The Curious Case of Alan: Provocative Dialogue and Puzzle Play for Reflecting on GenAI in Informal Learning

This chapter explores the design and evaluation of a ludic, educational interactive digital narrative (IDN) that aims to connect historical computer science exhibits with contemporary developments in Generative AI (GenAI). The experience takes place in the form of an educational escape room, where a remote and an on-site player must collaborate to solve puzzles embedded in the museum environment. The first level of the dual-level approach involves clear, concrete educational objectives connected to the history of computer science, communicated through collaborative puzzles. The second level focuses on higher-level reflection on the future of the domain with an epicenter of GenAI, facilitated through interaction with Alan, a dialogic NPC that serves as a Bot of Conviction. The evaluation with 10 players in 5 sessions showed that participants appreciated the balance between educational and narrative elements, with puzzles fostering engagement with core HCI concepts and the dialogue segment either prompting new reflections or helping them articulate existing thoughts on GenAI. The experience was generally well received and considered suitable for further development. The chapter also discusses the potential of the Bot of Conviction paradigm for fostering critical reflection and the importance of designing interactive experiences that support social interaction even for remote visitors. The findings suggest that the combination of puzzles and dialogue strongly supports Meakin’s work on how aporia-epiphany and the user’s oscillation on the online/offline continuum can foster designed and aesthetic flow. However, transformation may have been limited by the binary response format, leading to a broader but shallower discussion. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the implications for future design and evaluation of interactive museum experiences.