Developing entrepreneurial skills for Creative graduates and Alumni using Applied Gaming
Description
We are interested in using Applied Gaming as a complementary tool to evaluate and enhance Creative Industry focused entrepreneurial skills for those embarking on creative careers.
The intention is to provide a basic introduction to the skills, knowledge and roles required of the graduate creative looking to set up in business together with in-game signposting to where the creative practitioner can access assistance with some of the more complex areas of entrepreneurial endeavour
Takeaway
We would like to explore the context of the game, discuss the games concept and design, outline the challenges and opportunities of the joint development process, and demonstrate work in progress on the game itself. We would value the opportunity for feedback to inform further development.
Abstract
Context
Hull School of Art and Design recently piloted "Hatch", providing unpaid internships and creative business spaces for recent postgraduate students and early career alumni within a lively working studio environment. The intention was to enable the development of business ideas through business mentoring support focused upon sector and specific needs during their residency together with opportunities for entrepreneurial skills training.
Within the undergraduate curriculum we tend to focus mainly on the development of creative practice with our students, remaining keenly aware however that business minded practice is often something mentioned in brief. Professional practice modules mark the beginning of the student’s move into the creative marketplaces beyond the studio/institution and the investigation of business enterprise opportunities, however we felt there was scope for further development.
We identified a need for an Applied Game to evaluate and enhance Creative Industry focused entrepreneurial skills across a range of students who are about to embark on creative careers following graduation as a complement to the hatch programme.
Game Overview
The game is being developed as part of a European funded Horizon 2020 project RAGE (Realising an Applied Gaming Ecosystem) in collaboration with a number of partners including Games Development companies and Computer Science Research Institutes. Our role is that of Case Scenario development.
The game we have proposed develops an understanding that working within the creative industries, particularly if working for oneself or with like-minded contemporaries, requires the individual ability to manage/perform a wide range of tasks/job roles, The student/player will explore the ‘values’ of the creative business entrepreneur on a more immediate and interactive level, developing transferable skills and understanding highly sought in industry.
Through a series of mini-games within the larger game that use (where possible) a live, causal feedback interface, the game will identify key skills and knowledge areas appropriate to a particular creative market sector model or start-up enterprise. This business initiative might reflect that of a sole trader or a creative service provider, and even a “bricks and mortar”, fixed site enterprise such as a creative product retail store or a gallery.
The end goal of the game is to develop a fully rounded entrepreneurial skill set and comprehensive business plan that will go forward into a final “Dragons Den” stage in which the graduate/alumni project to the (NPC and/or peers, academic and industry) experts.