NEGOTIATION DESIGN PATTERN FOR SERIOUS GAMES

Purpose – The purpose of the present paper is to propose a pattern towards filling the gap between demand for serious games on negotiations and lagging supply. A solution for dialogue-based negotiation games is described, to be defined by a human tutor and used in a virtual business environment. Design/methodology/approach – At first state-of-the-art game design patterns and e-Business process patterns are identified. Then following the genesis of a pattern, a design pattern for negotiation games is analyzed, described, tested and defined, based on mathematical game theory. Findings – Since context of training plays a critical role in the negotiation games, precise tutor scenarios need to be customizable to fit the organizational needs of education and training. On the basis of our research, a negotiation pattern is clearly defined and preliminary tested. Research limitations/implications – The result needs to comply with the limitations of current dialogue-based systems. Practical implications – The adoption of the concept will give business stakeholders a hands-on approach to learn, test and approve negotiation skills. Originality/value – This paper provides an original pattern for serious games about dialogue-based negotiation