About
The Game Factory creates interactive educational games for professionals, with a focus on game-based learning that is engaging, practical, and effective. Our games are designed to enhance real-world skills through immersive experiences that promote critical thinking and application of knowledge.
We’ve developed IRB Please, a game that helps improve the quality of IRB submissions by simulating the role of an IRB Analyst, and Clinical Guidance, which teaches the importance of using published clinical guidelines through realistic patient care scenarios. Each game is developed in collaboration with subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and relevance.
At The Game Factory, we believe learning should be active, enjoyable, and directly applicable to professional practice.
IRB Please
IRB Please is an interactive educational game designed to supplement the standard CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) training for Institutional Review Board (IRB) writing and submission. Developed at UC San Diego’s Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI), the game aims to enhance users’ practical understanding of the IRB review process by immersing them in the role of an IRB Analyst.
In the game, players are tasked with reviewing actual excerpts from real (de-identified) IRB submissions, evaluating whether each application meets the necessary ethical and procedural standards for approval. Players must carefully assess the completeness, accuracy, and compliance of the submitted documents, and then decide to approve, request revisions, or deny the application altogether.
IRB Please not only reinforces theoretical knowledge but also builds practical decision-making skills by simulating the challenges and nuances faced by IRB analysts in real-world settings. By engaging with authentic documentation and applying regulatory criteria, players gain a deeper appreciation for the critical role IRBs play in safeguarding human subjects in research. The game’s interactive format fosters active learning and provides immediate feedback, making it an effective tool for both novice researchers and experienced professionals seeking to sharpen their understanding of IRB requirements.
Clinical Guidance
Clinical Guidance is an interactive educational game designed to support dissemination and implementation science by demonstrating the real-world value of integrating evidence-based clinical guidelines into patient care. The game serves as a dynamic learning tool for clinicians and healthcare trainees, emphasizing the importance of following published protocols to improve patient outcomes and standardize care practices.
In Clinical Guidance, players take on the role of a newly practicing clinician navigating the complexities of real-world clinical decision-making. Through a series of simulated patient encounters, the player is responsible for conducting interviews, gathering patient histories and symptoms, forming diagnoses, and selecting appropriate treatments — all while referencing current clinical guidelines. The gameplay emphasizes critical thinking and the application of evidence-based knowledge in the context of varying patient presentations.
Following each case, players receive a targeted quiz that assesses their understanding of the patient’s condition, the chosen treatment plan, and the alignment of their decisions with established clinical guidelines. This reflective component reinforces learning by providing immediate feedback and encouraging players to consider how adherence to guidelines impacts patient safety, care quality, and overall health outcomes.
By blending clinical simulation with gamified learning, Clinical Guidance offers a compelling and engaging approach to professional development. It helps players internalize the process of guideline-based care delivery while fostering confidence in applying standardized protocols in diverse clinical scenarios. The game supports broader efforts to bridge the gap between research and practice, making it a valuable resource for medical education, continuing clinical training, and implementation science initiatives.
