Video game design in the MBA curriculum: An experiential learning approach for teaching design thinking

Abstract

In the spirit of design thinking, we have developed a "hands-on" video game design workshop intended to be used for an MBA course on design thinking. This novel approach to teaching complex concepts and skills to business students has been received with enthusiasm, and it provides a unique and memorable experience for students to draw on as they encounter situations in which they will apply design thinking in the future. Additionally, student produced games and student reflections on the workshops provide initial evidence of the value of teaching design thinking through this type of experiential method. In this article we review key design thinking concepts, report on our continuing efforts to incorporate these principles into video game design workshops in the MBA curriculum, and conclude with reflections on improvements for future iterations in hopes that these lesson plans will be shared and will add value to other institutions teaching design thinking. Workshop lesson plans and student projects can be found online at http://www.kolobkreations.com/GDWweb/GDWHome.html. © 2011 by the Association for Information Systems.