Product/Task/Description

Lead(s)

Game description: operationalize game based

upon formal elements brought up in readings

Lee

9/20/2016 Yes

Have team members collaborate on the document, adding

parts Lee may have missed. Then, brainstorm more to further
develop the areas highlighted in yellow.

Decision Rationale due - one page doc @

minimum (it should be an explanation of the
rationale for choosing our components/game
mechanics, include background research, and
explain how we will implement the components
and game mechanics in our project)

All

9/22/2016 Yes

Discuss which parts of the document we feel most confident

about and which parts need the most work. Get feedback
from Professor Chiu on the document and figure out how to
solve any problems she found with our decision rationale.

Team Status Report: Make sure this sheet is filled

out with details and dates

Mary Ellen/Celina

9/22/2016 Yes

Evaluate our group's productivity for the week, and begin

coming up with more specific tasks that need to be
accomplished in the near future. Put these tasks in the Team
Status Report #2.

9/22/2016 Yes

Have other team members add research they find to the

document. Continue researching so we can base our game
off of research. Use some of the findings from this document
in our decision rationale as well as to help develop areas in
the game description

9/22/2016 Yes

All team members need to sufficiently brainstorm a minimum

of 5 ideas before Tuesday, 9/27

Research on similar games and on empathy

interventions

Shelby and Mary Ellen

Create a sheet detailing issues we need to work

out in regard to our game. Assign everyone a topic
to brainstorm a minimum of 5 solutions for
Mary Ellen
More research into learning objectives (specific to
our target population)

Grace and Rachel

Project Problem Solving: we've come up with 6

issues we neeed solutions for in our game (see
above slide). Each of us will be responsible for
brainstorming multiple solutions for one issue, and
then we will present the possible solutions to the
group.
All
Project Problem Solving Group Meeting: once
everyone finishes the assigned brainstorming, we
will meet as a group and discuss the possible
solutions to the issues. By the end of the meeting,
we will come to an agreement on these 6 topics.

Celina, Mary Ellen, Lee

Write Out Rules for the Game: specify specific

rules and regulations/ write out rules sheet for the
teacher

Lee

Team Status Report 2: Fill out this sheet for week

2, adding new categories when necessary.

Shelby/Celina

Due Date

Completed?

Tuesday, 9/27 Yes

See if members agree with the selected learning objectives

and discuss if they want to incorporate or remove a specific
learning objective.

Tuesday, 9/27 Yes

Meet as a group to make final decisions on these identified

issues.

Thursday, 9/29 Yes

Monday, October 10 Yes

October 6 Yes

Develop 27 topics for the game: determine the

topics of the interviews that the players will have to
learn about their partner each week. There will be
3 new topics per week, randomly assigned to each
partnership.
Everybody

Thursday, November 3 Yes

Design Levels for the Game: set the challenge

levels/ detective level assignment. That is, once
we have all of the 27 topics decided, each member
of the team will take 5-6 topics and come up with
restrictions for each level. These restrictions are
words that the player will not be able to say when
interviewing their partners, based on their levels.
As the players progress in levels, the restrictions
grow.
Everybody

Thursday, November 3 No

Determine which materials we need to acquire

(and how to acquire them) for our prototype
presentation

Shelby, Mary Ellen

Officially assemble all of the game's basic

components for the physical prototype

All

Write Rules/Procedures for the "Gathering

Evidence" (interview) phase of the game.

Rachel

October 10 Yes

Write Rules/Procedures for the "Going

Undercover" (written piece) phase of the game.

Grace

October 10 Yes

Write Rules/Procedures for how we will score the

game.

Celina

October 10 Yes

Enumerate a detailed list for all of the materials

required for the game (such that playtesters can
play).

Mary Ellen

October 10 Yes

Write an introduction for the game to establish the

premise and describe the time frame/longevity of
the game.

Shelby

Play our game as a group before we present the

prototype

All

Team Status Report 3: Plan for the next week of

activities based upon playtesting 1 and other areas
for improvement of game.
Lee
Get feedback from someone before prototype
presentation 2. Friends, classmates, Jennie, etc.
Group discussion on feedback from playtesting 1
on 10/13 and delegate tasks for improvement by
Tuesday's second playtesting.

Rachel

Next steps

Tuesday, October 11 Yes

Note further issues and plan to meet as a whole group to

further build out game as well as work on first prototype.
Use feedback to clarify and streamline the rules and
procedures document.
Ensure that entire team is aware of new tasks on the status
report. Facilitate completion of tasks.

Once we decided on the topics, each member will be

assigned 3-4 topics and each topic should have four
restrictions set (one for each level)

Put together the physical prototype such that 4-6 playtesters

can play

October 9/16 Yes

Conduct first playtesting session with students/specialists in

class on 10/13. Take notes and gather feedback from the
playtesters. Create a plan to edit/revise rules/physical
components based upon this feedback for further playtesting
on Tuesday, 10/18.

October 10 Yes
Tuesday, October 11 Yes

Iterate and revise game, including the rules/procedures and

all of the physical materials for the game.

Thursday, October 13 Yes

Organize group meeting over the weekend to collaborate on

game improvements and delegate tasks. Use these tasks to
prepare for playtesting 2.

Tuesday, October 18 Yes

Using the feedback and criticism incorporate them into the

game and change the challenges and flaws that arise.

Yes

Individually work on delegated tasks in order to be prepared

for playtesting 2.

Streamline and clarify Rules/Procedures for the

game (including a rubric for voting, what to do with
odd number of players, wording of restrictions,
etc.).
Shelby/Lee

10/16/2016 Yes

Implement new Rules/Procedures document during

Playtesting 2 and gather feedback on its clarity/usability.
Continue to iterate the document until it is intuitive and easy
to follow.

Develop the dramatic elements of the game to sell

the players on the premise. Begin plans for video
creation and material procurement to this end.
Mary Ellen/Grace/Rachel

10/16/2016 Yes

Implement the feasible dramatic elements (such as music

and intro script) during Playtesting 2 and gather feedback on
their effectiveness in establishing a compelling premise. Ask
playtesters their thoughts on the dramatic elements we were
not able to include in the prototype.

Monday, October 17 Yes

Bring updated physical components to Playtesting 2 in order

to run more rounds of the game and collect more feedback.

All

Tweak and prep physical components of the game

for Tuesday's playtest 2 based on playtesting.1
Celina

Saturday, October 15 or
Sunday, October 16

Interview Professor Amrisha Vaish in the

psychology department

Celina

10/31/2016 Yes

Interview PHD student Shaina Rowell from the

psychology department

Celina and Rachel

10/28/2016 Yes

Develop targeted questions/discussion points for

playtesters on Tuesday to see if we have improved
along the dimensions noted on Thursday 10/13 as
well as to mark new areas for improvement.
Lee

Develop a preliminary Conceptual Assessment

Framework (content, task, evidence models) for
the game in order to formalize the logic and more
clearly connect assessment to the learning goals.

Lee

Prototype Presentation: to show that the prorotype

clearly represents all parts of the project
All
Team Status Report 4: Plan for the next week
based upon game improvements identified in
Prototyping 1 and 2 feedback. Gear up for
playtesting-based prototype revision document
due.

Think about how to show that we are building Empathy

Monday, October 17 Yes

During debriefing sessions on Tuesday, Oct. 18, discuss the

targeted questions with playtesters and record their
responses. Begin the process of further iteration of the game
based on this feedback.

Tuesday, October 18 Yes

Use this document as a potential basis for discussion during

debriefing sessions during Playtesting 2. Use the document
as a springboard for further iteration by identifying parts of the
model (especially the evidence model) which are lacking, and
developing appropriate aspects of the game to reflect the
new model.

10/13/2016 and 10/18/2016 Yes

Get feedback from someone before prototype presentation

2? Friends, classmates, Jennie, etc. Also: use initial feedback
to revise rules/procedures and add dramatic elements to
improve game before 10/18.

10/20/2016 Yes

Discuss and summarize major themes from playtesting

feedback. Discuss the more complex issues as a group.
Assign specific group members to tackle each major theme.
Develop tasks to be completed before the due date of the
prototype revision.

Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) research and

potential for alignment within our game
(specifically writing-based).
Shelby

10/25/2016 Yes

Meet to discuss how to actually incorporate this into our

game. We should find ways to integrate SOL
topics/information in our game so that it becomes more
marketable to teachers. One necessary next step is to
interview teachers about which SOL elements they would
most like to have in a game.

Interview with special education expert regarding

modifications of our game for an inclusive
classroom.

10/25/2016 Yes

Discuss which ideas we would like to suggest to teachers

with inclusive classrooms. Make a document for teachers that
describes some ways that they could adjust the game if
necessary depending on their classroom.

