Heuristics for Board Game Usability Testing

Video game developers have frequently used usability testing to evaluate and improve player experience. However, it has rarely been studied in the context of board games due to the difficulties in data collection and the lack of customized heuristics. To fill the gap, this study has developed a new set of heuristics, called the Board Game Heuristics (BGH), based on actual board game players’ feedback obtained in game review videos and usability testing sessions. Furthermore, this study has suggested possible ways to adjust testing methods to gain more reliable data. The new heuristics provide practical principles for board game designers to better understand player experience and make changes toward more user-friendly designs.