Child-Centered Game Development Framework

The aim of the CCGD framework is to provide a collection of approaches suitable for the involvement of smaller and large groups of preteens (children aged 10 to 13 years) throughout the entire game design and development process (i.e., analysis, concept, design, implementation, and evaluation phase). Children as participants should take over the active role of users, testers, informants, or design partners.

Analysis

In the analysis phase, children’s requirements, needs, preferences and game characteristics are investigated by conducting user, play and environment analyses.

Concept

In the concept phase, personas are created with the collected data of the analysis phase. Additionally, initial game concepts are brainstormed and one game idea is further elaborated referring to one or more personas.

Design

Once the game concept is finished, the design phase can start, where storyboards, design sketches, and low-fidelity prototypes of the game concept are developed.

Implementation

For the implementation phase, only existing tools are described in the following sections, as there was no need to develop new ones. Children can be taught programming and afterwards they can use them to prototype parts of their game ideas in order to explore them. Alternatively, game researchers, designers, and developers can collaboratively develop prototypes.

Evaluation

In the evaluation phase, game concepts, designs, and prototypes are evaluated, for example, with experts and children.

New Approach

Please provide a description of a new approach here.

DI Dr Christiane Moser

The CCGD framework is part of my PhD thesis. In order to make it available for other researchers or interested persons, I have decided to provide access via my website. If you are interested in a copy of my PhD thesis, please send an email to Christiane Moser.