Games for teaching and training decision-making in engineering: a systematic literature review

Games are increasingly used in engineering education to support decision-making skills, yet a systematic overview of such applications is missing. This study addresses this gap through a systematic literature review of games used for decision-making in formal engineering education. Searches in five databases (ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science) identified 33 relevant articles. The review analysed game characteristics, evaluation approaches, and practical prerequisites for game use. Results reveal a heterogeneous field dominated by custom-made game prototypes, many of which are not publicly accessible. Most studies applied qualitative or quasi-experimental designs, while methodologically robust evaluations such as randomised controlled trials remain rare. Although the reported learning effects are predominantly positive, the findings indicate that serious games for decision-making in engineering education are still in an exploratory stage of conceptual and methodological development, despite their considerable educational potential.