Gaming the unknown: learning to differentiate and respond to uncertainty through a serious game

This study examines how a serious game can enhance understanding of uncertainty in climate adaptation planning and influence decision-making under complex conditions. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined pre- and post-game surveys with debriefing sessions, the study engaged 55 university students in an adaptation pathways game simulating regional planning over five decades, including disruptive environmental and political events. Results show that participants’ understanding of uncertainty broadened beyond environmental and institutional factors to include political change, institutional dynamics, and implementation challenges. Participants increasingly favoured flexible, adaptive strategies over optimised single-scenario approaches, with political disruptions eliciting stronger responses than environmental shocks. 

The findings suggest that cognitive learning about different types of uncertainty can drive normative shifts in strategic preferences, leading participants to favour resilient, multi-option pathways that better accommodate deep uncertainty in climate adaptation decision-making.