Making the board: participatory game design for environmental action

Ball, Katherine; Jalbert, Kirk; Test, Lisa

doi:10.1007/s13412-020-00645-2

Original Article
Published: 24 November 2020

Making the board: participatory game design for environmental action

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences volume 11, pages 12–22 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

The US state of Arizona is historically known as a rich source of helium-bearing gas, and market pressures have renewed interest in extracting helium throughout the state’s Holbrook Basin. In response, a group of concerned residents emerged to educate the public and engage with regulators. However, the obscurities of the helium industry and regulatory frameworks complicated the group’s efforts. This paper details a participatory action research project called Helium Futures, a co-designed serious board. We argue that Helium Futures generated capacity for engagement by collaboratively distilling industry and regulatory perspectives, as well as resulted in a device for enrolling allies. Helium Futures, furthermore, highlights how empowerment occurs when situated expertise is accounted for in design-oriented action research. Findings from the project inform research on the public understanding of extraction industries, as well as work studying the impacts of participatory games on public understandings of environmental science.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank CivicFutures students Bailey Reynolds, Caitlyn Hendricks-Costello, Sakshi Hegde, and Noa Bruhis, as well as Vicki Barg of NFAZ, for conducting backgroundresearch informing Helium Futures. We further thank Caitlin Caldwell of NFAZ for contributing artwork to the game. Printing and distribution of Helium Futures was supported by a CivicEngagement Grant from ChangeMaker at Arizona State University.

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School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
Katherine Ball & Kirk Jalbert
No Fracking AZ, Holbrook, AZ, USA
Lisa Test

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Katherine Ball
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Kirk Jalbert
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Lisa Test
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Correspondence to Kirk Jalbert.

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Ball, K., Jalbert, K. & Test, L. Making the board: participatory game design for environmental action. J Environ Stud Sci 11, 12–22 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-020-00645-2

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Accepted: 13 November 2020
Published: 24 November 2020
Issue Date: March 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-020-00645-2

Keywords

Serious games
Public engagement in science
Communities of practice
Helium extraction
Arizona