HeartLand

Conflict Management Board Game Design

“How might we foster empathy, communication, and understanding between patients and thier family caregivers by creating an engaging tool that helps navigate emotional and healthcare challenges?”

Context

This game was developed during Game Design for Social Impact course in graduate school. It required students to design a board game to address existing real-world social issues

Role

- User Experience Researcher
- Design Strategist
- Prototyper
- Documentor

Team

- Stephanie Stavropoulos (Instructor)
- John Stavropoulos (Instructor)
- Yisi Shen
- Srinidhi Ramprasad

Tools

Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Miro  Board, Google workspace, Notion, Pinterest, Sketch, Procreate

Introduction

HeartLand is a conflict management board game designed to foster empathy and understanding between patients and their family caregivers. It aims to support caregivers by maintaining their emotional health and assist patients in managing fear, pain, and feelings of isolation. The game encourages active communication, breaking down barriers that typically arise due to overwhelming emotions experienced during healthcare. By simulating real-life healthcare scenarios, HeartLand provides players with opportunities to practice empathy, making decisions that reflect care and understanding, ultimately promoting positive emotional states among all players.

Background

Effective communication and empathy between patients and family caregivers are crucial components of quality healthcare. However, significant challenges persist in these areas, leading to adverse outcomes.

Approximately 50% of caregivers experience high emotional stress due to caregiving responsibilities, often putting their own well-being at risk (Informal Caregivers in Cancer (PDQ®), 2024). Those providing intensive support are more likely to face negative health outcomes and neglect their own healthcare needs (Bevans & Sternberg, 2012).

These challenges can significantly impact caregivers' quality of life and, in turn, reduce the quality of care they provide to patients. When caregivers are unable to offer effective and supportive companionship, patients may experience heightened emotional distress, creating an endless loop of stress and dissatisfaction. Recognizing and addressing these issues is essential for improving the well-being of both patients and their caregivers, breaking the cycle and fostering healthier, more supportive relationships.

Research

What types of conflicts commonly arise between cancer patients and their caregivers, and how do these conflicts affect their emotional well-being?

How do caregiving responsibilities impact the emotional, physical, and mental well-being of family caregivers for cancer patients?

How can communication and empathy between cancer patients and caregivers be improved to enhance the caregiving experience?

Research Questions

Conducted 3 semi-structured interviews with 2 family caregivers and 1 cancer patients.

Methodologies

“Honestly, it’s exhausting. Between work and taking care of them, I barely get time to breathe. There’s no time for myself, and sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed that I want to shut down.”

- Caregiver 1

“I argue with my mom often, and I feel guilty because she’s been through so much. I handle her daily care, cook, and work to cover medical costs, but she still says I don’t spend enough time with her. That just makes things harder for both of us.”

- Caregiver 2

“There are times when I get frustrated because I feel like they don’t really understand what I need. I know they’re trying, but when I’m upset and they dismiss it or tell me to stay positive, it feels like they don’t hear me.”

- Patient 1

Insights

• Emotional Support: A way to manage guilt and stress while feeling appreciated for their caregiving efforts.

• Time Management: Resources or strategies to balance caregiving, work, and personal life effectively.

• Better Communication: Tools or guidance to improve understanding and resolve conflicts with their loved ones.

• Companionship Solution: Alternatives to provide engagement for the patient when the caregiver is unavailable.

User Needs

• Feelings of Guilt: Feeling inadequate despite providing significant care and support.

• Overwhelming Responsibilities: Struggling to juggle caregiving duties with work and personal needs.

• Lack of Appreciation: Feeling unrecognized or unacknowledged for their efforts.

• Conflict and Misunderstanding: Frequent disagreements stemming from unmet expectations or miscommunication.

Pain Points

Board Game Design

Prototype

Successfully designed my first board game!
Learned to combine storytelling, strategy, and empathy into gameplay mechanics.
Improved my ability to simplify complex ideas and create a user-friendly, impactful game.
Developed new skills in prototyping and playtesting to refine the game design.
Turned a complex social issue into an engaging, interactive experience!