The use of design thinking to construct a storyline for a tabletop roleplaying game to develop 21st century essential soft skills for digital marketing students

Abstract

This study aimed to (1) identify the essential 21st century soft skills for digital marketing by conducting a comprehensive literature review of 26 frameworks related to soft skills in both digital marketing and other fields, alongside focus group discussions with seven digital marketing students and in-depth interviews with 14 digital marketing experts. These methods were employed to empathize with and uncover target group perspectives on the soft skills necessary for entering the digital marketing workforce. (2) Construct a storyline for a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) to develop these essential skills using a design thinking approach. The literature review revealed that the most frequently mentioned soft skills were creativity, communication, and collaboration. Digital marketing students identified responsibility, time management, communication, creativity, and interact effectively as the most critical soft skills, whereas experts prioritized communication, self-directed learning, problem-solving, time management, project management, and technology literacy. The importance scores for each soft skill were provided by key informants, with skills scoring an average of 8.0 or higher being selected as the foundation for defining solutions to develop these skills within the context of a TTRPG. In-game scenarios, ideated from the defined solutions, were integrated into a prototype storyline using storytelling techniques. The game was designed for a group of four players and one gamemaster, with a flexible duration determined by the group, ranging from a few hours to an entire week. The benefits of this game depend on the intended use, ranging from helping players learn, understand, and identify essential soft skills for digital marketing to strengthening organizational relationships, fostering team bonding, and bridging hierarchical gaps. This study contributes to the field by highlighting essential soft skills for digital marketing and demonstrating the potential of TTRPGs as an engaging tool for skill development.