Advance Care Planning Serious Game

Assigned Human-Computer Interaction Computer Science Games Engineering Bachelor Master Project Thesis No Affiliation

Background

Advance care planning (ACP) is a way in which an individual can plan ahead and communicate their wishes in case they are not able to consent to or refuse further medical treatment. However, healthcare research seldomly addressed young adults and there is a general gap on ACP in the human-computer interaction literature. We are investigating computer-supported ACP to (1) raising attention about ACP, (2) engaging people in ACP, (3) support documenting an ACP, and (4) making ACP content available to healthcare staff.

Goal

The goal of this project is to investigate serious games as a possibility to raising attention about ACP and engaging people in thinking about ACP. For example, in a racing game (car accident) or a first-person shooter (shooting wound) an embedded mini-game could result in a medical situation that would provide the view of a physician or surrogate and require the player to make decisions for the game character. Such a serious game enables the player to take the view of a physician or surrogate and to face the dilemma of making the correct decision. This may help the player to experience the benefits of ACP and generate the missing motivation to engage an ACP process. The project involves the design and implementation of the game and, depending on the size of the course module, an evaluation. The project will be done in close collaboration with experts from the University Hospital Würzburg.

Prerequisites

• Experience with Unity game engine
• Experience with 3D modelling
• Interest in conducting user studies
• Interest in serious games
• Interest in interdisciplinary work

Contact Persons at the University Würzburg