Towards a Transparent Implementation of a Contractual Portfolio : Developing design specifications for a Serious Game between public client and private contractors

A contractual portfolio can provide benefits by exploiting a common theme, knowledge, or resources among multiple independent projects. Therefore, it can stimulate innovation and investments to overcome the adverse effects of unique and singular projects in the Dutch construction industry. However, the absence of existing literature and practical experiences with this approach creates a barrier for public clients willing to adopt a contractual portfolio. This study aimed to develop a Serious Game between a public client and three private contractors. Literature analysis has been combined with expert interviews to find aspects associated with implementing contractual portfolios. These aspects have been translated into design specifications to establish game elements for a Serious Game that simulates the adoption of a contractual portfolio to maintain multiple objects within a fictitious area. The game allows clients to construct an ambition to maintain objects for a longer period based on the modification of different variables. These variables are: the duration of the Framework Agreement, ways of bundling, and the establishment of Key Performance Indicators. The developed game can reveal the consequences of those decisions on the client's performance management system and the contractor's intervention planning.