Lee

Mary Ellen

Edit and improve the design of the physical

aspects of the game to be more intuitive,
specifically with more noticeable titles and clearer
instructions. Revise the teacher script document to
be more clear and concise.
Celina

11/1/2016 Yes

Brainstorming creative restrictions to be utilized at

the various levels of the game for added difficulty
and fun. Playtesters found this to be the most
engaging part of the game, so we plan to introduce
a wider variety of restrictions for added fun.
Rachel

10/25/2016 Yes

Put these restrictions on the new mission cards we are

printing. Test how well they work through playtesting with
friends and with a classroom.

Brainstorm rubric for the scoring process in order

to make it clearer to the voting students how to
evaluate their peers' empathic and writing abilities. Grace

10/25/2016 Yes

Write this new scoring system into the teacher rules

document. Figure out how to align it with our detective theme
in order to make it more fun. We then need to playtest the
new scoring method to make sure that the adjustments we
chose are the most effective ones.

Meet with Jennie to discuss the feedback from

playtesting and our next steps.

Celina, Mary Ellen, Grace, Rachel

10/27/2016 Yes

Create a new, approximately two page document describing

our game (learning objectives, brief overview, etc.) and send
to Jennie so that she can help us find teachers to interview
and classes to playtest our game.

Team Status Report 5: Update this document to

show what we have accomplished this week. Add
in categories for what needs to be completed next
week.

Mary Ellen

10/27/2016 Yes

Assemble the revision of our game so that we can have

another round of playtesting. Specifically, this round of
playtesting will be with our target population for the game.

Play test and see if the new and improved prototype is

clearer and more intuitive for the children.

Product/Task/Description

Lead(s)

Due Date

Completed?

Next steps

Playtesting-based prototype revision document:

Based upon the various tasks completed by the
rest of the team, write the playtesting-based
prototype revision document. Tie the revisions into
the readings and provide rationale for our
decisionmaking.
Lee

10/27/2016 Yes

Implement the changes that we have proposed for our game.

Get feedback from classmates, friends, and upper
elementary/middle school teachers so we can ensure that the
decisions we made are well-received by others.

Conduct research on Challenge/Flow: define the

dimension, explain the problems it uncovered in
our game, and propose solutions with researchbacked rationale. Prepare these tables for
integration into larger research-based prototype
revision document.

11/02/2016 Yes

Report findings to group. Pose specific questions to the group

to be settled before research-based prototype revision is
turned in. Take chosen revisions and apply them to the
relevant aspects of the game to be playtested.

11/02/2016 Yes

Report findings to group. Pose specific questions to the group

to be settled before research-based prototype revision is
turned in. Take chosen revisions and apply them to the
relevant aspects of the game to be playtested.

11/3/2016 Yes

Report findings to group. Pose specific questions to the group

to be settled before research-based prototype revision is
turned in. Take chosen revisions and apply them to the
relevant aspects of the game to be playtested.

11/3/2016 Yes

Report findings to group. Pose specific questions to the group

to be settled before research-based prototype revision is
turned in. Take chosen revisions and apply them to the
relevant aspects of the game to be playtested.

Grace

Conduct research on CAF: evidence model: define

the dimension, explain the problems it uncovered
in our game, and propose solutions with researchbacked rationale. Prepare these tables for
integration into larger research-based prototype
revision document.
Lee
Conduct research on Just-In-Time/On-Demand
Information: define the dimension, explain the
problems it uncovered in our game, and propose
solutions with research-backed rationale. Prepare
these tables for integration into larger researchbased prototype revision document.

Shelby

Conduct research on dramatic arc/premise: define

the dimension, explain the problems it uncovered
in our game, and propose solutions with researchbacked rationale. Prepare these tables for
integration into larger research-based prototype
revision document.
Mary Ellen
Conduct research on customization: define the
dimension, explain the problems it uncovered in
our game, and propose solutions with researchbacked rationale. Prepare these tables for
integration into larger research-based prototype
revision document.

Rachel

11/03/2016 Yes

Report findings to group. Pose specific questions to the group

to be settled before research-based prototype revision is
turned in. Take chosen revisions and apply them to the
relevant aspects of the game to be playtested.

Compile all of the individual research-revisions

tables into one document for submission. Compile
all reference lists and submit the document to
Jennie.

Celina

11/03/2016 Yes

Take chosen revisions and apply them to the game. Playtest

the revisions ASAP to get feedback on how well they were
integrated and if they should be kept or not.

Research-based prototype revision due

Grace and Rachel

11/03/2016 Yes

Finalize revisions and consult with the team, if, they agree
with all the revisions.

