Microlearning Game Design: Applying the DDE Framework

Mastering Microlearning: Applying the DDE
Framework for Engaging Game Design
The DDE (Design, Dynamics, Experience) framework offers a robust approach to
game design, particularly when applied to microlearning, and holds immense potential
across diverse industries. Building on the foundational Mechanics, Dynamics, and
Aesthetics (MDA) framework, DDE emphasizes a more rigorous, iterative design
process focused on delivering impactful, experience-oriented learning outcomes.
Understanding the DDE Framework
The DDE framework, as outlined by MaxLearn, comprises three core elements:
● Design: This initial phase is highly iterative and involves meticulously planning
every aspect of the game. It is broken down into:

● Blueprint: Conceptualizing the game world, including art style, narrative,
character development, and sound design. This sets the overarching tone and
context for the learning experience.
● Mechanics: Defining the underlying code architecture, input/output handling, and
game rules. This is about how the game functions at a technical level.
● Interface: Determining how the game world is communicated to the player
through visuals, sounds, and interactive elements. A well-designed interface
ensures clarity and ease of use, crucial for microlearning.
● Dynamics: This element focuses on the creative process and how all game
components interact once the game is live. It considers player choices,
unpredictable behaviors, and how the design iterations influence the overall flow
and responsiveness of the game. Dynamics are about the unfolding of the game
in real-time, driven by player interaction and the system's responses.
● Experience: The culmination of the design and dynamics, this phase prioritizes
the "Player-Subject" and the "Antagonist."
● Player-Subject: This refers to the mental persona a learner adopts through play,
allowing them to safely navigate challenging scenarios.
● Antagonist: This element introduces conflict, driving the narrative and
presenting learners with problems to solve. The player's journey through the
game encompasses sensory, emotional, and intellectual experiences, all vital for
creating engaging and effective microlearning content. This holistic approach
ensures that learning is not just about information recall but also about practical
application and emotional engagement.
DDE in Action: Industry-Specific Microlearning Applications
The DDE framework is uniquely suited for designing microlearning solutions that
address specific training needs across various industries, offering bite-sized, interactive,
and highly effective learning experiences.
Insurance

In the insurance sector, microlearning games designed with DDE can effectively train
agents on complex policy details, compliance regulations, and customer interaction
scenarios.
● Design:
● Blueprint: Create scenarios around claim processing, new product launches, or
ethical selling.
● Mechanics: Develop decision-tree mechanics for policy selection, or mini-games
for calculating premiums.
● Interface: Use clear visual cues to highlight policy clauses or customer sentiment.
● Dynamics: Players navigate virtual customer interactions, with real-time
feedback on their choices, simulating the dynamics of client meetings and policy
explanations.
● Experience: Agents experience the consequences of incorrect advice in a safe
environment, building confidence in handling diverse customer queries and
ethical dilemmas. For example, a game could simulate a claim adjustment
process, where the player makes decisions that directly impact customer
satisfaction and company profitability.
Finance & Banking
For finance and banking, DDE-powered microlearning platform can educate
employees on anti-money laundering (AML) protocols, cybersecurity threats, or new
financial products.
● Design:
● Blueprint: Scenarios could involve identifying suspicious transactions or
explaining investment products to diverse clients.
● Mechanics: Incorporate mini-quizzes on regulatory compliance or drag-and-drop
exercises for financial literacy concepts.
● Interface: Dashboards showing client portfolios or transaction histories.
● Dynamics: Employees face dynamic financial market simulations or evolving
fraud scenarios, requiring quick, informed decisions.

● Experience: Learners understand the real-world impact of their decisions on
customer trust and regulatory adherence, fostering a strong sense of
responsibility and ethical conduct. A game could challenge banking staff to
correctly identify and report suspicious transactions, with dynamic scenarios that
test their understanding of AML regulations.
Retail
In retail, DDE can enhance training for sales techniques, inventory management,
customer service, and product knowledge.
● Design:
● Blueprint: Store layout simulations, customer persona development.
● Mechanics: Role-playing dialogues with branching options for customer service,
timed challenges for stock replenishment.
● Interface: Virtual product displays and interactive point-of-sale systems.
● Dynamics: Sales associates practice dynamic upselling and cross-selling
techniques, adapting to various customer behaviors and stock availability.
● Experience: Employees experience the satisfaction of successful sales
interactions and efficient store operations, leading to improved customer
satisfaction and sales performance. For instance, a game could simulate a busy
retail floor, requiring employees to manage multiple customer interactions
simultaneously while maintaining product displays.
Mining
For the mining industry, DDE-based microlearning can be invaluable for safety
training, equipment operation procedures, and emergency response.
● Design:
● Blueprint: Realistic simulations of mine environments, hazard identification
scenarios.
● Mechanics: Interactive checklists for pre-operation safety checks, timed drills for
emergency evacuations.

● Interface: 3D models of machinery with clickable parts for operational
instructions.
● Dynamics: Workers navigate dynamic safety challenges, responding to virtual
equipment malfunctions or unforeseen geological conditions.
● Experience: Learners develop a heightened sense of situational awareness and
quick decision-making abilities, significantly reducing the risk of accidents and
improving operational efficiency. A safety game could place workers in a virtual
mine, requiring them to identify and mitigate hazards before proceeding.
Healthcare
In healthcare, DDE microlearning can train medical professionals on new procedures,
patient care protocols, and communication skills.
● Design:
● Blueprint: Patient case studies, virtual hospital environments.
● Mechanics: Diagnostic puzzles, interactive simulations of medical procedures,
communication exercises with virtual patients.
● Interface: Digital patient charts and anatomical models.
● Dynamics: Healthcare workers adapt to evolving patient conditions and critical
medical scenarios, refining their diagnostic and treatment skills.
● Experience: Professionals gain confidence in high-pressure situations,
improving patient outcomes and inter-team collaboration. An emergency room
simulation could challenge nurses and doctors to prioritize patients and
administer correct treatments under time pressure.
Oil and Gas
For oil and gas, DDE is ideal for training on safety protocols, equipment maintenance,
and environmental regulations.
● Design:
● Blueprint: Simulations of oil rigs or refineries, scenarios involving equipment
failures or spills.