Educational Mobile Game Dev & UX/UI Design for Foundation
Featured Review- Mobile App Development UX/UI Design
- $200,000 to $999,999
- Aug. 2023 - Jan. 2024
- Quality
- 5.0
- Schedule
- 5.0
- Cost
- 5.0
- Willing to Refer
- 5.0
"Sea Monster's company culture is deeply rooted in innovation and creativity."
- Education
- Cape Town, South Africa
- 51-200 Employees
- Online Review
- Verified
Sea Monster developed and designed educational games for a foundation. The team created game mechanics and narratives, enhanced UX, integrated analytics, and promoted fun, intuitive learning.
Thanks to Sea Monster's games, the client saw increased user engagement and learning outcomes. The team's project management was effective. They were responsive to feedback, proactive, attentive, and communicative. Sea Monster's innovative spirit and collaborative approach made them a great partner.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and position.
I am the AGEC: Project Lead of Allan Gray Orbis Foundation
Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
AGOF, the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, founded by Allan Gray, cultivates high-impact entrepreneurial and leadership potential in Southern African youth through scholarship and development programs, reflecting his commitment to fostering positive societal change.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sea Monster to accomplish?
- Focus on Retention: To design games that not only attract students but also keep them engaged over time, enhancing the retention of concepts and skills through repeated and sustained interaction.
- Develop Engaging Educational Games: To create interactive and engaging educational games that effectively integrate AGEC's learning objectives, fostering entrepreneurial skills and business acumen among high school students.
- Enhance User Experience: To design a user-friendly interface that ensures a seamless and enjoyable learning experience for students, which encourages consistent engagement and retention of educational content.
- Incorporate Analytics for Impact Measurement: To implement robust analytics and data collection within the games to track user engagement, learning outcomes, and overall effectiveness of the games in promoting entrepreneurial thinking and skills.
- Scalability and Accessibility: To develop games that are easily scalable and accessible across various platforms, ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds and with different levels of technological access can participate and benefit from the educational content.
- Integration with Educational Curricula: To ensure the games align with and complement existing educational curricula, providing teachers and educational institutions with a valuable tool to enhance classroom learning and foster real-world business and entrepreneurial skills.
- Promote Fun, Intuitive Learning: To create games that are inherently enjoyable and easy to understand, encouraging learning through intuitive gameplay mechanics that students can navigate independently, with progress tracking to monitor and enhance learning trajectories.
SOLUTION
How did you find Sea Monster?
Referral
Why did you select Sea Monster over others?
- High ratings
- Pricing fit our budget
- Great culture fit
- Good value for cost
- Company values aligned
How many teammates from Sea Monster were assigned to this project?
10-20
Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
. Game Development:
Design and Development: Sea Monster created innovative, interactive educational games tailored to the learning objectives of AGEC. They conceptualized, designed, and developed game mechanics and narratives that engaged high school students while teaching entrepreneurial and business skills.
User Interface Design: They focused on creating intuitive, user-friendly interfaces that appealed to a youthful audience, ensuring the games were accessible and enjoyable for students with varying levels of tech proficiency.
2. Integration with Educational Standards:
Curriculum Alignment: The games developed aligned closely with current educational curricula to reinforce and supplement traditional learning, making it easier for educators to integrate these tools into their teaching.
Customizable Features: They provided features that allowed educators to modify game scenarios or inputs to better fit their classroom goals and the diverse needs of their students.
3. Analytics and Reporting:
Data Collection Tools: Sea Monster implemented advanced data collection within the games to monitor user engagement, progression, and learning outcomes.
Impact Reports: They delivered regular reports that analyzed the effectiveness of the games in enhancing learning, which could be used for continuous improvement and reporting to stakeholders.
4. Accessibility and Scalability:
Cross-Platform Accessibility: They ensured games were accessible on multiple devices and platforms, from desktops to smartphones, accommodating the tech realities of a broad student base.
Scalable Solutions: They developed the games with scalability in mind, allowing for easy updates and expansions to accommodate more users or additional content as AGEC’s program grew.
Key Deliverables:
1. A Suite of Educational Games:
A series of interactive games, each targeting different aspects of entrepreneurial education, such as problem-solving, financial literacy, and business strategy.
2. Comprehensive User Guide and Documentation:
Detailed guides for both students and educators on how to effectively utilize the games, including troubleshooting and tips for integration into classroom activities.
3. Analytics Dashboard:
A custom-built dashboard that provided real-time insights into user engagement and educational outcomes, empowering AGEC and educators with data to tailor their teaching approaches.
4. Training and Support:
Initial training sessions for AGEC staff and educators on how to deploy and make the most of the gaming tools, followed by ongoing support and updates.
5. Marketing and Promotional Materials:
Engaging marketing materials that highlighted the educational value of the games, designed to appeal to schools, educators, and students alike.
Sea Monster successfully delivered these comprehensive services and products, significantly enhancing AGEC’s ability to engage and educate young entrepreneurs across Southern Africa.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
User Engagement Metrics:
Increase in Game Downloads and Active Users: The number of downloads and active users of the educational games increased significantly, indicating higher engagement and reach among the target audience.
Time Spent in Game: There was a notable increase in the average time students spent playing the games, suggesting that the games were engaging and held the students' interest.
Learning Outcomes:
Pre- and Post-Game Assessments: Assessments conducted before and after game sessions showed improvement in students' understanding of entrepreneurial concepts and skills.
Skill Development Tracking: Data from the games’ analytics indicated measurable progress in key areas such as problem-solving, financial literacy, and strategic thinking among participants.
User Satisfaction and Feedback:
Positive Feedback from Users: Surveys and feedback forms collected from students and educators showed high levels of satisfaction with the game's interface, content, and educational value.