Team Status Report 6

Celina

11/03/2016 Yes

Prepare for playtesting with the Boys and Girls Club.

Restrictions suggestions list: develop more

creative and fun restrictions for implementation
into the game.

Grace

11/07/2016 Yes

Incorporate these restrictions on the mission cards, and

assign them to specific levels. Observe playtesting to
determine which restrictions are harder than others.

Make interview questions for the teacher and the

class (or, if boys and girls club, the kids): to be
prepared for the prototype testing with classroom

Shelby/Mary Ellen

10/29/2016 Yes

Complete interview at the Boys and Girls Club on 11/11.

Make revisions to the game accordingly.

Make a short document detailing our revised game

(this should include the learning objectives and
basic game overview). Send this document to
Jennie so that she can help us find more
playtesters.
Celina

11/6/2016 Yes

After getting approval on the document, I will send it to Jennie

to be sent to teachers for feedback.

Create adaptations sheet for teachers with

inclusive classrooms. This document should
include suggestions for how to adapt the game for
exceptional learners. Information in it should be
based off of the interview with Marie Black, notes
from which can be found in the google folder, as
well as upon our research.

11/6/2016 Yes

Make revisions to include accomodations to allow for an

inclusive classroom. Get feedback on the brainstormed ideas
of restrictions for different education disabilites. Finalize
revisions and incorporate into the game.

11/6/2016 Yes

Have group members review the guidebook and make

changes as they see fit. Ensure the document is fully
functional. Get feedback on the clarity and usefulness of the
document. Revise the document based upon this feedback.

Rachel

Update teacher script document to reflect all of the

playtesting- and research-based prototype
revisions chosen over the last two weeks. Ensure
that it is functional and ready for use in playtesting
next week.
Lee

11/6/2016 Yes

Move all of the topics onto mission cards, combining the

topics with levels of restrictions. Review topics one more time
to ensure that they are not too sensitive. Finally, observe the
reactions from the playtesters at the Boys and Girls Club to
see if they enjoy the topics we selected.

Set up playtesting appointment with the Boys and

Girls Club

Shelby

11/10/2016 Yes

Playtest with the Boys and Girls Club and obtain feedback
from them. Use this feedback to make needed changes in our
game before the final project pitch.

Team Status Report 7

Mary Ellen and Celina

11/10/2016 Yes

Meet next week to discuss assignments and decisions for the

final project pitch as well as the final project portfolio.

Prepare prototype to be used for playtesting

Celina

11/10/2016 Yes

Check if the prototype is aesthetically pleasing to the kids at

the boys and girls club

Playtest our game with our target audience at the

Boys and Girls Club.

Mary Ellen, Celina, and Grace

11/11/2016 Yes

Review feedback and make necessary changes from the

constructive feedback. Discuss changes for the time allotted
to interview and write. Also, consider the suggestion for extra
time to write interview questions before interview portion.

Make a scoring document on Excel so that

teachers can have an easily accessed scoring
sheet that adds the point totals for them.

Rachel

11/14/2016 Yes

Confirm with rest of the group to see if there are any things
missing to the score sheet. This will occur at the next
meeting.

Create introductory video script and create video.

This will make it more exciting for the class to
begin playing the game, since they will be
addressed by a "top secret spy company" instead
of by their teacher.

Mary Ellen and Shelby

11/13/2016 Yes

Make executive decisions on whether to keep Shelby's voice

or her disgused voice in the video. Also, for aesthetics,
decide whether or not to keep the SPY picture in the video.

Update the feedback received from playtesting at

the girls and boys club to be used for user testing
refinement

Celina and Grace

11/11/2016 Yes

Must take the feedback from scoring and the interview portion
to make changes to the games rather just noting the testing
flaws. At next team meeting, must see how realistic the
brainstormed changes are when applied to the gaming
mechanics.

User Testing Refinement Document - this will be a

write-up of everything that we learned from
playtesting that we need to change (or at least
consider changing) in our game. This document
will detail what specific changes we plan on
implementing.
Lee

11/14/2016 Yes

Research further into SOL objectives for the expanded age

group: 7th and 8th graders. Modify teacher guidebook to
incorporate changes in structure with the video, inclusion of
the detective kits, and extra interview question brainstorming
period.

Edit the scoring rubric so that it is easier to

understand for students. Also edit it in a way that
the learning objectives are clear.

