TY - GEN
T1 - A User-Centred Design Framework for Agile Development of Educational Gamified Applications
AU - Espinoza Concha, Kaytlin Drew
AU - Zapata Del Río, Claudia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Agile methodologies, while fostering flexibility and rapid iteration, often present challenges in prioritizing user needs within the dynamic development process. This paper proposes a novel framework that seamlessly integrates User-Centred Design (UCD) principles with the Scrum framework for the development of engaging and effective educational gamified applications. The proposed framework leverages a comprehensive set of UCD techniques, including user interviews, focus groups, persona development, empathy mapping, journey mapping, usability testing, and heuristic evaluation. To validate the framework, a case study was conducted involving the development of a gamified application aimed at enhancing reading comprehension skills among university students. Qualitative data, gathered through interviews with the development team, revealed positive perceptions of the framework in facilitating user-centric decision-making throughout the development cycle. Quantitative data, collected using a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)-based questionnaire, further supported the framework’s effectiveness in ensuring user satisfaction and acceptance of the final product. The findings demonstrate that this integrated approach effectively addresses the challenges of balancing user needs with agile development constraints, ultimately leading to the creation of more user-centered, effective, and engaging educational gamified applications.
AB - Agile methodologies, while fostering flexibility and rapid iteration, often present challenges in prioritizing user needs within the dynamic development process. This paper proposes a novel framework that seamlessly integrates User-Centred Design (UCD) principles with the Scrum framework for the development of engaging and effective educational gamified applications. The proposed framework leverages a comprehensive set of UCD techniques, including user interviews, focus groups, persona development, empathy mapping, journey mapping, usability testing, and heuristic evaluation. To validate the framework, a case study was conducted involving the development of a gamified application aimed at enhancing reading comprehension skills among university students. Qualitative data, gathered through interviews with the development team, revealed positive perceptions of the framework in facilitating user-centric decision-making throughout the development cycle. Quantitative data, collected using a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)-based questionnaire, further supported the framework’s effectiveness in ensuring user satisfaction and acceptance of the final product. The findings demonstrate that this integrated approach effectively addresses the challenges of balancing user needs with agile development constraints, ultimately leading to the creation of more user-centered, effective, and engaging educational gamified applications.
KW - Agile
KW - Framework Integration
KW - Gamification
KW - Scrum
KW - User-Centred Design
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105008009547
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-93838-2_2
DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-93838-2_2
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:105008009547
SN - 9783031938375
T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science
SP - 18
EP - 34
BT - Human-Computer Interaction - Thematic Area, HCI 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Proceedings
A2 - Kurosu, Masaaki
A2 - Hashizume, Ayako
PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
T2 - Human Computer Interaction thematic area of the 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025
Y2 - 22 June 2025 through 27 June 2025
ER -