So You Want to Work in Retail?

Jamie Hourdajian

Table of Contents
Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1
Design History.................................................................................................................................. 1 Vision Statement .............................................................................................................................. 2 Logline ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Synopsis........................................................................................................................................ 2 Game Description............................................................................................................................. 2

Formal Elements ................................................................................................. 3

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Gameplay Description ...................................................................................................................... 3 Tutorial......................................................................................................................................... 4 Character Selection...................................................................................................................... 5 Conflict/Argument........................................................................................................................ 5 Challenge/Procedures.................................................................................................................. 6 Outcomes...................................................................................................................................... 6

Dramatic Elements.............................................................................................. 6
Game World ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Characters ......................................................................................................................................... 7 PCs ............................................................................................................................................... 7 NPCs ............................................................................................................................................ 7

Reflection............................................................................................................. 7
Dissoi Logoi ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Composition ..................................................................................................................................... 8

Introduction
Design History
When it comes to playing video games, I have little experience. I never considered myself a gamer, getting trapped in alternative world for hours and escaping reality by staring at a screen with a control set. I had no interest in playing video games, knowing how they were created or what their purpose was. Ironically, I soon learned that my knowledge for video games was to be tested for a grade. For our third project in Advanced Writing at The University of South Carolina, we must create our own game design template. For days I brainstormed topics to base my game on, but I couldnt find an idea that stuck. I knew I did not want to create a persuasive game but making a serious one did stand out to me. I tried to think of different things I was either interested in or had felt strongly about. It was my past job at the Nike Factory store that started it all. Reflecting on my past work experience, I found only one downfall: the way I was trained.

Therefore, I decided to create a game to be used by companies to better educate their employees during their training process.

Vision Statement
Logline So You Want to Work in Retail is a serious game designed to be used as a training exercise that focuses on the fundamentals needed to work in a retail store. Synopsis For the past two years I have been employed at the Nike Factory store back home. Upon my return from college, I was asked for a second time to sit through an orientation session along with the new hirers. Having to sit through one of those six hours, two-day information sessions again did not seem beneficial to me whatsoever. I did not see what the point was if I was being taught the same information about the company as I did the first time I was hired. I was not learning anything new from reading through the stack of manuals given or watching the videos about how to interact with the customers when they are shopping for a particular item, shoplifting, or experiencing a conflict. My skills didnt improve after the second session, and I was left questioning what the managers expected from me. After seeing the faces of the new people hired, they all looked clueless when we were asked to go on to the floor and pick out items to sale to the managers. Knowing of my previous work experience here, they looked to me as a guide. Not only had I not learned new information during my second orientation, but also it appeared to me that the newly hired people still didnt know what to do even after sitting through the manual readings and videos. So You Want to Work in Retail is a training game that utilizes a creative approach to teaching new employees of retail the skills needed to be a successful employee. This game will be used by managers in replacement of the manuals about customer service that people just read or the videos they just watched where no physical contribution was being made. This game will give the new employees an opportunity to learn about the store as they walk through it.

Game Description
So You Want to Work in Retail is a teaching strategy that is used in companies when hiring new employees. Instead of reading information about the store and how it operates, this game allows the new employee to test out the grounds for their selves. It is important to give new employees a little preview and knowledge of what to expect when they are working in the real world to prevent any future mistakes. This game is to represent a real-life store, with strolling customers, chaos, and conversations everywhere. The setting ranges from being a chaotic environment, with numerous people walking around shopping and crowding the store, to only having a few people peruse the store. This game is created from past experiences in retail training that left me wishing I learned more at the start rather than the end. It gives new employees a chance to experience customers motives and how the store functions. So You Want to Work in Retail is created to reach the audience of retail companies applying new employees.

Formal Elements
Objectives
Gain communication skills needed to interact with customers, co-workers and managers Fulfill customers needs allowing them to leave with a satisfying experience and desire to return Assist those who approach with questions, comments, and/or concerns Develop time management skills through completing all job tasks during the shift Ability to locate items for customers successfully and efficiently Gain skills in organizing and arranging various areas of the store (pick up clothing, hangers, organize items on shelves to a straight and perfect look, fix loose items on racks so they are not sticking out, fix shoe boxes on shelves so they are not sticking out) Maintain your job Dont get fired!