Celina and Grace

11/10/2016 Yes

Playtest this new scoring rubric with the Boys and Girls Club
to see efficiency

Refine the introductory video to use a different

logo and use Shelby's voice. Also consider
simplifying the language used in the video

Shelby and Mary Ellen

11/19/2016 Yes

Play this video for project pitch and see how well it is
received by the panelist. Make sure to note that this video is
a skeleton for what would actually be played in a classroom.

Update Teacher guidebook- includes color coding

parts of the speech; also includes details about
student sensitivity, new scoring system,
customization, inclusive classrooms and SOL
alignments

Lee

11/23/2016 Yes

Get the teacher guidebook ready for the panelists for the final
pitch. Celina will take charge on making the guidebook look
more like a book than a document.

Make final changes to restrictions- add specific

word restrictions for appropriate questions, and
edit mission cards as seen necessary

Rachel and Celina

11/19/2016 Yes

Get the mission cards printed out and ready for presentation.
There must be enough prompts/mission cards ready for each
of the panelists

Distill Questions for Scoring- make the scoring

process faster and easier to understand

Mary Ellen

11/19/2016 Yes

Place the questions and scoring onto a slide for the final pitch
presentation to explain

Research into the SOL standards for 7th and 8th

grade along with 6th grade. Pick out main points
that align with the game, and summarize them into
a document
Grace

11/19/2016 Yes

Get ready to explain how the game aligns with the SOL
standards for the pitch. This should add to the learning
objective point.

Organize the slides for the final project pitch based

on the rubric provided by Jennie. Figure out
formatting of the presentation
Everybody

11/19/2016 Yes

Practice speeches individually and get ready for the practice

pitch.

Practice pitch slide- outline learning objectivesincludes purpose, CAF considerations, and
research component

Lee

11/28/2016 Yes

Consult feedback from classmates at the practice pitch and

edit slides accordingly

Practice pitch slide- gameplay which includes:

mechanics, rules, materials

Rachel and Celina

11/28/2016 Yes

Practice pitch slide- Application- mention target

audience, setting, and how the game fits into
curriculum

Mary Ellen

11/28/2016 Yes

Brainstorm more topics for entire quarter (9 weeks;

total of 27 topics) of gameplay. Change the topics
to relfect the revisions we have chosen based
upon playtesting and research.
Mary Ellen

Consult feedback from classmates at the practice pitch and

edit slides accordingly

Consult feedback from classmates at the practice pitch and

edit slides accordingly
Consult feedback from classmates at the practice pitch and
edit slides accordingly

Practice pitch slide- selling point- includes why the

game is fun, feedback, usefulness
Grace and Shelby

11/28/2016 Yes

Write script for the reenactment for final pitch

Shelby

11/30/2016 Yes

Practice the reenactment with Grace, Rachel, and Mary

Ellen. Get props ready for the practice

Reorganize slides in a way that is more concise

Everybody

11/30/2016 Yes

Practice roles individually again before the final pitch day

Print out materials, decorate folders, fix mission

cards

Celina

Final Project Pitches

All

Organize all of the documents, pictures, and

videos in the google drive into chronological order. Grace and Rachel

12/1/2016 Yes

Wait for feedback from panelists and incorporate constructive

criticism in improving the folders/ detective kits

11/29/2016 and 12/02/2016 Yes

12/03/2016 Yes

Sort through the files and see which ones, and possibly all, of
the files to incorporate into the final portfolio tumblr page

Product/Task/Description

Lead(s)

Post all pictures from group meetings and

playtesting into the google drive

Everybody

Due Date

12/03/2016 Yes

Completed?

Incorporate into final portfolio to show visually the process of

improving the game. It includes the playtesting, and team
meetings.

Next steps

Edit Team Status Report to include all of the

missing team contributions up to date

Grace

12/04/2016 Yes

Incorporate this document to show mostly equal team

contributions in the final portfolio.

Finalize the brainstorming portion of the final

portfolio. Gather everyone's brainstorm documents
into a cohesive document
Rachel

12/04/2016 Yes

Once combined nicely together, send document to Shelby to

be uploaded onto tumblr.

Work on the complete documentation of game

design portion of the final portfolio

Celina and Lee

12/05/2016

Send to Shelby

Detail all the prototypes created along with a

thorough design description with each

Mary Ellen and Lee

12/04/2016 Yes

Send to Shelby

12/05/2016

Once complied, submit final portfolio to Jennie

Integrate all of the team members findings into the

final portfolio platform: tumblr
Shelby
Final Portfolio Due

All

12/8/2016 No