, such as Allison Rossett.

Design Details

Universal Elements

The game consists of text-based scenarios with decision points where the user will make choices based on the optimal performance support tool implementation. Each choice results in players collecting “items,” which are added to their “implementation inventory.” At the end of the game, the implementation inventory will comprise a complete implementation strategy. Inform 7's technical constraints enable limited graphical capabilities; however, a few relevant pictures were included to add personality to the game. The following pictures were used in the game:

BlackBerry with various performance support formats

Allison Rossett, perplexed by a difficult situation.

Specific Elements

Introduction
Players begin by reading a description of the large computer support company, Tech Fleet, inc. and the company's concerns regarding a decrease in satisfaction with the technical support services. The solution to Tech Fleet's concerns is the design and development of a performance support tool. Players learn their task is to move throughout the company headquarters by typing in commands. First they need to review information about the use and design of the tool. Next, players must use this information to determine the best implementation strategies for Tech Fleet and build an implementation inventory.

Reviewing Information
The game initially directs players through areas of the headquarters to review information about Tech Fleet, inc.:

Target audience: A description of the users of the performance support tool.
General tasks of target audience: Explains tasks completed by agents while on a service call.
Assessment of Tech Fleet, Inc.'s culture: Rationale for why managers and agents of the company will value, promote, and use the performance support tool.
Design Documents: Design specifications of the tool are described and accompanied by graphics.

After reviewing this information, players are assured that Tech Fleet, Inc. is a perfect candidate to implement a performance support tool and must now make choices to determine the ideal implementation strategies.

Implementation Strategies
Players are given a list by fictional character, Allison Rossett, of things to consider when implementating a performance support tool. The list consists of 6 implementation strategies:

1. Place performance support in a blend
2. Target priority topics
3. Assure executive sponsorship
4. Establish a cross-functional team
5. Pilot and continuously improve
6. Measure and continuously communicate

For each strategy, players examine two different scenarios and must determine which scenario best matches the needs of Tech Fleet, Inc. Players earn points by taking the correct scenario and adding it to their implementation inventory. If players make the wrong choice, they will lose points and are guided to the correct answer. Each scenario is accompanied with a rationale for why it matches or does not match the needs of Tech Fleet, Inc.

Refer to the example below of the player determining the correct scenario for the first implementation strategy. The text in red indicates the commands players have typed.

Example: Blended Options
Examine the following documents and decide which blended opportunity will work best for Tech Fleet, Inc. Once you have decided on the blended option with which you decide to use, type "take (Blended Option 1 or 2)" to start building your implementation document.

Examine Blended Option 1

Examine Blended Option 2

>examine blended option 1
Technology support agents will be provided with an anchor blend that includes a short introductory class. They will learn the importance of using the tool, how to use it, and practice using it within a stressful environment. This class will be a requirement for all new employees to complete as part of their on-boarding program. The class will also be followed by independent experiences with additional online resources, diagnostics, practice and assessments.

>examine blended option 2
Instead of wasting time and money on providing the agents with an introduction to the new blackberry functions and teaching them how to use the new blackberry features, you decide to take the constructivist approach by providing them with a field blend. This blend affords agents with several various assets, including the new performance support tool, and empowers them to choose what, when, and where they want to use it.

>take blended option 2
Blended option 2 is not the best choice for Tech Fleet. With little guidance, agents are not comfortable using the performance support tool. More often than not, it collects dust on their dashboard. You have lost 10 points! Pleast try again.

[Your score has just gone down by ten points.]

>take blended option 1
Blended option 1 is the best choice for Tech Fleet. Agents are confident using the performance support tool and are utilizing it while out in the field. It has been added to your Implementation document and you have been awarded 10 points! Head south to next determine priority topic areas.
[Your score has just gone up by ten points.]

>South

The Winner!
The players who have 60 points by the end of the sixth strategy win! Players can also look at their implementation inventory to review their decisions they made throughout the game.

Post -Play
Players are provided with two questions to debrief:

1. What objects did you collect in your inventory? What were your scores?
2. What was effective? What was ineffective? Why?
   

Game Aid
Players are provided with a game aid to help in determining which commands to use at the appropriate time. You can view the game aid here.

Technical Elements

In order to work on all platforms, the computer needs to have the game file and an interpreter, such as: Zoom or TADS. The game will work on both Macs and PCs and any operating system can be used. Internet connection is not needed to play the IF game; however, the game ’s support will be located on a website. If Internet connection is an issue, instructors can download the game file and the interpreter on all computers prior to the class. The game cannot be used in an Internet browser; however, all components needed for game play will be included on a website so that eager players can quickly get their hands on the game.

Competing Products

Specifically, there are no case study interactive fiction games available on the market.  There are also no games that concentrate on performance support tool implementation strategies.  This creates a unique opportunity for this game to explore and thrive in uncharted territory; however, it should be noted that other platforms use scenarios and case studies as part of their games.  Simulation and strategy-based games are also used to create real-life scenarios with which players must interact in order to win the game.  SimCity is an example of a simulation and strategy game where the object is to build a successful city when provided with real-life situations.  Railroad Tycoon is a strategy game that incorporates laying track, building stations, buying trains, scheduling trains, and adds the economic components of supply & demand and the stock market.  Players use all of these tools to create a successful railroad.  Finally, Microsoft Flight Simulator X is a simulation game in which players learn how to take-off, fly, and land a plane, and integrates real-life possibilities inflicted by weather, terrain, and other effects.

