DOREEN is a norm-critical story-telling game of provocations to discuss and challenge barriers to gender inclusion in computing. Anybody can make their own with the help of a lasercutter and a 3D printer (Instructable here), or you can simply print out the statements and the adventure cards on paper!

We collected quotes from everyday women in computing and embedded these within the mechanics of role-playing storytelling games. DOREEN is a playful way of exploring how gender roles, assumptions about computing, and social dynamics shape the experience of students – to reflect on the past with the aim of changing the future. DOREEN makes intertextual referencing to The Unbeatable SQUIRREL Girl aka Doreen Green, a computer science college student and a Marvel superhero who finds unorthodox ways (using wit and humor) to overcome barriers.

DOREEN is centered around an octahedron die and an adventure sheet inspired by tabletop role-playing gaming, emphasizing story-telling as a strategy for challenging norms and creating alternative narratives. The die design invites the players to reflect on how the probability of encountering limiting narratives and structural barriers can be higher or lower for different social groups. Finally, DOREEN is designed as the embodiment of all the people whose experiences, agency, and perspectives should be included in the journey of broadening participation in computing. (artwork by Felicia Regine Nørregård).

Make your own DOREEN dice: https://www.instructables.com/Conversation-Oktahedron/

The DOREEN artefact, adventure sheet, and game are made with contributions from:

Jenny-Margrethe Vej, Valeria Borsotti, Valkyrie Arline Savage, Morten Engell-Nørregård, Felicia Regine Nørregård, Kasper Lorentzen, and Pernille Bjørn

Adventure_sheet_v04_colour-1Download
DOREEN-game-rulesDownload