Lessons from Loam: Experiences and advice for designing and publishing educational board games

Games are an effective and underappreciated medium for science education and outreach, though designing them can be a daunting task. Here, we will outline the process of designing and publishing Loam, an educational board game about soil ecology and biodiversity made for a general audience. We will also share the three most important lessons learned from the process: 1) find a mechanic that fits your theme, 2) understand your audience and gameplay context, and 3) iterate via playtesting. Our experience can hopefully serve as a guide for future entomological outreach efforts involving games and other interactive experiences.