O uso de UX research no processo de design de um Jogo analógico

Abstract

This undergraduate thesis addresses the integration of UX Research techniques actively and directly into the design process of an analog game. The project proposes the development of an analog (board) game, utilizing adaptations of user experience research and game evaluation methodologies to integrate feedback from user groups directly into the project stages. The research seeks to demonstrate the applicability and efficacy of user experience techniques in an unconventional context, far from digital interfaces, highlighting the relevance of active user participation in shaping the product to obtain an optimized final result. To this end, the methodology comprises the use of UX Research techniques through the execution of usability tests, including the development of scripts and the conduction of tests with focus groups. The Think-Aloud method is also used, in addition to post-test sessions and data analysis, with methodologies that allow for the organization, coding, and identification of behavioral patterns. This favors data analysis and the incorporation of results into design decisions. Specifically addressing the evaluation of the game artifact, adaptations of frameworks and scales such as GUESS (including its GUESS-18 version), GLIMPSE, and SGDA are used, tailored to the context of analog games to optimize data collection and interpretation. The project is structured into three development phases (initial, intermediate, and final), with usability tests conducted at each stage, consisting of prototypes produced to represent different versions of the game presented to participants. Insights generated from the analysis of the relationship between users and the different versions directly influenced design decisions, culminating in the final result. This study results in the development of an analog game directly refined and influenced by user perception, validating the effectiveness of UX Research as a fundamental tool for any project. It is possible to observe how experimental research can even be useful in guiding design decisions, based on the study of the relationship between the user and different scenarios the project may follow. It is understood that this practice can prove useful in the most diverse design approaches, including the development of analog games, in the context of this work. The goal is to contribute to the expansion of academic knowledge regarding the adaptability of UX to various scenarios and to reaffirm the central role of the user in the creation of meaningful experiences.