Serious play for Enhancing Organizational Learning: A Systematic Literature Review and a Framework for Designing Play-Based Learning

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22111/jmr.2026.53606.6460

Abstract

Abstract
This study explores the concept and components of serious play (SP) in adult learning, focusing on non-digital applications in organizational and higher education contexts. Despite the growing use of purposeful play-based approaches, unclear distinctions between serious play, serious games, and gamification, along with the absence of a coherent framework for designing non-digital SP, have limited their effective use. Using a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA guideline, 63 studies published between 2019 and 2023 were analyzed. The findings resulted in a two-level framework including general and specific dimensions of play-based learning design. Feedback, content development, and play environment characteristics were identified as the most important components, while story, rules, roles, and clues emerged as key distinguishing features of SP. The study also identified research gaps related to evaluation, goal-setting, and instructional design models. Overall, the proposed framework provides a flexible basis for designing purposeful play-based learning experiences for adult learners.
Introduction
In today’s competitive environment, traditional training methods are often insufficient for maintaining learner motivation and engagement in organizational education (Vinita, 2016; Sitzmann & Weinhardt, 2018). In contrast, play-based learning can improve participation, motivation, and skill development through interactive and immersive experiences grounded in flow theory (Csikszentmihalyi et al., 2014). Despite the increasing use of purposeful play approaches, existing studies have paid limited attention to the design dimensions of non-digital serious play, particularly in adult learning contexts (Naik, 2014). Therefore, the present study aims to clarify the concept of serious play and identify the main components and dimensions required for designing non-digital play-based learning programs for adults.
 
Case study
The statistical population of the study consisted of all relevant studies published in international databases including Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, and PubMed during the period 2019–2023. This time frame was selected due to the growing academic attention to serious play and play-based learning in recent years.
Materials and Methods
This study employed a qualitative systematic literature review approach based on the PRISMA guideline (Moher et al., 2009). Relevant studies were identified using predefined keywords related to serious play, gamification, learning, and framework design. After removing duplicate records and applying inclusion criteria, 63 studies were selected for final analysis. Data extraction, screening, and conceptual analysis were conducted manually to ensure accurate identification of the components and dimensions of serious play design.
Discussion and Results
The findings showed that feedback, content development, and play environment characteristics were the most important components of serious play design, reflecting the interactive and experience-based nature of play-based learning. Immediate feedback, storytelling, and immersive environments were found to strengthen learner engagement, motivation, and meaning-making. The results also led to a two-level framework including general educational dimensions and dimensions specific to serious play, highlighting that SP involves more than adding playful elements to instruction. In addition, important gaps were identified in evaluation methods, goal-setting, and instructional design models, indicating limited theoretical development in the field.
Conclusion
This study clarified the distinction between serious play, serious games, and gamification and proposed a two-level framework for designing non-digital play-based learning programs. The findings suggest that effective serious play design depends on the integration of feedback, narrative, interaction, and immersive environments. However, the limited attention to evaluation and instructional design models shows the need for more theory-driven research to strengthen the educational effectiveness of serious play in organizational and higher education contexts.

Keywords

References

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