DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] FIG. 1 is a process flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an organizational development process in accordance with the present invention. The process begins with customizing (8) the development process for an organization. During customization, an educational consultant or consultant determines the goals and needs of the organization by interviewing the organization's executives and managers. During customization, the consultant creates scenarios incorporating the terminology used by members of the organization to describe its own internal processes and external environment. The scenarios describe challenges faced by the organization and pose a problem that can be solved by cooperating members of the organization. Additionally, the consultant generates questions that can be answered through knowledge of the history of the organization and the operating challenges the organization faces. These scenarios and questions will form the substantive content of a to-be-described game to be played by the members of the organization.

[0022] The consultant may assist (9) the organization in preparing itself for the game. Steps to prepare the organization may include distributing educational material to the members of the organization and other forms of conventional organizational instruction. The educational materials may describe the organization's goals and history so that members of the organization can understand the purpose of participating in the upcoming game. During this phase, the consultant identifies members of the organization that are to be facilitators during the playing of the game. The facilitators may be selected based on the facilitator's leadership abilities or roles within the organization. These facilitators may pre-play a version of the game before the rest of the members of the organization in order to educate the facilitators on the nuances of game play.

[0023] In one organizational development process in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in the development of the game questions prior to playing of the game, members of an organization's executive management team determines what direction they believe an industry is heading and to what extent the organization is aligned in that direction. These determinations may be independently verified by a consultant. Questions for the game are then designed incorporating the determinations of the members of the executive management, and kept updated with each successive use of the game, thus educating players of the game on the leading edge and future possibilities of trends and directions in their industry. In the process of grappling with the questions developed for the game, the players of the game are educated to new and broader perspectives which enhances organizational learning.

[0024] To play the game, the organization divides (10) itself into a set of aggregate teams. Each aggregate team in the organization divides (12) itself into a set of teams. Each team in an aggregate team divides (14) itself into a set of mini-teams. Each team then plays (16) a to-be-described educational game. As a team from a set of teams finishes the educational game, members from the finished team act as advisors (18) to other teams from the same set that are still playing the educational game. Once all of the teams have completed the educational game, a set of winners is determined (20). After the game has been played, there is a followup phase 22 during which the consultant distributes materials and conducts seminars throughout the organization that reinforce the skills developed by the members of the organization while playing the game.

[0025] In one organizational development process in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the process is used to promote inter-organizational development. In this embodiment, organizations sharing a common operating environment play the game together with team members drawn from the organizations. For example, organizations belonging to a common trade group within a common industry may use the organizational development process to promote cooperation.

[0026] In one embodiment of an educational game in accordance with the present invention, the educational game supports and furthers organizational change at the individual and team levels by promoting innovation, collaboration and teamwork, leadership, and personal responsibility by being educational at several levels simultaneously. The educational game: teaches information and facts from questions and answers on cards; stimulates participants to generate forward-looking ideas resulting in innovations within the participant's industry; encourages participants to develop skills in collaboration by sharing participants' own knowledge and being open to other participants' knowledge, ideas and influence; and encourages participants to be flexible as leaders by allowing a leadership role to move from one participant to another participant as the need changes.

[0027] In one embodiment of an educational game in accordance with the present invention, the educational game includes five sets of rules and related question and answer card categories: “The Buck Stops with Me” emphasizes personal responsibility as a leader; “Truth or Consequences” promotes a foundation of industry expertise, knowledge and skills required for success—both currently and in the future; “Wild Card” illustrates that participants should be open to a wide range of information at play in business; “Market Forces” tests participants' knowledge of complex factors in the economy, politics, the industry, etc. that affect the company and the participant; “Team Innovate or Die!” (herein termed “Innovate!”) poses complex but brief scenarios that require “thinking outside the box” as a team to solve together. In one embodiment of an educational game in accordance with the present invention, each of the question categories includes specific rules including different levels of gains and penalties which are weighted to further reinforce knowledge and skills. The rules' physical placement on the board in stands is designed to quickly get participants' to play with each other.

[0028] In one embodiment of an educational game in accordance with the present invention, the use of rewards reinforces the educational and team-oriented concepts of the educational game, while emphasizing how an organization can continue to succeed and grow. The rewards include both play money and actual cash during the playing of the game, and the potential for higher cash awards for the “winners”.

[0029] In one embodiment of an educational game in accordance with the present invention, the use of various minerals and gems as playing pieces compels an emotional response in the participants and lends a futuristic flavor to the educational game.

[0030] In one embodiment of an educational game in accordance with the present invention, customized scenarios and informational support packets are given to the participants during the Innovate! portion of the educational game. The customized scenarios and support packets are associated with challenges the participant may face as a member of a particular organization.

[0031] The above-described process of separating an organization into teams, having the teams learn certain skills, and then reintegrating the members of the teams as advisors back into the organization simulates one way in which organizations learn. As an organization faces challenges, members of the organization are divided into teams. The creation of the teams may be both formal, such as the division of a corporation into different reporting units, and informal, such as the self-organization of networks of co-workers who share a common goal within an organization. The teams created within the organization then solve problems faced by the organization. As a team cooperates to successfully solve problems, individuals within the successful team develop skills that may not be well known within the larger organization. The entire organization can then benefit by having the individual members of the successful team teach their acquired skills to the organization.

