The Frustration of Learning to Play a Board Game

In Collaboration With:
Rob Daveau, Hasbro

Challenge:

Families were not purchasing new board games: in what ways could Hasbro increase the value of a new board game by altering the learning experience?

Solution:

Hedman observed families playing a new board game within their homes. Families electrodermal activity was measured (see below), the session was filmed, and each participant participated in a long interview. From these data points, Hedman created a new emotion model for how families learn board games. Over 70 insights were generated for Hasbro.

Example EDA:

A mother teaches her children to play a new board game. The mother’s EDA increases during the time she is opening the game, but decreases while reading directions. As the children begin asking the mother questions, EDA correspondingly increases.

Results:

Hasbro’s Previous Model (FALSE)	New Emotion Model
Mom is anxious about understanding the complexity of a board game.	Mom is anxious about children being bored while she reads directions.
Opening and setting up games is frustrating.	Opening and setting up games is the most exciting part of the game for kids.
Comprehension is Mom’s largest concern when reading directions.	Children growing restless is Mom’s biggest concern while reading directions.
Referring to instructions during game play is relieving.	Having to reference cryptic directions produces frustration and annoyance.
Children are excited about strategizing and winning.	Children are excited about challenging and teaching their parents.

Hasbro used this new emotion model and created actionable items to address the anxiety, frustration, and boredom originally created by learning a new board game. In a future study, we will look at how the emotional changes increased Net Promoter Score and Willingness to Pay.