Among the many contributions, Katharina Koller and Barbara Kieslinger from the Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) presented a poster from the GREAT project that generated significant interest and discussion. Their contribution focused on open data workshops as an innovative form of participatory research. The poster illustrated how the project team invited participants from across the world to take part in a game-inspired online data workshop, where they collectively interpreted data gathered from a survey embedded in a digital game.
This novel approach combines playful engagement with scientific inquiry: participants first played the digital game, during which they provided survey responses that became part of a shared dataset. Later, they joined an online workshop to collaboratively analyse and interpret these data. The format not only fosters inclusivity and openness but also demonstrates how game-based research tools can attract contributes from different geographical and cultural contexts in social science research.
Discussions at the poster session revolved around the scale and richness of the dataset, as well as the potential of digital games as research instruments for collecting meaningful and diverse insights from participants worldwide. Many attendees expressed curiosity about how such data workshops can lower barriers to participation, enhance collective interpretation, and create new avenues for citizen and open science.
The OIS ZAM Forum once again demonstrated the value of open innovation in science, and the ZSI team’s contribution highlighted how participatory approaches can expand both the reach and depth of research. The data workshop model stands as an inspiring example of how digital tools and collaborative interpretation can transform conventional research processes into dynamic, inclusive, and globally connected practices.
