Poster

Audience Insight in Creative Companies

Data Driven Process for Audience Insight in Creative Companies

To respond to many challenges the creative industries face when building sustainable futures, understanding the behaviours of its audience is key. Methods are needed which derive this understanding using a data driven approach which incorporates expert domain knowledge from those working in the creative industries.

As part of an industry academic research collaboration, I have been exploring these themes using data from computer games, which generate large quantities of behaviour data. This data is often complex and requires context to fully interpret and analyse.

There are two main aspects to the project. The first looks at methods for utilising player action data alongside expert domain knowledge to establish behaviour patterns. Here I used the technique of individual sequence pattern mining, a technique of discovering commonly ordered patterns of actions, to established distinct groups of player behaviour, and the prevalence of them. This provided new knowledge and understanding of the game’s players to the creative team.
When integrated to the creative development process, this new knowledge provides a better understanding of the consequences of design changes on the players. More targeted and effective changes can be made to the game design to encourage or discourage certain behaviours.

The second aspect of the collaboration is exploring automation. Future player behaviours are simulated and predicted using AI powered players, allowing those within the creative process to experiment and explore solutions in a fast turnaround, low cost, risk free environment. New data driven, evidence-based solutions can then be implemented.

This poster presents the opportunities and challenges in developing mixed methods ‘human in the loop’ processes that increase production scale up capacity and pipeline productivity within a creative industry company, and the changes in thinking needed for them to succeed.

Stuart Anderson

Abertay University

Biography
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I am currently R&D Fellow for Experimental Game Development and Data Driven Design at InGAME. My research interests focus on data analytics, automation, automated testing, the development of open data tools, and games as environments for simulation and experimentation.

Prior to InGAME, I was co-founder of an award winning games development studio, working on over 20 games, including partnerships with the Film and TV industries.