Gameplay Description
When players turn on the game, they are introduced to a home screen presenting the games title, So You Want to Work Retail? At the press of the start button, there will be an NCP avatar waiting to welcome the new employees and state the companys expectations of the newcomers as well as the objectives of the game, which include: communication skills amongst various people and positions in the workplace, leadership experience, time management, as well as conflict resolution and store knowledge. Following this brief introduction, the player continues on to create a character through provided options of various gender, skin tone, hair color, clothing etc. that will best represent them throughout the game. These choices are presented on screens of boxes that can be scrolled through and are demonstrated on the avatar of the current player according to the selections they have made. Once the players avatar has been finalized, they are then ready to begin the training process. From the moment they enter the virtual store, arrows guide them to locations and checkpoints where they must complete various tasks throughout their shift. The player navigates their avatar via the controllers analog stick. Upon a few seconds of exploration, players will be approached by a store manager who will direct them to their first task, located at the cash-wrap where the customers will check out. The most pop-ups will appear at the cash-wrap, firstly teaching you how to operate the register. For example, pop-ups saying hit the login button and then scan items; from there you would start scanning the customers items by clicking the said button on your controller. While you scan the items a pop-up will then come up telling you questions to ask the customer starting off the conversation. All of this is to be done while still scanning each item while taking the sensor off if there is one. To do this you will hit sensor off on your controller. When you are done scanning the item a pop-up will then come up telling you to ask the customer how they would be paying for their purchase. Depending on their answer you are to click the said buttons for the one they chose. Following the payment you are to click bag on your controller. While talking over

the bagging about the survey the store is entitled to mention that can be found on the receipt. The screen will automatically change with each prompt list accordingly. To move on to the next department, two goals must be met: first, all requested tasks at the cash-wrap must be completed to the managers standards, and second, the customer must leave feeling satisfied and well-assisted. A pop-up smiley face will mark completion of either goal, and though it is possible to achieve one objective without the other, the player cannot reach the next checkpoint until both goals are met in one round. If a goal is left unfulfilled and the customer leaves with a pop-up sad face, you must redo the round and the training process will increase in time until it is completed successfully. In the shoe department, both mens and womens, you will face similar steps. You are responsible for one department of the store that you maintain organization and cleanliness, and checking that the department is constantly stocked with enough inventory of each item. While working in this part of the store, you will be approached by customers that are looking for a specific items that they expect you to find for them. For example, you may have someone, or a pop-up come up to you asking, Im looking for a shoe that can support my high arches and are light enough to make it feel like I am not wearing any shoes. You will then be expected to know precisely the type of shoe they are looking for. Players and new employees shouldnt be intimidated by such an advanced question just yet, as this game is designed to teach such knowledge and skills to go about finding items and successfully answering any questions for the customer. A similar approach is when assisting a customer in the men or womens apparel department. Working in these departments are generally less stressful than the previous ones, being that customers tend to know more about the products and their desires, and it is easier to locate items. For example, they know the t-shirts they are looking for, as well as the pants they feel most comfortable in. The pop-ups will remain throughout this department as they did during the cash-wrap and shoe departments, at times presenting possible questions that are asked by customers. Questions might also entail pop-ups from other co-workers and at times, the store manager might unexpectedly appear with a question of his/her own. This completion of this game is dependent on the individual players pace. If they successfully complete all rounds on the first try, it could take as little as twenty minutes to complete. If a player reaches the games time limit of an hour without successfully completing all rounds, the store manager will call you into his virtual office and virtually fire you. At this point, you have no choice but to begin the game from the first round. Tutorial The tutorial in this game consists of pop-ups of information that every employer needs to know when working in retail. It begins when you first walk into the break room for your shift. A pop-up will appear marking each task the player comes across, and will briefly provide explanation of what you must do and how you must do it. The pop-up will be in the left hand corner of the screen and will talk you through the process. After the pop-up tells you the information, you are then to follow the instructions. If you mess up, it will make you do it again until right. The pop-ups will continue throughout the game with

