Using a Serious Game as an Elicitation Tool in Interview Research: Reflections on Methodology

Area of Science:

• Healthcare research methodology
• Human-computer interaction
• Medical education

Background:

• Healthcare decision-making is complex due to system demands and professional pressures.
• Serious games offer an underutilized method for gathering decision-making data.
• Understanding nurse decision-making is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the use of serious games as a methodological tool for studying healthcare decision-making.
• To assess the effectiveness of a serious game in eliciting tacit knowledge from healthcare professionals.
• To reflect on a case study employing a serious game within semistructured interviews.

Main Methods:

• A methodological case study was conducted using the serious game 'Resilience Challenge'.
• The game simulated a patient's hospital journey, requiring players to make care decisions.
• Semistructured interviews incorporating the game were administered to 20 nurses (in-person and remote).
• Mini debriefs after game scenarios were used to probe decision-making processes.

Main Results:

• The 'Resilience Challenge' game effectively engaged nurses in decision-making scenarios.
• Integrating game scenarios with debriefs facilitated the elicitation of tacit knowledge.
• The methodology proved useful for understanding the nuances of clinical decision-making.
• Both in-person and remote interview formats were viable.

Conclusions:

• Serious games represent a promising research tool for investigating healthcare professional decision-making.
• This methodology can uncover tacit knowledge that traditional interview methods might miss.
• Further research into serious games for healthcare decision-making research is warranted.