Abstract:

Industry 4.0 and especially “future technologies”, such as autonomous transport systems and robotics technologies, involve significant changes in logistics processes. As a result, numerous recent studies point out an increase in competences and an inter-occupational extension of completely new competence requirements for professionals.
Especially against the background of the continuously growing importance of interdisciplinary competences, occupational training requires innovative approaches for competence-oriented training. [Acatech 2016; Ten Hompel, Henke 2014]

In this context, game-based learning and Serious Games have a great potential and have been applied increasingly on an international level. Serious Games, that is complete (computer) games which are developed to influence on the learning process. They especially foster problem-oriented, situational, explorative and thereby sustainable learning as well as learning motivation. [Dewitt; Ganguin 2011]. However, these potentials are often inhibited by the fact that learning is still perceived as hard work. Furthermore there is a lack of theoretical proof for the successful employment of Serious Games within companies and it is still not determined how they actually develop their full potential in the operational practice. [Hamari et al. 2014; Deterding et al. 2011].

This paper aims to fill this gap and presents first interim results of a multiperspective empirical requirement analysis. The study includes the different views on Serious Games from the perspective of game designer and the industrial practice in logistics (strategic management, personnel development, operative employees). The data collection and analysis has taken place during qualitative structured interviews and coding with the help of methods according to Mayring [Mayring 1993]. The analysis points out the importance of user-centric game design approaches (user-experience to enhance intrinsic learning motivation). Furthermore, didactic treatment (e.g. to focus on the learning processes and the balance between challenge and competence) and organisational integration (e.g. management and user commitment) are defined as necessary condition for long-term improvements to the competence development process. This paper concludes with recommendations on how companies can benefit from the potential that lies in Serious Games.
 
References:
[1] Acatech (2016): Kompetenzentwicklungsstudie Industrie 4.0., Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften (Hrsg.), München.
[2] Deterding, S.; Dixon, D.; Khaled, R.; Nacke, L. (2011): From Game Design Elements to Gamefulness: Defining „Gamification“. MindTrack`11, September 28-30, 2011, Tampere, Finnland.
[3] DeWitt, C.; Ganguin, S. (2011): In: Metz, M.; Thies, F. (Hrsg.): Digitale Lernwelt - Serious games: Einsatz in der beruflichen Weiterbildung, 2011.
[4] Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does Gamification Work? – A Literature Review of Empirical Studies on Gamification. In proceedings of the 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii, USA, January 6-9, 2014.
[5] Mayring, P. (1993): Einführung in die qualitative Sozialforschung; eine Anleitung zu qualitativem Denken (2. Auflage).
[6] Ten Hompel, M.; Henke, M. (2014): Logistik 4.0. In: Bauernhansl, T.; ten Hompel, M.; Vogel-Heuser, B. (Hrsg): Industrie 4.0 in Produktion, Automatisierung und Logistik-Anwendung, Technologien, Migration. Wiesbaden: Springer Verlag, S.615-624, 2014.

Keywords:

Serious Games, Logistics, Empirical requirements Analysis, Qualitative Analysis, Cometence-oriented further Training, Pedagogy, Educational Serious Game