Tycoon Interactive Game

Junction K and ‘The Make It’ Campaign

http://www.makeit.org.uk/

Brief

To create an interactive game for students aged 14-18, which challenges the commonly held preconceptions about careers in the manufacturing industry.

Solution

We designed and developed a ‘serious’ business game called Tycoon, where students get to manage their own factory, making real life business decisions and learning about manufacturing.

The game was designed to be played online, but can also be used in class on an Interactive Whiteboard. The gaming dynamics in Tycoon were tightly mapped to the national curriculum, making it relevant as a teaching tool for GCSE and A-Level Business Studies, Design and Technology and Manufacturing.

As education specialists, Junction K asked us to develop an online marketing strategy promoting the Make It website. We knew that the best way of reaching young people is through their teachers, which led us to create three additional interactive teaching tools. These tools were designed to support the delivery of some of the more challenging core topics such as supply and demand, complex production management systems and considerations for design.

Companies including United Biscuits (McVitties), BAE Systems, New Balance and Bentley have all contributed content to the game which adds a real life edge to a fun and addictive game.