Introduction

In recent years, the number of technological products available on the market has been progressively increasing. Modern societies have more options when choosing devices and tools to meet specific needs. The creation of websites, for example, has had a significant impact on the technological market due to its growth, becoming one of the most utilized formats and mediums for the generation and transmission of social, cultural, political, and economic content and information, among others ¹.

This increase is not only observed in products with clear utility. Video games can be understood as a type of technological development whose use is predominantly for entertainment purposes. Even so, it is found that people are increasingly interested in them. In a quick search of the term "videogame" on Google Trends ⁹, it is observed that, on a scale of 0 to 100 that classifies the popularity of the term in the search engine, with 0 being no popularity and 100 being maximum popularity, the average popularity in a review of the last 5 years has increased globally. The following graph shows that the indicator tends to rise above the 75 popularity line, which was less frequent in previous years (Figure 1)

Figure 1 Popularity of the term "Videogame" on Google Trends ⁹  

This increase in the production and use of technology can be attributed to its capacity to satisfy a wide variety of human needs through a diversity of products and solutions. For example, in video games, players can satisfy needs such as entertainment, creativity, identity, and affection in a vast array of available games. Furthermore, serious games, such as educational, historical, social, political, and health-related games, can address needs related to understanding, protection, participation, and identity ¹⁹. This demonstrates that video games, and games in general, are powerful tools from the perspective of human needs analysis. This idea also extends to various software technologies, such as social networks, applications, and websites, as well as devices like mobile products, computers, and smart TVs, among others ¹⁹.

Possibly for these and other reasons, games have been integrated into other contexts such as education ²⁹, health ³⁰, and business processes ²⁹. In recent years, this has been done through serious games, video games, and gamification. Regarding the former, Scolari ²⁸ updates Huizinga's idea by adding some elements to the conceptualization and stating that games are "cultural constructions designed to generate narrative experiences in individuals... of an interpersonal nature in which the individual immerses themselves in a narrative in which they participate as protagonists, influencing its development and resolution" (p. 24). This also applies to video games, which can be understood as a form of technological advancement that transfers all game components to virtual environments and spaces, retaining their narrative element ²⁸.

Although video games are primarily a form of entertainment and do not necessarily aim to solve social or human problems, they are being used for other purposes ³¹. In this context, we refer to serious games, which can be defined, according to ABT ³², as "the art and science of games that simulate life, whether in industry, government, education, or personal relationships." These games are designed to represent, model, or simulate real-world situations to test theories, explore possibilities without incurring high experimentation costs, train people, and develop specific skills, or even measure competencies. Serious games have defined objectives and processes and differ from traditional games or video games in that they are not framed within the entertainment industry ³³ but are oriented towards objectives and purposes, such as evaluating or improving skills or knowledge ³⁴.

On the other hand, gamification can be understood as the application of game dynamics and mechanics in non-gaming contexts to generate behavior changes and encourage the achievement of process objectives, with real-world implications ³⁵. Unlike serious games, gamification accompanies real processes and directly intervenes in their outcomes; it does not simulate them. Gamification has been developed to leverage the characteristics of games and their potential to generate engagement and motivation in participants or players. Its use, like that of games and video games, is on the rise, and being an emerging phenomenon with less than two decades of constant research and application, the concept shows very high usage, even surpassing that of games. This can be seen in Figure 2, which shows the interest in the concept over time.

Figure 2 Interest in the concept of gamification over time. Google Trends ⁹  

However, although a high percentage of people can satisfy a wide range of their needs through the diversity of software technologies, artifacts, and processes like gamification, there is a percentage that cannot do so due to their own particular conditions, such as physical or psychological characteristics, or social, cultural, and/or economic conditions of their context. This implies that some processes and artifacts are created with limitations in their capacity for inclusion or accessibility. These aspects must be addressed from the inclusive design approach, which, according to Joyce ¹⁴, “... describes methodologies for creating products that understand and empower people of all backgrounds and abilities. It can address accessibility, age, economic situation, geographic location, language, race, and more” (p. 1). “... inclusive design involves empathizing with users and adapting interfaces to address the diverse needs of those users. Inclusive design generates patterns of inclusion” (p. 1), impacting aspects such as accessibility, usability or playability, adaptability, aesthetics, and satisfaction.

At this point, understanding the user is a task of fundamental interest, which in recent years has been assumed by an approach called User Experience (UX). UX and its practice, User Experience Design (UX Design), have become key factors for the success of information and communication technologies. The quality of the experience influences satisfaction, efficiency, and effectiveness in the interaction of users with technological and innovative processes and products ³, which is extremely beneficial for gamification.

Its potential lies in its user-centered approach and the constant evaluation of the experience, which involves the measurement and interpretation of multiple subjective and objective factors, such as usability, inclusion, accessibility, immersion, aesthetics, interaction, and satisfaction. Additionally, each context and each user may present different needs, expectations, and preferences, requiring a personalized and flexible evaluative approach. Therefore, there arises the need to know the techniques, tools, and specific indicators that allow for a reliable, efficient, and effective evaluation of user experience, which will improve the way inclusive and accessible gamified processes are created.

