Employing ‘Serious Gaming’ to Explore Challenges and Solutions in the Gulf of Mexico
Employing ‘Serious Gaming’ to Explore Challenges and Solutions in the Gulf of Mexico
Employing ‘Serious Gaming’ to Explore Challenges and Solutions in the Gulf of Mexico
By Maeghan Klinker
March 6, 2023
Summary
While most people play games simply to have fun, gaming applications are serious business for many.
"Gaming is a tool to leverage the inherent creativity and inconsistency of human beings. When human beings are part of the question, you need a tool that takes that inherent uncertainty into account, and gaming is the only tool I know of that does that."
Among the users of serious games is the National Academies' Gulf Research Program, which convenes stakeholders across government, industry, academia, and Gulf communities to explore challenges facing the Gulf region.
"The GRP is exploring serious gaming as part of its strategy to bring together diverse perspectives to help find these solutions."
The Investing in Resilient Infrastructure game explored possible ways to prioritize infrastructure investments across sectors, anchored in the Gulf region energy industry.
"These games bring out a level of engagement unique from other workshops," said James Price, program officer for GRP's Board on Gulf Offshore Energy Safety.
"The serious games bring an element of fun to this work, force partnerships and teamwork, and help the GRP build cohesive teams. Together - these teams with us and with each other - we imagine what a resilient and sustainable future looks like for the Gulf Coast."
Reference
Klinker, M. (2023, March 6). Employing ‘Serious Gaming’ to Explore Challenges and Solutions in the Gulf of Mexico. Nationalacademies.org. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2023/03/employing-serious-gaming-to-explore-challenges-and-solutions-in-the-gulf-of-mexico