Anxious design: Benefits of Designing Simulators with Structural Elements that Generate Anxiety

Abstract

This brief intends to explain how methodical research around possible anxiety-generating elements present in the structure of games and simulators, can bring considerable learning benefits to participants. The hypothesis is that anxiety can be intention-ally and effectively structured in the design of andragogic simu-lators, with the effect of promoting cognitive development, so-cial consciousness and emotional awareness. Information is recovered through specific observation guides and question-naires. Evidence showed positive results when user’s experi-ence is accompanied by a trained facilitator, who provide feed-back to users in specific timeouts. Ethical considerations of these simulators are extensively discussed in this paper, and full information, control and objectives of the research were stated to all participants. The process of designing and installing anxi-ety-generating elements in the structure of a simulator is ex-plained using the Mercante game as an example.