Educator Endorsements: Many educators incorporated the games into their regular teaching plans, which serves as an endorsement of the games' utility and effectiveness.
Expansion and Scalability:
Increased Adoption Across Schools: The number of schools adopting the educational games as part of their curriculum increased, showcasing the scalability and relevance of the games.
Cross-Platform Usage: The games performed well across multiple platforms, demonstrating their accessibility and robust design.
Strategic Impact:
Contribution to AGEC’s Overall Goals: The integration of these games contributed significantly to AGEC’s broader educational objectives, such as increasing entrepreneurial interest and capabilities among Southern African youth.
Partnership Opportunities: The success of the games opened up additional partnership opportunities with other educational and developmental organizations, expanding AGEC’s network and impact.
These outcomes not only demonstrate the successful delivery of the project by Sea Monster but also highlight the tangible benefits in terms of educational impact and user engagement.
Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
Sea Monster's project management was highly effective, reflecting their professionalism and commitment to delivering quality educational tools for AGEC. Here's a detailed description of their project management approach:
Timeliness and Schedule Adherence:
On-Time Delivery: Sea Monster consistently delivered all milestones and final products on schedule. Their ability to adhere to the timeline contributed significantly to the smooth implementation of the educational games within AGEC's broader curriculum deadlines.
Proactive Scheduling: They managed the project timeline proactively, providing regular updates and adjustments as needed to ensure that both teams were aligned and any potential delays were addressed promptly.
Responsiveness to Needs:
Tailored Solutions: Sea Monster demonstrated a keen understanding of AGEC’s specific needs. They customized the games to fit educational goals and user demographics, making adjustments based on feedback from initial testing phases with students and educators.
Feedback Integration: They were highly responsive to feedback, incorporating suggestions from AGEC into the development process efficiently. This collaboration ensured that the final products were well-suited to the end users' needs.
Communication and Collaboration:
Regular Updates: Communication from Sea Monster was regular and informative, with scheduled meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and next steps. They established a structured communication plan that kept AGEC informed at every stage of the project.
Collaborative Approach: They fostered a collaborative working environment, engaging with multiple stakeholders from AGEC to understand and integrate diverse perspectives into the game development. This approach helped in creating products that were comprehensive and inclusive.
Problem Solving:
Adaptive Problem Solving: Throughout the project, Sea Monster demonstrated agility and creativity in solving problems that arose, whether they were technical issues, design challenges, or integration hurdles with existing AGEC systems.
Preemptive Issue Management: They often anticipated potential issues and proposed solutions before these could impact the project timeline or quality, ensuring a smooth development process.
Sea Monster’s project management not only ensured the timely delivery of high-quality educational games but also fostered a strong partnership with AGEC, characterized by mutual respect, responsiveness, and a shared commitment to achieving impactful educational outcomes.
What was your primary form of communication with Sea Monster?
- Virtual Meeting
- Email or Messaging App
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Sea Monster stood out in several impressive and unique ways during their collaboration with AGEC, making a notable impact on both the project's success and the overall working relationship. Here’s what was particularly remarkable about the company:
Exceptional Company Culture:
Innovative Spirit: Sea Monster's company culture is deeply rooted in innovation and creativity. This was evident in their approach to game design, where they consistently pushed boundaries to create engaging and educational content that was both fun and impactful.
Team Collaboration: They fostered an environment of collaboration not only within their team but also extended it to include AGEC stakeholders. This collaborative spirit made it easy to address challenges and innovate solutions together, creating a sense of shared ownership and partnership.
Fun and Engaging Collaboration:
Enjoyable Process: The process of working with Sea Monster was not only productive but also enjoyable. They brought a positive and energetic approach to meetings and interactions, making the rigorous process of game development fun and engaging.
Employee Engagement: Their team displayed high levels of enthusiasm and commitment to the project, which was contagious and motivated everyone involved to strive for the best possible outcomes.
High-Quality Deliverables:
Attention to Detail: Sea Monster’s attention to detail in game development was exemplary. From the graphics and user interface to the storylines and educational content, every element was crafted with precision and care to ensure high quality.
Effective Educational Tools: The educational games delivered by Sea Monster were not just technically excellent but also effective as learning tools. They managed to transform complex educational concepts into accessible and enjoyable game formats that genuinely enhanced learning.
Unique Approach to Problem Solving:
Creative Solutions: Sea Monster utilized a unique problem-solving approach that combined creative storytelling with technical innovation. This allowed them to overcome potential educational and technical challenges in ways that enhanced the overall learning experience.
User-Centered Design: They placed a strong emphasis on user experience, conducting extensive testing to understand user behavior and preferences. This user-centered design approach ensured that the games were not only engaging but also aligned perfectly with the learners' needs and expectations.
Overall, Sea Monster’s blend of a great company culture, enjoyable collaboration process, high-quality deliverables, and a unique approach to problem-solving made them an outstanding partner. Their ability to deliver a product that was both fun and educational set them apart, contributing significantly to the project’s success.
Are there any areas for improvement or something Sea Monster could have done differently?
While the collaboration with Sea Monster has been overwhelmingly positive and successful, we always believe in the philosophy of continuous improvement. It has been impressive to see how Sea Monster is always striving for excellence, and in that spirit, we might suggest exploring even further diversification in game scenarios to encompass a wider range of entrepreneurial challenges. This could help expand the educational impact for our students. Additionally, as we continue to grow and evolve, increased scalability in the gaming platforms could enhance user accessibility even more. It’s exciting to think about what we could achieve together with these enhancements, given the high standard of work Sea Monster has already demonstrated.
RATINGS
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Quality
5.0Service & Deliverables
-
Schedule
5.0On time / deadlines
-
Cost
5.0Value / within estimates
-
Willing to Refer
5.0NPS
