[MUSIC] So this is an experience called SPENT, and it's meant to tap into this concept of narrative transport, and connect us to an issue that we might not otherwise be familiar with. Here- >> So, just to be sure we're all understanding exactly what you're saying, narrative transport means a story that takes me somewhere, transports me some. Well, how do you define that? >> Narrative transport is a concept that storytellers use that means you are so, so transported by the narrative, that you are able to empathize two characters that are perhaps unlike you. >> Much better definition than mine. >> Great, let's go. >> So here this is about hunger, poverty, and trying to make ends meet over the course of a month. So, we try in the media and in the non-po, non-profit world certainly, to get people to care about big social issues, such as poverty, and hunger. But one of the obstacles that we come across is that these are so big and so ubiquitous, that we have a hard time actually connecting to the issue. So this game, once you launch it here, tries to put you in the shoes of someone who is experiencing these problems. So that you experience them firsthand as the game player. >> Mm-hm. >> So it says you would never need help, right? And I accept the challenge. So this beginning intro sequence just sets up the problem. You're down to your last one thousand dollars. Can you make it through the month? And it issues you a challenge. So you can find a job. And here we've entered into our game play area. So we have to select a job. I'll take the warehouse job. And it lets me know, here's my weekly pay. I choose an insurance plan. I'll choose the Gold plan. And it's starting to weave in real pieces of information to give me context for my choices. >> Just now told, told me what kind of health coverage I have. >> Yeah. So, I've chosen a health plan, and it says, that's great that you've chosen good insurance. However, your paycheck is down by 25% now. >> Okay. >> So we begin to start to see some of the consequences for our actions. They continue. >> It's also interesting that it, it isn't heavily visual. So it's a simpler one for people to, to think about creating. Its content strategist think about telling their own stories with a different scenario. This is a wonderful model for what the, the dollars, pesos, yuan, whatever could be much less. The situation could be different, but the story telling model comes alive. >> Yes, and we're always grounded in this goal. We have our balance up here on the left that really, you know, we watch that go down over time, and we have our progressive element over here that's tracking our progress through the game. But then also really tracking our progress through the month, in, in the shoes or, of this character. >> So my $1,000 for the month, or $100, or $10 is, I'm only in day three, and this is where I'm all ready at. >> Right. >> Okay. >> So I'm going to hit pay for my apartment. >> Mm-hm. >> And you can see now I've just lost from rent, I'm almost out of money. >> Mm-hm. >> I've got $192, and I have a long way to go to the rest of the month. >> 26 days, no food, no transportation, heat, lights, whatever. There I am, okay? >> Right. So I will sell some of my belongings for a little extra cash. Here I've got $150, which gets added to my total. >> Of course once I sell of them, they're gone for good. >> That's true. >> Mm-hm. >> Something broke. [SOUND]. I'll hide the evidence. So, we start to get into all of the issues that anyone in this type of situation could experience. So, here my child has been identified as gifted. This is great, however there's a cost for that. So I have to weigh some other issues. Will I have enough for groceries if I pay for my child to attend this program at school? So I won't go through all of the choices that you can make here. I'd encourage anyone with with a strong Internet connection to go and play this themselves, and see how they fare. There are some social elements that come into play, but really just wanted to highlight this as an excellent example of using gamification to pull users directly into a set of shoes that they wouldn't wear otherwise. You know, it's wonderful. I'm thinking of, if I was in an organization, a for-profit organization, and I had a service or a product. I could build this to sort of teach people inside what their audience, supporters, customers outside were going through. because I could load into it what they're going through to use our product or our service. If was in government, I could do the same thing. Well, what's the program that I'm offering going to mean to the people on the other side? And of course, not-for-profit which this is based on. But what a powerful way to tell a story and really have the, either have the person playing it feel the impact. Or have the people who are impacting a cohort of people, an audience of people, come to understand what they have to go through. It's terrific. [MUSIC]
