Game Testing (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

The course is divided into three main topics and scheduled in phases (the sequence of the phases may vary from year to year):
PHASE 1
Effectiveness testing of an existing application
Active participation as test participants in an ongoing RDI project with the Futuristic Interactive Technologies research group

PHASE 2
User-centered testing with two sub-parts, namely:
- Usability testing
- User experience testing

PHASE 3
Quality assurance testing (bug hunting) with three sub-parts, namely:
- Tester skillsets
- Getting to know what bugs there are
- Elite bug hunting

Objective

After completing the course, the student will be able to:
- Explain the principles and importance of interface testing in software development, including its role in ensuring software quality and user satisfaction
- Identify, document, and prioritize bugs in interactive interfaces, using various testing tools and methodologies
- Design and conduct usability tests to evaluate the ease of use, efficiency, and satisfaction of interactive interfaces, providing actionable feedback for improvement
- Assess the overall user experience of interactive interfaces, considering factors such as user engagement, accessibility, and emotional response
- Measure the effectiveness of interactive interfaces in achieving their intended goals
- Analyze test data to identify patterns and trends, and report findings and recommendations to stakeholders
- Demonstrate the ability to adapt to new testing tools, methodologies, and technologies as they emerge in the field of interface engineering

Content

- How to apply quality assurance in each of the interactive interface development life cycle phases
- Interactive interface usability theory, application, analysis, and reporting
- Interactive interface user experience theory, application, analysis and reporting
- Designing, conducting, analysing, and reporting an effectiveness study

Materials

The Quality Assurance topic of the course follows several chapters of the book:
Levy, L., & Novak, J. (2009). Game development essentials: Game QA & testing. Cengage Learning.

Due to the ongoing developments in the field of Game Testing, recommended additional literature will be provided as part of the lecture material at the appropriate timing. This ensures that students are kept abreast with the latest testing techniques and trends.

Teaching methods

Learning on this course combines instructivist (20-25%), constructivist (50%) and connectivist (25-30%) learning methods, implying that students will receive instruction during contact sessions while also being responsible for their own development in the field of game testing. Students will have group assignments, where peer-assisted learning will be encouraged through various e-communication channels.

This course is a collaboration with the University of Turku and we will use the Moodle learning platform. The shortcut to the Moodle page is:
http://bit.ly/gtst2025 - it will be activated in time for the course start

Students are able to access Moodle using their Haka accounts (TUAS account credentials).

Exam schedules

This course has no formal exam.

Pedagogic approaches and sustainable development

This course leans on CDIO principles and takes a project-based learning approach.

Student workload

The course is managed online via the Moodle learning platform. During the contact sessions, students will receive instructions on how to complete the respective study section for that topic.

ALL contact sessions are onsite at TUAS premises.

All study material will be available online.

This course is 5 ECTS - students are expected to work 135 hours:
- Contact sessions (10 to 20 hours)
- Independent reading and research (25 to 35 hours)
- Practical experiential learning (80 to 100 hours) - this includes time for doing assignments

Evaluation methods and criteria

There are 4 main assignments that should be completed at the conclusion of each respective topic:
Quality assurance (group assignment)
Usability testing (individual assignment)
User experience testing (individual assignment)
Effectiveness study (group assignment)

The course includes 5 online quizzes that must be completed:
Tester skillsets
Getting to know what bugs there are
Elite bug hunting
Usability
User experience testing

The course includes 12 formative tasks scattered throughout the various topics.

All assignments and quizzes are transposed to a grade out of 5
Course grade is calculated as follows:
(Average of main assignments x 0,75) + (Average of online quizzes x 0,25)

The formative tasks are used to monitor student progress and no grade will be released until all formative tasks are complete and submitted.

All tasks will be submitted through the LMS.

Failed (0)

All tasks are mandatory for a successful completion of the course. Any outstanding tasks will result in course grades being withheld from the respective students.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

The online quizzes are evaluated on a scale of 0-5 and contribute 25% of the course grade.
For the assignments:
- Bug-Hunting Accuracy & Depth - Few or no bugs identified; lack of understanding
- Usability Testing Execution - Lacks structure with unclear results
- UX Testing & Evaluation - Limited UX evaluation with vague observations
- Effectiveness Testing (Functionality & Goals) - Limited testing with weak alignment to goals

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

The online quizzes are evaluated on a scale of 0-5 and contribute 25% of the course grade.
For the assignments:
- Bug-Hunting Accuracy & Depth - Some bugs found, mostly superficial with basic analysis
- Usability Testing Execution - Basic usability testing and reporting with actionable insights
- UX Testing & Evaluation - Adequate UX analysis with a user-centered focus
- Effectiveness Testing (Functionality & Goals) - Functional testing with some goal alignment and measurable outcomes

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The online quizzes are evaluated on a scale of 0-5 and contribute 25% of the course grade.
For the assignments:
- Bug-Hunting Accuracy & Depth - Comprehensive bug discovery with detailed analysis, prioritization, and clear reporting
- Usability Testing Execution - Thorough, methodical usability testing with deep insight and clear recommendations
- UX Testing & Evaluation - Excellent UX testing with deep empathy, user journey mapping, and clear UX improvements
- Effectiveness Testing (Functionality & Goals) - Highly effective testing with metrics, benchmarks, and clear alignment to software goals

Further information

This course is a collaboration with the University of Turku and we will use the Moodle learning platform. The shortcut to the Moodle page is:
http://bit.ly/gtst202 - it will be activated in time for the course start

Students are able to access Moodle using their Haka accounts (TUAS account credentials).

Students can also reserve support with the lecturer or time for practical work at the Game Lab.