Game Design Requirements Through Ethnography Amongst Pediatric Cancer Patients

This paper describes a study conducted to identify activities performed by pediatric cancer patients while receiving treatments in the hospital. Using ethnography strategy, a shadow observation took place in the pediatric oncology ward for two months period. During the observation, patients' activities including treatment protocols, medical procedures, hygienic procedures and their daily treatment routines were recorded. In addition, patients' feedback from the activities performed on them was also recorded. The observations were analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes that represent patients' activities and their responses to the events are produced. These themes suggest the overall view of their activities in the ward. The finding suggests that pediatric cancer patients are mostly bored and depressed due to the limited physical movements because of the treatments or from the illness. This causes boredom and depression. Therefore, parents and guardian use mobile phone, tablet devices, television, books or toys to distract them. This outcome can be used for designers and developers of games to design or customize video games to empower them while being hospitalized.