Developed paper prototype of the UNICEF Emergency Response Simulation Game, a two-hour, immersive experience designed to illustrate the challenges of humanitarian relief work. Players gather in a conference room or similar space, where they are organized into 5 content specific teams. A web application accessed on a computer acts as a guide for play. Through the course of the game, players must work within their team and across teams to complete a collection of various tasks, culminating in submitting a supply plane order to UNICEF headquarters in Copenhagen.

1. Emergency
Response
Simulation
Game
UNICEF’s mission is to support
and protect children around
the world, during and after major
emergencies. As an organization
funded entirely through donations,
a key challenge is to ensure people
clearly understand both the mission
and the role UNICEF takes on in
emergency situations.
UNICEF needed a new way to
engage the global community - to
help build partnerships for disaster
response, connect with donors, and
inspire volunteers and students.
Through early prototyping, UNICEF
recognized the most effective way
to engage and motivate people
around its mission is to give them a
taste of what humanitarian workers
experience on the ground.

2. Game Design
The design team set out to build a simulation game that educates players
about UNICEF, provides an opportunity for team building, and delivers an
engaging, memorable experience. The final solution is structured as an
immersive, short form role-playing game where teams work to complete tasks
before a time clock runs out. Game content is drawn from the 2011 floods in Sri
Lanka, providing a sense of realism and consequence.
Game Components
1. The Player Dashboard (built as a web application) which provides the
primary interface for teams
2. The Facilitator Dashboard for managing back-end game control
3. The Facilitator Manual which includes all game details and allows anyone
to become a game facilitator.
Emergency Response Simulation Game

3. NEWS FEED ITEM
FACILITATOR LOG-IN
EMAIL FROM HQ SUPPLY ORDER
END-GAME SURVEYEMAIL TO TEAM
PLAYER DASHBOARD
FACILITATOR DASHBOARD
Web Dashboard Screens
Emergency Response Simulation Game

4. Game Play
The Game experience is designed to run in exactly 2 hours - the most
reasonable time commitment for potential players. The game tasks culminate
with all teams submitting components of a Supply Plane Order from UNICEF
headquarters in Copenhagen. The facilitator then leads a debrief to reflect on
what players accomplished and how the tasks relate to UNICEF’s mission.
As part of the development process, the design studio facilitated game play in 3
locations - our New York Studio, UNICEF New York, and UNICEF Copenhagen.
March 2012
Design Studio
First Prototype
June 2012
UNICEF, New York
Full Test Run
July 2012
UNICEF, Copenhagen
First International
Deloyment
Emergency Response Simulation Game

5. Analyze
A group of designers
participated in UNICEF’s first
prototype of the game to
identify design opportunities
Design
The design team then mapped
out a new story arc, with
new game features
and mechanics
Test
To evaluate the new game
structure and content, we
built a paper prototype and
tested it live
Build
Incorporating feedback from
testing, we made design
refinements and completed the
digital dashboard
Design Process
The team designed and built the new game over several months, using an
iterative process. Each iteration was informed by feedback from live testing and
UNICEF project stakeholders.
Emergency Response Simulation Game

6. Project Value
The Emergency Response
Simulation Game is designed
for a global audience including
corporations, volunteers,
humanitarian groups, and students
groups. The game will eventually
become a pubic, open-source tool
aimed at increasing awareness
about UNICEF activities. The game
will help build empathy for UNICEF’s
mission to protect children and their
families, and highlight the valuable
role the organization plays in
emergency humanitarian relief. The
game will continue to evolve with
player input – V3.0 has already been
scoped out for 2013.
Emergency Response Simulation Game