Serious Game

A workshop usually begins with an introductory sequence designed to explain how the game works and its various elements. The aim is to explain to the participants that they have to work as a team to build a system capable of generating as much value (in the broadest sense) as possible. The game is played in 12 rounds, each round representing 1 month in real life. This introductory sequence typically lasts 30 minutes, and standard Creative Commons-licensed slides are provided for people who follow the facilitator certification programme.

The game itself is the core of each workshop. It lasts between 1.5 and 3.5 hours, depending on the profile of the participants: 1.5 hours for an awareness-raising session with students, 3.5 hours with experienced players who go through each action in detail. During this phase, the players build an IMS step by step, choosing which activities to implement and in which order. They see how their organisation’s capacity to innovate evolves through 4 indicators: the capacity to generate ideas, to put them into practice, to give them value and to cope with uncertainty. Random hazards also disrupt the game, making each experience absolutely unique.

The game is usually played in teams. Players share their visions and doubts, argue and make decisions together. Where should they start? How should they allocate resources? Should they focus on strategic thinking or jump into action? This dynamic is particularly engaging and the 3rd phase of the workshop consists of taking stock by looking back at the game. Using targeted questions, the facilitator encourages the groups to reflect on the choices made throughout the game. The retrospective is also an opportunity to compare the different strategies used by different teams. A retrospective questionnaire under a Creative Commons license is provided for people taking part in the facilitator certification programme.

This is the highlight of the show, which consists of putting into words the many feelings and insights that the players have identified during the game! During this final sequence, the facilitator takes over to present the key success factors for developing an IMS. This space is too short to list all the many lessons learned during the game, but they include: the main differences between an IMS in a start-up and in an established company, the balance between generating ideas and putting them into practice, the many professions involved in innovation, the importance of time and of considerinf a medium- and long-term perspective when implementing a system, etc. This phase, which lasts between 30 minutes and 1 hour, is usually a revelation, putting into words the many feelings that the players have experienced throughout the game.