Description of impact
as part of the work of the ESPRC funded project, ‘Serious Coding: a Game Approach to Security for the New Code-Citizens,’ I have worked with colleagues in computer science at Heriot-Watt and in game design at Glasgow School of Art to collaborate on a series of outputs designed to engage the public with the issues of secure coding. As well as making a series of short ‘serious games’ that aim to provoke users into considering the implications of not coding securely, the project has generated a number of other resources. This includes a ‘Slow Game Jam Toolkit,’ which teaches ‘code citizens’ how to design serious games themselves; a ‘card deck,’ which translates the technical language of cybsecuity into layperson’s terms; and a series of ‘code snippets,’ with both vulnerable and secure examples to enable the public to test their knowledge of code security [see https://secrious.github.io/].The project has also run a series of ‘future forums’ with members of the public designed to generate discussion around aspects of code security as well as a series of ‘beaconing events.’ For instance, with students of cybersecurity and game design at the Abertay Cyberquarter; with school children in Edinburgh; and with IT professionals online.
Who is affected
The impact target for the collaborative project, 'Serious Coding' has been 'new code-citizens.' This is a term that refers to any member of the public that uses code in small or large ways in their ordinary social media and IT technology use. So, it ranges from school children and youth, to senior citizens, university students and parents. Most of the resources and beaconing events of the project have been targeted at new code-citizens in the UK, but we have also run online events with international participants and run events at events overseas. In addition to new code-citizens, the project has also tested and run its resources and events for IT professionals, including professional coders or cybersecurity teams, and game designers.Narrative
The SECRIOUS project aims to cross several disciplines in order to put People at the Heart of Software Engineering. Our academic team – from the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences (MACS) at Heriot-Watt University (HWU), the School of Simulation and Visualisation (SimVis) at Glasgow School of Art (GSA) and the Department of Social Anthropology at University of St Andrews (UStA) ‐ combines the necessary experience in human-computer interaction, software engineering, serious games, anthropology and software security. It is complemented by our partners with industrial and artistic expertise in secure software engineering, public engagement and creative writing.Security is an abstract concept which combined with the dematerialised world of software systems is difficult to grasp, comprehend and experience. This project aims to engage new code-citizens in making the security of software code tangible through the design of serious games.
| Impact status | In preparation |
|---|---|
| Impact date | 1 Jul 2020 → 1 Jan 2024 |