Playful Learning Toolkit: Making Siemens Corporate Training Engaging
As a part of my Master Thesis, I created a card-based workshop toolkit that empowers corporate teams to design engaging, game-based learning experiences — making workplace training more engaging and memorable.
My Role
Solo Researcher & Designer
(Master thesis)
Industry
Corporate Training
Duration
6 months
Background
Learning Mechanics Deck is a card-based workshop toolkit that turns complex research into actionable insight, helping teams quickly spark ideas, align decisions, and design engaging learning experiences.
The toolkit containes
42 pattern cards
Instructions leaflet
The opening pages set the stage for how the cards can support ideation. They explain the purpose of the toolkit, outline the three categories of patterns, and give simple instructions for how teams can start using the cards in a workshop setting.
Process
Created as part of my Master’s thesis at Hochschule München, in collaboration with Siemens and guided by SCE, using the Design Thinking methodology throughout.
Starting Point
Business Need
Most corporate trainings are dry and quickly forgotten — 10 out of 12 participants couldn’t recall content just a month later.
Research Insight
Research consistently shows that emotionally engaging experiences significantly improve memory retention.
User Paintpoint
Corporate teams often lack the time, expertise, and tools to design training that is both effective and engaging.
Understanding the Problem to Solve
I set out to understand the challenges teams face in designing game-based learning, problems that exist in the current process and why corporate trainings fail to stick.
The Problem
Designing emotionally engaging and stimulating training modules is a creative challenge and the biggest pain point.
Teams struggle to clearly communicate their ideas to customers.
Multiple workshops are often conducted in the early stages without clear alignment.
There is no single, reliable source of knowledge for designing game-based learning.
I researched commercial game structures and studied recurring patterns and mechanics to simplify the creatively challenging aspects of designing game-based learning experiences.
Read the full scholarly report here
Master Thesis Documentation
Solution
The research led to the extraction of 42 gamification elements, which can be combined in various ways to make instructional design more engaging.
The patterns were grouped into three categories, with some overlapping between two at once.
To visualize this, I used three distinct colors to represent the categories. For patterns that belonged to two, a dual-color scheme was applied.
I began sketching initial design concepts for how the toolkit might take shape.
The research provided the content needed for the cards — clearly explaining each pattern and how it could be applied. For the visual design, I reviewed existing workshop ideation card sets for inspiration.
Use Case
Let’s walk through how the toolkit could look in action for Lara and her team.
From aligning on goals to selecting patterns and shaping early ideas, this flow illustrates how the cards guide a team through the design process.
The toolkit is designed to spark ideas and support teams during the most creatively challenging part of game design.
Explore the interactive prototype by clicking on the image below!
Testing
I shared the toolkit with some of my early interview participants to gather feedback.
Reflection
What I learnt
This project was my first deep dive into research-driven design, and I learned how evidence can shape more impactful creative outcomes. Collaborating with Siemens showed me the value of designing not just solutions, but frameworks that help teams co-create effectively. It remains a milestone in my journey as it blended rigor, creativity, and real-world impact.
Next steps
Future development could focus on testing the toolkit in real workshops, refining the card set with industry feedback, and exploring digital versions for wider accessibility.
Impact
This toolkit lowers the entry barrier for teams to ideate engaging game-based learning experiences, ensuring that corporate training is both effective and memorable.
