A Design Science Approach to Youth Care through Online Simulation Gaming

Abstract

Design thinking, design methodology and design science gain much attention in the domain of gaming and simulation and their theories offer parallels to knowledge exchange in youth care services. Design science research covers context independent engineering and constructionist creativity in pursuit of general values and is built on the synthesis of what already exits and of what might be. Design thinking and design methodology address questions that show similarities to youth care problem solving and future scenario development. The core business of youth care workers is to support positive change and to develop beneficial opportunities for child-rearing. Effective knowledge exchange in networks is the key to successful intervention and simulation gaming might help to study its processes and outcomes, however, we need appropriate validation tools and methods. The author argues that the design and analytical sciences complement each other in research of network exchange. Analytical approaches might develop and test theories about knowledge acquisition and transfer, while design approaches could enhance the exchange of situational, interactional, and interventional expertise. This proposition is explored in a multiple case study in which an analysis tool has been used to structure and study knowledge exchange in youth care networks through simulation gaming.