In the present article, some selected sources from databases and scientific journals were reviewed, and the most frequent techniques, tools, and indicators in UX evaluation were identified and analyzed to determine their possible use in the evaluation of gamified processes. The search was guided by the following research question: What are the most relevant and effective methods, techniques, and tools for evaluating user experience?

Therefore, the methodology employed is presented below, which consisted of a structured review of relevant scientific articles in which the methods and techniques used to evaluate user experience were identified and analyzed. Next, the results are detailed, presenting a variety of indicators and metrics used in UX evaluation, such as usability, user satisfaction, accessibility, and aesthetics. Subsequently, the discussion is presented, reporting the differences and similarities in the evaluation approaches used in the reviewed studies. Finally, the conclusions section highlights the importance of considering multiple dimensions of user experience and recommends the use of multidisciplinary approaches and validated tools to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon studied and its applicability in gamification and gamified products or processes.

Methodology

A structured literature review method was employed, also known as a systematic review. It is essentially an orderly bibliographic review process that cannot be classified as a true systematic literature review (SLR) ⁵¹. For the purposes of this study, the focus was not on achieving the rigor or timeliness required by SLRs but rather on finding answers to research questions by considering various sources and being more flexible in the selection and filtering process. The goal was to map a broader range of knowledge and subsequently describe the elements of greatest interest.

Results

To begin with, all articles were reviewed, and the selected ones were subjected to a content criteria review associated with the research questions. The following Table 4 shows the compliance or non-compliance of each criterion according to each source. It is important to mention that the classification was done exclusively to profile each article according to the criterion in which its contribution was most observed; this does not mean that it could not contribute to another criterion to a lesser extent.

Discussion

Conclusions

In conclusion, user experience (UX) evaluation is a significant topic in technology research, processes, and designs. The articles reviewed in this study presented a variety of methods and techniques for evaluating UX, which can be categorized into Methods for real systems or prototypes and Predictive Methods. The application of UX evaluation in the context of gamification pertains to a process that is often characterized as an innovation process. In this context, UX evaluation indicators can be used, with some depending on the types of elements involved. For example, some gamified processes may include technological or digital components subject to user interface evaluation, while others might involve physical cards, in which case gameplay, usability, satisfaction, and other evaluations would apply. Similarities were found among the articles regarding the importance of accessibility, usability, inclusivity, and interaction. It is important to note that as technology and knowledge advance, new challenges for UX evaluation in gamified processes emerge, and understanding continuously evolves.

Furthermore, the relationship between UX and gamification promises to be beneficial. Some authors ⁴⁷ have explored this relationship in the reverse direction: the impact of gamification on UX. This suggests a potential future research direction, considering that gamification could transform how users interact with applications and platforms, positively contributing to the overall experience. Research topics could include User Engagement ⁴⁸, Motivation and Achievement ⁴⁹, Enhanced Learning Experience ^49,50, Immediate Feedback, Personalization and Social Experience, Engaging Problem Solving, Reducing Dropout, and Developing Positive Habits ⁵⁰.

Therefore, it is recommended to continue researching and developing methods and techniques for UX evaluation and to adapt these approaches to new challenges arising in the field of gamification. Additionally, promoting accessibility, usability, inclusivity, and interaction in UX design within gamification should be prioritized to ensure user satisfaction and meet specific needs.

Finally, as a constructive contribution derived from this study, the following guide is proposed to incorporate UX evaluation into gamified processes.

Understanding the Context: Familiarize yourself with the goals of the gamified process and the context in which it is applied. Identify the specific characteristics of the target audience and their needs.

Selection of Heuristics: Use Nielsen’s basic heuristics as a starting point to evaluate the usability of the gamified process.

Visibility of system status.

Match between the system and the real world.

User control and freedom, etc.

Consider Shneiderman and Plaisant’s recommendations to ensure effective interaction and a satisfying experience.

UX Evaluation Techniques: Combine expert-driven and user-based evaluation methods.

Conduct heuristic inspections to identify potential design issues.

Use surveys and questionnaires to gather data on user perception and satisfaction.

Perform user testing to observe how participants interact with the gamified process and identify areas for improvement.

Evaluation Tools: Implement A/B testing to compare different versions of the gamified process and assess their impact on engagement and participation.

Use indicators of usability, efficiency, and user satisfaction to measure the performance and effectiveness of the gamified process.

Iteration and Continuous Improvement: Analyze the results of the UX evaluation and prioritize areas for improvement.

Make adjustments to the design and implementation of the gamified process based on the findings.

Iterate in the cycle of evaluation and continuous improvement to optimize the user experience and achieve the established goals.

This brief guide is proposed based on the identified and analyzed elements, considering a simplified integration of various UX evaluation elements with the evaluation of gamified processes.