Research data management doesn’t have to be monotonous and tedious. Today we’d like to introduce six games that offer a fun and engaging approach to learning about research data management. 

Whether you're a postgraduate student, early career researcher, or seasoned academic, these games offer a unique and interactive way to learn about data management best practices. From text-based adventures to escape rooms, there's a game for everyone. 

Data Horror Escape Room

An online "escape room" game where researchers are "locked" in a room and must solve six puzzles about Research Data Management (RDM) to escape. Through the game, players learn aspects of RDM essential for writing a Data Management Plan.

  
Data Horror Escape Room 

• Link: https://sites.google.com/vu.nl/datahorror/home
• Theme: Research Data Management
• Created by: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Leiden University and the Eindhoven University of Technology
• License: CC BY SA

Research Data Management Adventure

RDM Adventure 

A text-based interactive adventure where a researcher tackles data management challenges throughout different stages of the research data lifecycle. Players make decisions that directly influence the success of the research project. 

• Link: https://rdm-games.gitlab.io/rdm-adventure/
• Theme: Research Data Management
• Created by: University of Bath and Stellenbosch University
• License: CC BY NC SA

Software Horror Escape Room

A horror-themed interactive text adventure focused on research data management and research software. Players must solve puzzles to "escape the room" while learning about data management and software.

 
Software Horror Escape Room 

• Link: https://nlesc.github.io/softwarehorrorgame/SoftwareHorrorGame.html
• Theme: Research Data Management, Software
• Created by: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Leiden University; Netherlands eScience Center
• License: CC BY SA

Open Up Your Research

Players take the role of Emma, a PhD student, and make decisions about Open Science approaches to research. At the end of the game, players can see the impact of their decisions on their research.

 
Open Up Your Research Game 

• Link: https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/moreopenscience/game.html
• Theme: Open Science
• Created by: University of Zurich
• License: CC BY NC SA

Open Science Escape Room

A sci-fi themed interactive text game where players solve puzzles related to FAR data management to rebuild a world with open source software and open data repositories.

 
Open Science Escape Room 

• Link: https://sites.google.com/vu.nl/open-science-escape-room
• Theme: Open Science
• Created by: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Delft University of Technology
• License: CC BY

Creative Thinking Quest

A text-based adventure that aims to help novice researchers become project design masters. Players take on the role of adventurers who meet a wizard guiding them in choosing an appropriate 'quest' based on their personal situation, research learning wish list, and the development of their project ideas.

 
Creative Thinking Quest 

• Link: https://daisyabbottitchio.itch.io/creative-thinking-quest
• Theme: Research Project Management, Research Methods
• Created by: The Glasgow School of Art
• License: CC BY NC

These games are all available online and can be played for free. Give them a try!