each customer you have or each job you must complete. They will remain on during the whole game ensuring that you are comprehending your instructions and expectations as a new employee. The pop-ups are guides that will coach you through anything you come across while working. Instead of reading about what to do in a book or manual, these tutorials and this game allow you to actually experience it and act it out- before dealing with real customers. You are to walk around the store following arrows that are on the floor that have marks of tape on them when you are to stop and a pop-up will come up with telling you what your next move should be. Character Selection In this game you create your own player. In the retail field, race and ethnicity is an important factor. Diversity among stores is what makes it unique and attracts a whole range of racial customers. Based on your appearance, the customers approaching you may vary as well as their tone of voice, the questions they ask and in general way they act around you. It is up to you to choose your skin tone, hairstyle, eye color and makeup (optional), clothing, and jewelry (optional). You also chose your gender, body type, facial features with all of a click of a button on the controller. Conflict/Argument Checking out customers can be complicated and chaotic. Depending on the day and the traffic in the store, a lot may be going on, while some days you may not have much stress or fast paced environment to distract you. When operating a computer and dealing with peoples money, you cannot mess up. You must stay calm and polite while ringing out a customer with their purchased items, concluding that their experience at the store was a good one. Customers are people that dont hold back any behavior or emotions when a problem comes up while they are shopping. You may experience screaming customers that will question your stores policy and belittle you causing a commotion until they get the answer they want. You are the employer and the customer is always right. When people are not satisfied, they lash out on those working in the store may it be that workers fault or not someone is getting blamed. You may come across customers are just plain awful; they keep dropping things, messing up the merchandise in every department and leaving their trash everywhere. You may potentially come across a child vomiting in the shoe section or someone spilling a drink on the clothing in the racks. Though seemingly unusual experiences, they may occur. In addition, you must be weary of potential shoplifters or suspicious customers. If someone is having an unsatisfied experience, it is likely they will ask to speak to a manager. If things get out of your control, you will have to ask for help from a co-worker or a manager. Whether ringing the wrong price on an item by mistake, not assisting a customer fast enough or successfully, it is always recommended to search for your managers assistance before things get out of control. You must make sure you remove all the sensors on the clothing, equipment or footwear purchase to ensure they wont get caught up when they exit the store. Fulfilling the customers needs and answering all their questions is important, and it applies for your managers as well. Managers will ask you to do different tasks throughout the store that they expect you to complete by the end of your shift. You cannot be seen yelling or physically touching any of the employees or customers in a matter that is inappropriate. In this game not only are you interacting with customers, but you are also interacting with

your co-workers. You will find yourself in a position with your co-worker where they could blame their mistakes on you or vice versa. You cannot blame your co-workers for your mistakes or let them attack you or make you do anything you dont want to do. You cannot yell at a coworker on the main floor, this will cause customers to leave and a bad reputation for the store to be created. If you are working at the cash wrap which is where customers checkout you will have to answer calls from customers satisfying their needs as well as those actually in front of you. This will cause you to panic and miscommunication may occur. You must be able to clean up different departments of the store while still interacting with the customers coming by. Time is money and if you run out of time in completing your told task you will be punished. When you first get hired a position in a retail store it can be overwhelming. I dont find it effective for new hires to just watch videos on how to interact with customers; I think they actually have to experience it. This game is all trial and error learning the fundamentals in a twentyminute span, representing the time one spends in a retail store. Challenge/Procedures The main challenge is to satisfy your customers needs before they get impatient and leave the store empty handed. When a conflict comes along the player must think fast and respond quickly to avoid any more errors to be made. In this game the player has a countdown clock over their head that will give them 0:10 seconds to respond to the conflict that just occurred. May it be a rude customer, a manager yelling at you, or a mistake you made, you have only ten seconds to figure out a solution and make the problem a lot better. By speaking in the microphone provided you must make the face on the other person you are sorting out this problem with go from angry to happy before the time clocks out. Outcomes The outcome for this game is one and only: getting fired. You must go the whole twenty minutes, which is equivalent to a whole day 6-hour shift, without getting fired. When you arent interacting with the customers, ignoring their questions, not paying attention to their needs you will get fired in the game. If you fail to mention the survey about the store and the customers experience at the end of the checkout you get fired. If you do not ask the customer if he/she is interested in adding on an item to their purchase before they make it final, you get fired. By ignoring your managers instructions of cleaning and working in a certain department, you get fired. If there is a mess at the station you were just working in at the end of day if it is not clean up and organized, you get fired. If you fail to show up to your shift at the scheduled time you immediately get fired, bringing the game to a complete stop before you even got to experience the floor. Any errors you come across will quickly get your terminated. If the customer you rung out leaves with a sad face, you get fired.

