C3 SoftWorks: Super Bowl Challenge

Play the Super Bowl Challenge

(Created with BRAVO Game Builder Suite)

For pricing, contact C3 SoftWorks at: sales@c3softworks.com

For more information on BRAVO, click here.

Easily brand your game with your logo and colors

This week I was working with a client who was putting together a game for a kiosk at a trade show. During the course of the conversation, she kept raving about how much she loves BRAVO! She said, that she loved how easy it was to build a game, and was surprised by the flexibility she had in branding the game for their client.

She began, by showing me the game she created, and honestly, I was quite impressed. She had used her client’s corporate colors and logos to brand the game, and had used an animated Flash intro screen, (this appears when the game is first launched), with the clients’ artwork, to really give the game a custom look. She even created a unique stage, that went along with the theme of the game (a retro 1970’s theme). Additionally, they created their own Avatars, complete with custom clothing and hair styles from the 70’s, to go along with the theme. Once she realized how much she could customize the game on her own, there was no stopping her!

What is unique about the BRAVO! game builder suite, is that it is the ONLY game builder suite that allows a user to customize just about everything in the game. Not only can you easily add your own content, but, you can also customize the overall feel of the game (and you don’t have to be a programmer to do it!) Your game, when it is done, will look like you spent thousands of dollars to have a custom design made specifically for you.

One of the things our client mentioned, was that they had spent a lot of time looking for game builder software. She said that she found one product that allowed some very basic branding (like the ability to add a logo, and a limited template selection), but that was it. This software developer provided a “customizing service,” for a fee. “Why would I want to pay them,” she said, “when BRAVO! allows me to do all of the customizing I need, without any outside help?” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. ;-)

When less is more - A personal relfection on the objectives of training

Recently, I sat through a session where an instructor jammed packed it with so much stuff, if I could have retained a quarter of it, I would be a rocket scientist by now. But the fact is this, and I see it all the time, where instructors get so bogged down in the list of what they want to cover they lose sight of what their true objective is, which is to make sure their students learn something.

This also reminds me of a conversation I had with a colleague recently about an upcoming training session we were going to present. My colleague made a list of things we should include; it was quite impressive I might add. After I heard the list, I asked this question: What is the objective of the session? Is it to cover the list or is it to have our audience feel comfortable and actually learn something? Because if you want me to cover everything on the list, I can do that blind folded, I can spew out information all day long. But if you want my audience to actually retain information and learn something and actually be engaged in the learning process, then that requires a different strategy.

I realize that sometimes we get stuck in a situation where we need to cover X,Y, and Z, and it needs to be covered in a specific time frame, but if you do have an option of the content you can deliver, consider these wise words: “Sometimes, less is more!”. I find myself more and more looking at what is my true objective, and it usually boils down to getting my class to learn. And just because I can spew out data, facts and other stuff all day long (and man I can do this without batting an eye), I have to look at what is my true objective, and whenever possible, I find myself teaching less content so my students can learn more.

Be careful on what you call it: Perception, perception, perception.

In my previous blog, I talked about how a client was concerned about the “gamey look” of a game and that it may not be viewed as a serious teaching tool. I’ve since followed up with that client, and here’s what we found:

Of the 7,817 people that played the games in the past 15 days (3 different groups and three different games), the data suggests that it was a success. The majority of those who played a game, played it all the way to the end. About one-third, played the game at least twice, and the average time spent playing the game was 5:15 minutes. The game consisted of 9 questions, and featured additional teaching points in most questions.

The issue, as they saw it, was with one of the test groups. This group had the largest audience, and in fact had the smallest number of plays compared to the other groups. At first, they thought the “frivolous” look of game may have prevented many from playing the game. But, after studying the data, they realized that the game was not the issue at all – it was the way it was promoted that kept their audience from playing.

Let me give you a little information so you can follow:

The data collection starts as soon as a game is launched. If their original observation was correct (that people opened the game, thought it was too gamey, and immediately closed it), then we would see a higher number of clicks or opens of the game, but a much shorter time in game play (much less than 5:14 minutes). Since we know that the majority of people who clicked on the game, played it all the way through, we know we had a different issue. It became obvious, to the client, that the issue was rooted in perception.

Why? We believe that the game was presented to this group in a way that marginalized the educational impact of the game. They actually doomed the game before people even got to it, by describing the game as a “fun holiday trivia game.” In fact, the game (although it had a holiday theme) contained no holiday content. It featured questions, based on educational articles from their website, that would not only teach them something, but encourage them to dig in and learn more.

This goes back to something I have mentioned many times, “be careful how you describe your game.” Be aware that the word “game,” connotes many things to different people. Games provide a powerful vehicle for delivering instructional content, but may be perceived as a frivolous exercise. If you want your game to be taken seriously (and reap the benefits that games provide – engagement, motivation, interaction), make sure you let your audience know that they might just learn something while “playing”.

“Bait & Switch” your trainees

Why using training games can help to deliver your content

I recently had a discussion with an organization about the use of a training game or games to review or deliver information on a website. Their concern is like many others when it comes to games: How will it be perceived? Is it too gamey? Will it not be taken seriously? These are all excellent questions, and one that I get from classroom instructors all the time.

