About
Inspiring transformative action using strategic games to facilitate stakeholder dialogue & co-create impactful solutions
FAQ
Is this "Gamification"?
No. Gamification is the introduction of elements of play in everyday life. This has gained traction in management sciences as a way to lure participants to achieve pre-defined objectives.
What we’re doing is radically different. We bring the real world into the games and use the games as a tool to discuss problems, explore strategies and find new solutions.
What tools do we use?
We use facilitation techniques and strategic games for stakeholder engagement. Check out Our Services for more information.
> Facilitation serves as our foundational tool, creating participatory processes where everyone’s voice is heard and valued. Using different participatory techniques, we help groups towards finding common grounds and enhancing inclusive discussions and .
> Our off-the-shelf games offer pre-designed, evidence-based options for clients to explore a topic of interest and build empathy and understanding. The games provide room for experimenting and testing ideas. Tailored games, developed through the participatory Companion Modelling process, create customized solutions in collaboration with stakeholders to address specific needs.
> Using a variety of facilitation methods and strategy games to create collaborative platforms for stakeholders. There, we use other methodologies to create collaborative spaces that encourage innovation, problem-solving and positive change.
What Types of games Do we offer?
Our games range from classical “tragedy of the commons” scenarios, exploring the role of communication, trust and cooperation in strategy development, to games designed to resolve specific environmental, social and economic issues in supply chains or landscapes.
Our games have no fixed victory conditions and the objective is not to “convince” people about a single right way to do. By leaving all pathways open, we give clients the freedom to explore innovative solutions and learn from their actions.
Browse through our Games page to find out more.
What kind of problems do we address?
There are simple problems and complex problems. The former have clear solutions, whereas the latter require time, money and brains, but in the end, can be solved. And then there are wicked problems. We focus on the latest.
Wicked problems involve multiple stakeholders, that all disagree on what the problem is. They have conflicting agendas, there is uncertainty at many levels, opposing worldviews. These problems cannot be solved, no matter what amount of money one throws at them. They can only be addressed. And most of us don’t know how.
Read more on Our Approach.
How do we address Wicked Problems?
Our strategy combines facilitation and tailored model-based games, incorporating stakeholder perspectives and adaptability. Unlike traditional methods, we recognize the importance of these elements in crafting effective strategies to tackle such issues. By blending people’s perceptions and scientific knowledge, we foster adaptive capabilities, engaging stakeholders in an evolving process of exploration, learning, adaptation, and creation until solutions emerge.
Read more about Our Approach
Is this scientifically based?
Yes. Our services draw from a background of 30 years of research and development. We have developed, implemented and refined the tools and methods from many different cases around the world.
What stakeholders do we work with?
We work with a variety of stakeholders and are skilled in adjusting our facilitation to the target audience.
During the modelling and game design process, we ensure the active participation of all relevant stakeholders to the issue, such as government representatives, public institutions, NGOs, indigenous and local communities, private sector, academia. This ensures the incorporation of all perspectives and considerations.
Find out more about our Partners.
Resources
Our work is based on years of research and development.
You can find here scientific publications, articles, videos and blogs about our approach, our methods and our projects.