Dramatic Elements
Game World
This game is a virtual perspective of a real life retail store. This game includes everything you would see when you walk into a retail-shopping store. Setting for the game is very

modern. With computers at the registers, employees walking around the floor holding clothing items, shoeboxes, brooms, pens or hangers. This game with represent a real lifeshopping store with mannequins, rude and polite customers, dressing rooms messy/clean, people walking in and out of the store. Between the flooring, the color on the walls, clothing on the racks, shoes on the shelves, office supplies on the cash wrap, everything about this store in the game represents that of one in real life. PCs With the use of a microphone and controller the PC is to walk around the store for a full twenty minutes completing all of the tasks that come their way. As the character you are to pretend like you are dealing with real life situations that may occur while working. You will have the view of third-person, creating a real-life perspective for the player as if they are actually walking around the store themselves. The PCs voice is your own, as you speak in the microphone you will hear what you are saying as if you are having a real life conversation with someone. The PC fully represents your real life self. It will talk like you while it walks around the store, move around its arms and complete their shift without getting fired. NPCs There are two non-player characters in this game: the customers and the co-workers. You are given a walkie-talkie at the beginning of your shift so you can interact with your coworkers and managers when assistance is needed. This people are there to help you not do the job for you. You cannot focus the camera on finding the people you are talking too. They will be in the area when you have a question for them. They will approach you in person or over the walkie-talkie guiding you to complete your task and assist a customer. There will be customers walking in and out of the store, walking around touching the items all of which you could see them doing. The staff and customers are all NPCs.

Reflection
Dissoi Logoi
It is possible that people may not be able to learn from this game the way I had hoped they would. Some people are visual learners while others are listeners. Depending on the type of person you are, this game can be extremely beneficial or as effective as a training orientation manual. Managers may not opt for this training technique as it could be seen as just a form of entertainment for employees as opposed to the classic open book technique. In my case, this game would help my improve my skills much better than sitting in on a three hour orientation class teaching me about the store and customers from a book. This could take weak employees and have them not learn a thing after the twenty-minute game, which is not what you want to happen.

Composition
So You Want to Work in Retail is not your typical video game. Created for more of a teaching purpose rather than an entertainment this game can be seen as a stepping-stone for creating the perfect employee before they even entered the real store. By actually

getting the opportunity to interact with customers in a way that isnt actually face to face, gives people a little preview of what to expect before entering the real world. Without beginning your first shift unaware of your expectations, this game will provide you all the information needed for you to have a successful first day on the job. In my opinion, this game is more of a teaching method then it is a game for entertainment. So You Want to Work in Retails main objective is to teach new employees how to work in a retail store. I have yet to see a game like this one that is used in the orientation process for new hirers. This is not your average shooter or racecar driving game that resort to a one time winning achievement at the end; it teaches you communication and leadership skills that are applicable in real world situations that are not limited to work in retail. This is a game that will educate people out of the classroom on basic fundamentals that are needed to be successful in the work industry. Merely sitting through a lecture and reading about communication is not as beneficial as the hands on and interactive experience that one encounters while playing So You Want to Work in Retail.