Level Up Your Research Data Management - Gamification Strategies for Advancing Science

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

Abstract

📊 Effective research data management (RDM) depends on consistent, well-documented practices that are often perceived as routine or burdensome. This hands-on workshop introduces the concepts of gamification and serious games as practical strategies to increase data literacy, improve documentation quality, and foster sustained behavioral change among researchers. 🎮 Gamification—the integration of game mechanics into non-game context — can improve the RDM by embedding playful and interactive elements into training and workflows, encouraging reflection and long-term adoption of best practices. Routine RDM tasks, such as documenting datasets, curating metadata, or ensuring data completeness, can be transformed into stimulating challenges that promote consistency, collaboration, and a culture of continuous improvement. 🚀 In this hands-on workshop, participants will: • 📚 Learn about the differences between games and gamification and its application in RDM. • 🎲 Engage in practical exercises, including playing RDM-focused games. • 🏆 Explore how gamification elements—such as points, badges, and challenges—can be integrated into RDM workflows. • 💡 Brainstorm and design gamified solutions tailored to the data life cycle or their own institutional contexts. This workshop builds on the expertise and resources[1] developed by the Sub-WG Training/Further Education of the DINI/nestor WG Research Data featuring the serious game “Gami|cation – the learning-teaching adventure”[2] developed by 'Digital Learning and Gaming Cultures’ cluster at TU Dresden’s CODIP. 🧩 This session is designed for RDM professionals, data stewards, and trainers seeking approaches to enhance data literacy and foster a culture of responsible data management. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with ideas and resources to gamify RDM practices or tutorials. 🌱 👥 Max Participants: 20 🌐 Language: English ⏱️ Duration: 180min 📝 Requirements: Beamer, Pen&Paper, Space for 4-5 separate breakout working groups [1] Ron Dockhorn, Claudia Engelhardt, Britta Petersen, and Antje Manske. 2026. Games and Gamification in Research Data Management: Engaging methods to foster better data practices. RDA Deutschland Tagung 2026, Potsdam, Germany. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19386540[2] Linda Christa Friedrich, Matthias Heinz, Josefin Müller, and Michelle Pippig. 2025. Gami|cation: Gamification Within (Higher) Education. In: Advanced Technologies and the University of the Future. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, E. Vendrell Vidal, U.R. Cukierman, M.E. Auer (eds.), vol 1140. Springer Nature Switzerland, Cham. 397–412. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71530-3_25

Authors 3

1. Ron Dockhorn

   Technische Universität Dresden

   Affiliation as printed

   Technische Universität Dresden

2. Ute Trautwein‐Bruns Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

3. Antje Manske

   GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences

   Affiliation as printed

   GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences