{"id":14712,"date":"2022-08-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clevry.com\/blog\/whats-the-scientific-verdict-on-game-based-assessments\/"},"modified":"2023-01-31T14:53:01","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T14:53:01","slug":"whats-the-scientific-verdict-on-game-based-assessments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clevry.com\/sv\/blog\/whats-the-scientific-verdict-on-game-based-assessments\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the scientific verdict on game-based assessments?"},"content":{"rendered":"

No longer the new kid on the block:  What\u2019s the scientific verdict on game-based assessments?<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Game<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been about a decade since Game-Based Assessments hit the scene (at least in the UK) making promises to fundamentally disrupt the world of psychometrics and recruitment. Back in those heady days, Game-Based Assessments (or GBAs \u2013 a three-letter-acronym that never caught on quite as well as SJT) were very much the smashed avocado on sourdough to the traditional fried breakfast of psychometric testing.  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Did the initial buzz and marketing promise of the new technology catch on? In the VHS world of psychometrics, were GBAs the Blu-Ray or the Betamax? 10 years on, we can step back, catch our breath, and review what the science and practice of GBA have to tell us.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Fad or thing?<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n

When a new psychometric or technology becomes the hot, new, must-have assessment it takes a while for the dust to settle enough for us to understand whether it\u2019s a passing fad or an actual thing that will alter the landscape before becoming a part of it.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Because I\u2019m very old (old enough to remember the New Kids on the Block and VHS\/Betamax at least), I seen this wheel turn quite a few times. New models and technologies like EQ, SJTs<\/a>, adaptive testing, big-data create a storm of breathless articles, over-subscribed conference sessions, a sudden rush-to-market of competitor products before cooling down as case studies, user experience, and research combine to clarify how enduring the new thing will be.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

In terms of workplace assessments, this means understanding:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Does it actually work the way it claims?<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Does it offer genuine or distinctive advantages for users and candidates?<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. Are there both pragmatic and evidence-based reasons for adopting it?<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/span><\/p>\n

        What is game-based assessment?<\/span> <\/span><\/h2>\n

        Despite being around now for quite a while, there remains pretty widespread misapprehension about what a GBA actually it. And not just among practitioners, but also in research. Reviews of scientific literature in 2021 and 2022 looked back over preceding years of research and found that many papers confounded three overlapping approaches:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Gamification<\/span><\/strong> – where we apply techniques and touches from gaming mechanics into more traditional forms of assessment, in order to encourage completion rates<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. Gameful design<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 when developers build new assessments based on gaming mechanics<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \n
            1. Game-based Assessment<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 where developers build a game to test a specific psychological construct<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

               <\/span><\/p>\n

              It\u2019s confusing right? To bring it to life a bit, you can use gamification techniques to encourage people to do something they might not other wise do voluntarily. People might be more likely to throw their rubbish in a bin if it has a target drawn on it. You make the behaviour you want to elicit into a game. In testing or assessment, you can do the same by adding gamification touches \u2013 think whistles, bells, rewards.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/span>In gameful design, you don\u2019t need to encourage people to complete it, because you\u2019ve designed the test to be as game-like as you can, while still measuring personality\/ability on a traditional way.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

              Game-based assessments are built as games. But as part of their development process, the data captured during gameplay is used algorithmically to generate scores relating to psychological constructs, So, a game of Space Invaders could be built to measure extraversion. Or a game about collecting gold coins might measure impulsiveness.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

              Do GBAs meet their early claims?<\/span> <\/span><\/h2>\n

              When GBAs hit the assessment world, there was much discussion about potential upsides and downsides<\/span>. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

              Benefits of game-based assessment:<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n