Motivational Issues

IF for PS enables users to sit in the shoes of a performance improvement consultant and make decisions based on real-life scenarios that might arise when implementing a performance support tool in a company. Learners will be inclined to play the game based on its relevance to the real world, which according to Keller’s ARCS model is a motivating factor. Several motivation principles were applied to the design of IF for PS, including: relate instruction to learner's existing knowledge and skills, use simulations to allow learners to apply new knowledge to real life scenarios, implement scoring systems within a game to elicit extrinsic motivation, and use a readable writing style to maintain learner attention and increase conficence (Keller & Burkman, 1994). Players use prior knowledge of the instructional design or performance technology best practices to make decisions throughout the IF for PS game. Moreover, the knowledge gained from playing the game is relevant to the real world and can be applied on-the-job, if the opportunity exists for implementing a performance support tool. The scoring system used in the game enables the teams or individuals to compete for the highest score, encouraging them to choose the right scenarios and motivating them to apply newly-acquired concepts. The scoring system is also designed so that the learner is punished for "taking" the wrong object; therefore, the learner cannot simply "take" all of the objects throughout the game and still gain the maximum number of points. The text-based nature of interactive fiction games requires clear, concise and readable writing. The narrative used throughout IF for PS is also conversational, which increases motivation to learn (Clark & Mayer, 2003). Additionally, the game relies on pithy scenarios with only appropriate information included for the learner to make an accurate decision and the verbage reflects the knowledge level of the learners, which holds their attention so they are not distracted by words they do not understand.

Finally, learners become motivated through the use of cooperation, competition, and recognition (Lepper & Malone). IF for PS can be played in small groups or individually and encourages competition via the scoring system that awards points based on making expert decisions. The learners benefit from playing in small teams by collaboarting, exchanging feedback and sharing various perspectives. The post-play debrief provides each individual or team with the opportunity to share decisions and rationales made throughout the game with the entire class and receive feedback on their choices. This will elicit recognition for the individual or team with the highest score and validate existing skills and knowledge by both their peers and experts in the field.

Design Process

In the first meeting, our team decided to use Inform 7 as a platform for creating a scenario-based game focused on either performance support or performance analysis. Then we discussed our ideas with Allison Rossett, an expert in the performance technology field, to address the direction of the game. At the conclusion of this meeting, the team and Allison decided the focus of the game would incorporate implementation of performance support tools to supplement her newly published book, Job aids and performance support: Moving from knowledge in the classroom to knowledge everywhere. The team read the book and chapters eight, nine and ten provided the information necessary for writing a performance support case study.

The main obstacle in designing the game was deciding the appropriate content to include in the game, given the wide range of information in Rossett and Schafer's book. The context of game play, which will be in the classroom or workshop setting, was also closely considered when designing the game. The first version of the game concentrated on the player deciding if a performance support tool should or should not be implemented based on the performance analysis, the tool's functionality, organizational culture, context of use, and communication strategy. The second version focused on players making performance support tool implementation decisions and provided the players with all the necessary background information about the tool, including that the company had already committed to implement the tool. The other content adjustment made was changing the target audience for the performance support tool from help desk agents, that may or may not be in the field, to only technical support agents who support customers at their houses or small businesses. This enables the case study to concentrate on one mobile performance support tool, which is more cutting-edge and innovative than an every day paper-based job aid, and prevents players from associating the pseudo-company to an existing one. The initial design discussions also included a role-play element in the game. The idea was to assign each person on a team a specific role to play, such as an instructional design theorist, which would add another instructional objective to the game; however, this aspect was deemed too complex and not value-adding to overall goal of the game.

As a result of usability testing with classmates and Allison Rossett, we made some important changes. The first was to include an extension which would automatically correct a player's type-o. This helps eliminate confusion when the interpreter does not understand the misspelled command. Secondly, it was determined that the names of objects were too long. For example, when a player typed in "examine blended option 1," there was frequent complaining about typing the whole length of the name. If they tried to abbreviate in any way, the interpreter would not understand and it would cause confusion.

The design process exposed several game design and development best practices, including: establishing a clear goal for the content, writing the content using a word processor before adding it to Inform 7, establishing a lucid site map before programming, eliciting the help of many players for feedback and revision suggestions, and revising and editing the content within Inform 7 to prevent grammatical errors and inconsistencies that might negatively impact game play. The game was improved by continuously meeting with Allison for expert opinion and feedback, utilizing online help guides, and eliciting Alex Dodge's help in programming and developing the game in Inform 7.

References

Clark, R.C. & Mayer, R.E. (2003). E-learning and the science of instruction. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

Keller, J. & Burkman, E. (1994). Motivation principles. In M. Fleming & W.H. Levie,
Instructional message design: Principles from the behavioral and cognitive
sciences (2nd ed., pp. 3-50). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

*Rossett, A. & Schafer, L. (2006). Job aids and performance support: The convergence of
learning and work.  Int. J. Learning Technology, 1-19.

Rossett, A. & Schafer, L. (2006).  Job aids and performance support: Moving from knowledge
in the classroom to knowledge everywhere. San Fransisco, CA: Pfeiffer.