The user responses

Somability turned out to be a huge success among LD users. It motivated them to carry out physical exercise regularly. Additionally, Somability improved users’ mental states. This section summarises the results of Somability.

Improvements of user fitness

Somability is a fun and encouraging game that improved the users’ physical condition. It created an inclusive gameplay process and drew end users into the moment, which motivated them to exercise regularly. Users have been observed to break their own perceived physical limitations.

game in a way, movements became irresistible. Everyone wants to have a go.’

----Participant 5, dancing instructor, Artis Community

To involve users with all levels of LD, Somability provides a lot of freedom in the game. The game was designed with few rules and restrictions. As a result, the game engaged everyone.

‘So you find that service users, even the ones with restricted movements, they would say ‘look, it is doing what I am doing’. They saw their bodies on the screen, it was a reflective and positive response. It encouraged them. No one was really left out, even the ones in wheelchairs. They were really involved because they could see themselves on the screen.’

--- Participant 7, caregiver, Gladys Resource Centre

This technology makes even the smallest amount of movement appear big on a screen. As a result, it brings enjoyment from movement for those who do not have high-level of mobility in their lives, for example, people in wheelchairs.

Changes in users’ emotional state

Somability made doing physical exercise easy and enjoyable. Users were reported to repetitively come back to the game simply because it was fun. While playing the game, the users’ emotional state was improved.

During gameplay, users had increased confidence levels. The confidence was not only reflected on the physical aspects of gameplay, but also on their emotional state as they were able to control the game progress. For instance, there was a noticeable increase in physical aspects of their confidence levels demonstrated by the fact that users were more and more willing to perform movements that they initially felt uncomfortable doing.

‘We tried to build our software so that there was an element of simplicity to it. There is a mechanism that is immediately obvious within the interaction. But that mechanism could be interpreted by your imagination in any way you like. We purposely left as much space as we could to allow the imagination of any individual to occupy that space between what we have made and what they think it was, there was lots of room.’

As the game progressed, users benefited from the experience of controlling the game, so that they became more and more independent. The increase of independence impacted other aspects of the users’ life: their caregivers saw them live with less support from others since the launch of the game.

‘As you can see it from today, how confident and exploratory the service users were without any need from myself to be involved or any prompting needed from an adult. That in itself, is really important because it is about independence.’

--- Participant 1, project manager, Cariad Interactive

Users gained empowerment from the game, as they were controlling the game process by themselves. The chance to control a situation is rare for LD users. Therefore, Somability provided a precious opportunity for them to experience this.

‘I think a lot of the caregivers had expectations about what the users would do and would not do. But actually, when they were using the software and playing within the environment, they started doing stuff. It is because the participants were controlling for themselves.’

--- Participant 3, art director, Cariad Interactive

Somability was a channel for users to express themselves via movement. Traditionally, people with LD struggle with expressing themselves verbally. With Somability, they could show their emotional feelings such as joy and anger through movement.

‘We look at the fact that we reach for things when we need them, how can we make that reach more dynamic? So instead of reaching for something, it is reaching to express something. In that process of expressive movement, we are actually physically moving more. Movements have become irresistible.’

--- Participant 1, project manager, Cariad Interactive

Some users were triggered by the competition in Somability. The caregivers had expressed that the competition was kept within a certain level and it was motivating. On the other hand, some interviewees thought it might be too stressful for some users.

‘There is competition for all users now: there is one game in Somability that the more you clap, the more flowers you get. So you find that the service users, some of them would say ‘look, I have more flowers’. There was competition and it was

really fun. Not only that, even the staff, we were like ‘look, I am doing well’. The more you get flowers, it motivates you.’

--- Participant 7, caregiver, Gladys Resource Centre

As a matter of fact, almost all of the emotional triggers were intentionally planted in Somability to intrinsically reward users.

‘Instead of having a target, why don’t you have a self-reward. So it is not extrinsic, it is more intrinsic. I think the centre of intrinsic motivation is to get feedback of what you do, so you get a sense of your progress and that progress is naturally paced at your own pace. There are lots of opportunities for repetition. With the game-like experience, too much repetition can be negative. But in a non- competitive environment, more repetition allows improvement. I think if you allow people to repeat themselves until they feel comfortable, you can avoid potential failure.’

--- Participant 1, project manager, Cariad Interactive

Alteration of users’ social interaction

Playing the game have brought users closer, users have interacted more with other users and with other people around them. This extra social interaction helps create bonds and trust among peers.

‘I was working with an LD boy and I was moving with him. When he moved to the other side, I stopped and slowing slipped away. He pulled me back because he wanted to work with me. I thought that was really nice because the game encouraged partnership and people working together.’

--- Participant 6, facilitator, Rhondda Cynon Taf Skills for Independence

Meanwhile, users have shown an increase of social responsibility. They were able to participate in group tasks and organise group performances.

‘Karen had been unable to collaborate with anyone else, but now she was organising group performances herself.’

with the technology and other aspects in their environment.

‘When we first started using the software, the users were copying me. I would be making movements such as a breathing exercise. They would be copying me but they would not relate themselves to the computer image. Eventually they started to see themselves on the screen and related the image to themselves. This is interesting because communicating with technology is something the users did not understand.’

--- A Participant 6, facilitator, Rhondda Cynon Taf Skills for Independence