Give the game one main job
Decide whether the game should attract attention, introduce a product feature, start a conversation or offer a shared moment. A game can contribute to several outcomes, but the selection becomes clearer when one is primary. “Keep people entertained” does not tell the designer what visitors should remember after leaving.
Write a short finish statement: “After playing, the visitor can…” It might be recognising a product benefit or choosing a topic to discuss with staff. Keep the intended brand connection understandable within the experience. A logo pasted onto an unrelated game is a visual adaptation, not necessarily a useful product story.
Map the visit before comparing game styles
| Stage | Question for selection | What to observe in a test |
|---|---|---|
| Notice | Can a passer-by understand that participation is available? | Whether people distinguish the invitation from a video loop |
| Join | What must the guest do before play begins? | Time spent entering, choosing language or getting help |
| Learn | Can the main action be understood quickly? | Confusion and staff explanations |
| Play | Does the action suit the audience and space? | Completion, frustration and unintended behaviour |
| Finish | Is the result and next step clear? | Whether the guest knows the round has ended |
| Release | How does the next person get a fresh session? | Reset, repeat requests and queue movement |
Use this map to compare a quiz, a short skill game and an interactive product challenge. The best choice depends on your objective. A quiz needs questions that can be understood; a skill game needs approachable controls; a product challenge needs a meaningful connection between the task and the product.
Worked example: a short product challenge
Imagine a hypothetical stand promoting three product features. The brief sets a planning target of about one minute of play, with separate time for joining and reset. The proposed game asks visitors to match a use case to a suitable feature and then shows the result.
Test whether visitors understand the task without reading a long wall of text. Check whether the result explains the feature in everyday language and offers a natural opening for staff. If players finish quickly but remember only the score, the game may need a clearer result screen or a different challenge. If the explanations consume most of the visit, reduce the number of decisions or simplify the wording.
The one-minute figure is an input to test, not a promise of throughput. Measure the entire cycle from inviting a guest to being ready for the next one. Include help, celebration and any follow-up step that occupies the station.
Decide repeat attempts before a queue appears
Replay can make a game enjoyable, but it also uses station time. Agree whether a player may immediately repeat, returns to the queue, or takes another attempt only when nobody is waiting. Put the rule in the host briefing and relevant interface copy.
If you use a leaderboard, define the event period it covers, how results reset and how guests recognise their own entry. Agree the handling of ties and interrupted rounds as operational rules. Add any prize or personal-data requirements to a separate reviewed brief instead of leaving the developer to infer them.
Test with people who have not seen the design
GOV.UK's usability guidance recommends observing likely users performing specific, believable tasks without instructions that reveal the answer. Read its testing method. Adapt that principle to the stand: show the invitation, let a new participant try, and record where help is needed.
Use the intended input device and display orientation. Test language changes, early departure and restart as well as a complete successful round. Staff familiarity can hide confusing steps, so do not approve solely from a developer-led demonstration.
Selection checklist
One primary event goal and a clear brand takeaway.
A complete guest journey, including reset.
Controls suited to the audience and usable floor area.
Measured trial timings for new players, not only experienced staff.
Agreed replay, result and host-assistance behaviour.
A practical next step after the round.
Review the game catalogue as a starting point, then discuss the fit with interactive installation design. Ask which parts are already available and which require adaptation, testing or new development.