The answer is simple…it is what you make it out to be. If a game fails to deliver content, it’s probably not the games’ fault, it’s most likely in how it is being used or misused.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when using games in your training:

1. Make sure when creating questions, you have a specific objective in mind.
2. Be sure to include additional teaching summary screens before and/or after a question. (These summary screens need to be simple and to the point)
3. The questions are simply a guide to help you deliver your teaching points.

Many people are not opposed to using questions online to review or test knowledge. What they get hung up on is the game concept - they think it may make the subject appear less important or not as serious as it should be.

Think of it like this, you are using the game to get them to view your content, then once you get them to play, now you can deliver your information to them, a form of “bait & switch” if you will.

What’s great about delivering games in this format is you can have as few people or as many people playing at one time – in the classroom or online.

Firefighters use BRAVO! and Audience Response Pads to deliver information

Every year a local fire department likes to have a little fun and mix it up with a review game for the last fire training drill. The host was a firefighter that wasn’t new to using games, and in the past they have used a PowerPoint Jeopardy template to deliver their training games. This year they went high tech if you will, and use the BRAVO! game builder suite and audience response pads. This was a big step for them. I did help them a little with content, but they were going to host the games on their own. And I was just going to observe.

For the first run, they had just over 50 participants playing a QuizShow game. They broke the group into 4 teams representing each station and each attendee had their own audience response pad which was assigned to a specific team. During the game, they would be presenting questions which each participant would answer individually in the class. When every one answered, the host would then reveal the results showing how everyone did. He was then able to discuss why it was right or wrong and add any additional teaching points. QuizShow automatically calculated each team members’ response by playing a sound effect and a chart revealed each teams’ responses. This created a little excitement as each team watched the results.

Following this first game, they decided to play SpinOff which added a different twist to the second game which contained only 8 questions. Each team chose a representative who would then be assigned an audience response pad. This game would be played similar to the first game but with a more competitive twist and of course only 4 players. In the first game each user was scored based on whether their answer was correct or incorrect. However, this game was set up in All Play mode which is based on 2 things: (1) a correct response (2) how fast they answered. This added a different layer of fun to the game and created excitement for the viewing spectators.

This was this instructor’s first use of BRAVO! and the audience response pads. I asked him how it compared to the PowerPoint Jeopardy versions he did in past years, and his response was simply that there was no comparison. The game was much easier to control, he knew what the audience knew, he did not have to keep score or work hard at running the game. Best of all, the game was simply his guide through the content – all he needed to do was to deliver additional teaching points and not worry about being the “game show host”.

Using a game to orient students on an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)

Recently, I was asked to participate in an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) orientation session for 1000+ High School students. There were four of us involved in the training sessions, and we would be working in groups of 2. The purpose of the training was to orientate the students and staff, on basic uses and applications of an AED. We realized the importance of training the staff at the school on the use of an AED, but we also wanted to make sure every student and staff member knew how simple they are to use, and where they are located in the school. My task, was to help them come up with the outline and questions, (I have trained on AEDs for over 18 years, and have placed AEDs in 100s of locations, including schools and businesses). I didn’t want to be the lead presenter; I wanted to help them develop the comfort level so they could do this on their own. I was most interested in seeing this content delivered as a training game and observing them using a software program called BRAVO! as a teaching tool.

The average session would have 25 students in attendance, and would run for 20 minutes. We would start out each session with a quick demo of the AED, and pick a “volunteer,” to come up and use the AED (with no prompting on how to use it). This, we felt, would illustrate the simplicity of the device. Once the demonstration was over, we would use a 6 question game along with Audience Response Pads (each student and teacher would get one) as a quick assessment.

We used the game as a way to deliver the content and information we wanted to cover. Just before the first question, for example, we had a slide emphasizing that this was an orientation session, and encouraged people to take a CPR and AED class. The first question, a poll question based of the AED demo, asked attendees, “how many people feel comfortable using the AED?” As we continued through the game, we used game questions to guide the presentation of our content. The questions, along with the Audience Response Pads, allowed us to see what the class knew. By understanding what the audience knew, we could then build on their responses. In fact, the incorrect answers really helped the instructors deliver the content more effectively.

For example, one question asked, “What is the biggest mistake you can make using an AED?” The answers where all over the place, but this allowed the instructors to address each response and to clarify common misconceptions.

The Response: We knew the kids would like it, but I was curious to see how the other 3 presenters liked it as a way to deliver information. I was curious to know if they felt it was effective, especially since they rarely present or teach in the classroom. They loved it. They found that the game helped them feel more comfortable, especially since the game was the focal point and not them. Sure, we could have presented the information in PowerPoint, but all of us felt it would not have been as effective as the game was. The game made the training process more enjoyable for all those involved.

To play the game we used during this training session, click here: www.c3softworks.com/games/east_ridge_hs_AED/play.html

NOTE: Notice how teaching points have been added throughout the game.