The Humanitarian Data Detective game— A new way to encourage use of GO

Over the past month, we have been collaborating with IFRC Solferino Academy to create a game which draws a new audience to GO. In this blog, we explain the motives, process and results of this fun project.

GO’s hidden treasures

Last year’s GO study revealed that there are many people across our network who only use GO for a single purpose, and don’t look any further. They might visit might to find out what’s happening about a large-scale crisis, access funding through the DREF, or use the platform to assess their RCRC societies’ preparedness. While on the platform, users don’t have time or encouragement to look around and see the other related data and evidence. They therefore don’t see how that might help them better understand, analyse and prepare for the next emergency. Indeed, most volunteers and staff of National Societies have no responsibility or invitation to engage with the platform in the first place, and so have no idea of how it could help with their specific responsibilities.

In short, we believe that GO has many useful and usable features and data for our network — but how do we make this used?

What are games good for?

Attention is a precious commodity. Attracting attention requires something out of the ordinary. To retain it, something useful.

We struck on the idea to create a game to reach new users and reveal previously hidden features to those who already use the platform for specific purposes. We play games often enough, but reaching a global audience in four languages across cultures requires a specific skillset. This is where our friends at IFRC’s Solferino Academy came in.

Through the collaboration, Solferino Academy provided 3 creative storytelling emails, social media engagement, and a fun learning game. By so doing, we reached people who were not the usual GO users.

Of the 1000s who viewed the game and GO platform, 235 completed the game, with 33 people achieving the correct results. The successful game participants come from across the globe with roles such as branch managers, logistics officers, disaster managers, and partnership leads.

Some feedback from participants

And the winners are…

We are pleased to announce that out of 235 participants who completed the game, 33 individuals achieved the correct results. Following identity verification within the IFRC Network, we used a random number selection tool to choose two final winners who will receive the prize. The winners have already been contacted at their registered email addresses. Thank you for your interest and participation.

Winners:

Ruth Clark — British Red Cross

Molly O’Ray — Canadian Red Cross

Stay tuned for the next levels of the Data Detective Game…