IARPA

Problem

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence had a problem. Their analysts, like anyone, were prone to making biased decisions. Biases are notoriously difficult to manage and current training methods fell short. So, how can the the federal government utilize new technologies to help train their analysis to be less biased? Well, we made a video game.

Overview

As part of a large team, I participated in the development and testing of a video game commissioned by Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). Over the course of 3 years, over 2,000 users tested the game and I was involved in every aspect of the research process.

The Process

From start to finish, I was involved in every aspect of the UX research process.

  • Survey, experiment, and play test design and administration

  • Moderated both online and in-person play tests

  • Statistically analyzed results from over 2,000 users

  • Presented results

Results

The game was considered a huge success. It successfully reduced cognitive biases and improved decision-making. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence awarded the game Best Overall Game and selected it to be implemented in current training programs. Today, the game helps make our country better and sfer. The game also won the Adaptive Forces Award and has been features in dozens of national publications.

Communicaiton

  • Collaborated with game designers during prototyping phase

  • Presented results to federal officials and at a conference in Venice, Italy

  • Wrote detailed reports that were published in academic journals