MSc Project - What's in a biobank?

Hi All,

I hope this is ok to post, I know it’s not on your platform, so please feel free to remove it if it’s not ok.

As part of my MSc in Science Communication and Public Engagement, I’ve created a Choose Your Own Adventure story. It’s been made to help educate people on biobanks, whilst hopefully allowing people to have some fun on the way!

I’d really appreciate you guys giving it a go and filling in the feedback form at the end.
Please note: It’s best played on laptops/PCs and if left alone for too long it will time out, so best completed in one sitting. Dependent on choices made it should take 25-45 minutes.

What’s in a biobank?

Please feel free to ask me about anything you want if you have questions. I really do appreciate any time you can give.

Thanks,

Rachel

2 Likes

I’m not sure interactive fiction in the form of an actual story is the best way to accomplish science communication. I went into this curious about about biobanks, then lost my patience after the third page telling me absolutely nothing about biobanks. Frankly, I’d rather just type ‘What is a biobank’ into Google, which I’m now going to do.

I played partway through. I once tried writing something similar, to illustrate the role quality standards play in decision making for international development projects, and I appreciate how tricky it can be to balance readability with educational goals.

I’d suggest you cut to the chase more quickly – get people making choices about the biobank as soon as you can, not choices about your commute to the office or puzzles about getting lost on your way to the meeting room. There are enough interesting choices and challenges in e.g. picking an appropriate scale and getting it funded.

If you want an opening on the bus, have the protagonist be e.g. thinking about the ethics choices involved in setting up a biobank. You can have the character make choices about what they generally care about more, efficiency or protecting people from unlikely but significant harm. Think about the donor(s) and what you know about them, so that later when you’re making choices that affect whether or not you get funded you have some sense of where you’re facing a trade-off.

In general I think the structure would be improved if you replaced every instance of an early-game choice not directly related to biobanks with one that is – perhaps relocating some of the later info-dump sessions where a colleague informs you about some context info to the early game. Keep the story tightly focused on what it’s about.

3 Likes

Thanks so much, really useful feedback! Yea, seems to be a common thought that the opening doesn’t cut to the chase quickly enough. I really like your ideas and only wish I had time to put them in place before finishing the project. Really good points for my discussion at the end of the dissertation though, thanks again

1 Like

No problem, I completely understand it isn’t for everyone! I understand the opening is a little long and tried to shorten it further after feedback. Guess it’s still a little long and I need to think about incorporating the science part earlier, all good feedback to pop into my discussion, thanks.