[0032] In one organizational development process in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an organization identifies how and where its members and functional units are not collaborating across knowledge and skills. The selection of the teams and team members is done purposefully, and in advance of playing the game, so that the teams playing the game include a cross-section of organizational levels, job functions, knowledge, and skills. In functioning as a team, and following the rules of the game, the teams develop their skills which furthers the development of the organization's culture.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a separation of an organization into associated teams in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. An organization 110, is divided into aggregate teams, 112 and 114. In this embodiment, the organization is divided into two aggregate teams. In other embodiments, there may be two or more aggregate teams as exemplified by aggregate team 115. Each aggregate team is then divided into teams, such as aggregate team 112 into teams 116 and 118. In this embodiment, the aggregate team is divided into two teams. In other embodiments, there may be two or more teams as exemplified by team 119. Finally, each team is divided into mini-teams, such as team 116 into mini-teams 120 and 122. Finally, each mini-team is composed of one or more mini-team members 124.

[0034] In the above-described exemplary separation, each level of separation contains only two teams. For example, the organization is divided into two aggregate teams. In other embodiments of games in accordance with the present invention, the number members at each level of the separation are arbitrary. In one separation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the number of aggregate teams and teams is arbitrary so long as each team includes at least two mini-teams and each mini-team includes at least two mini-team members.

[0035] Another aspect of the separation process is that the organization is separated into a set of teams with each team being associated with different teams at different levels. For example, mini-teams 120 and 122 are associated with one another at the team level, teams 116 and 118 are associated with each other at the aggregate team level, and aggregate teams 112 and 114 are associated with each other at the organization level.

[0036] In one embodiment of a separation of the organization into smaller teams, the separations are determined by the formal and informal structure of the organization. The separations are determined by selecting members of teams from different divisions within an organization, thus creating cross-functional teams, so that the team members' shared pool of knowledge is utilized, collaboration is reinforced, and organizational barriers are reduced. Mini-teams are selected by the team members based on their cross-functional expertise as mini-team members share knowledge and skills in order to succeed. Aggregate team members are ultimately on the same team, competing against other aggregate teams for cash prizes. As a team finishes the game, the team members join other teams in support of the success of their common aggregate team.

[0037] In a separation process in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a banker is chosen at the team level for managing the play money used in the educational game. The banker serves as a statistician for each of the mini-teams included in the team.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an educational game in accordance with the present invention. A game board for the educational game includes a plurality of fields, such as field 210, in which tokens are placed by players. Players advance their tokens around the game board starting from a start field 212, and advancing to a finish field 213. The players advance their tokens by placing their tokens in successive fields. The number of fields a player gets to advance is based on a randomly generated value such as the value of a thrown die. As a player advances around the game board, the player answers questions determined by the field in which the player's token is resting at the end of the player's turn. The categories of questions a player answers are varied and specified by the field in which the player's token comes to rest. Questions for the players are stored on the board in stacks at different locations such as locations 224, 226, 228, 230, and 232.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram of an exemplary educational game playing process in accordance with the present invention. Each mini-team plays (16) the educational game with other mini-teams from the same team. Each mini-team member starts (312) their token in a start field 212 (FIG. 3). A mini-team is selected (314) to make a move. Within the mini team, a mini-team member is selected (316) to make a move. During a move, the mini-team member uses a die to determine a random number. The mini-team member then advances around the game board as determined by the random number.

[0040] At the end of a move, the mini-team member may be either in a finish field 213 (FIG. 3) a question field, or a free field. If the mini-team member is in a question field (322), the mini-team member answers a question as determined by the field that the player is in. If the mini-team member is in a free field, the mini-team member merely stays in the free field until the mini-team member's turn to move comes up again. A new mini-team is then selected (314) to make the next move.

[0041] If it is determined that the mini-team member has completed the educational game by advancing (320) to the finish field, statistics about the mini-team member's game play performance are recorded (324). If it is determined (326) that all the members of a mini-team have reached the finish field, mini-team game play statistics are recorded (328) for the mini-team. Otherwise a new mini-team is selected (312) to make the next move. If all of the mini-teams of a team have completed the educational game (330), team statistics are recorded for the team and all the mini-team members are released from the educational game to help other mini-teams within their respective aggregate teams to complete the educational game. Otherwise, a new mini-team is selected (312) to make the next move.

[0042] In one embodiment of an educational game in accordance with the present invention, mini-team members receive rewards in the form of play money while playing the educational game. The amount of play money awarded to the mini-team member by the time the mini-team member completes the educational game is recorded. Additionally the time the mini-team member took to complete the educational game is also recorded. Using the individual mini-team member statistics, statistics for associated teams within the separated organization may be determined. For example, the amount of play money that a mini-team earned can be calculated by aggregating the amount of play money that each mini-team member earned. Additionally, the amount of play money earned by a team can be determined by aggregating the amount of play money earned by the mini-teams associated in a team. Finally the amount of play money earned by an aggregate team can be determined by aggregating the amount of play money earned by the teams associated to the aggregate team. In a like manner, educational game completion times of a team can be determined from the finish times of individual mini-team members. For example, the completion time of a mini-team is the time at which the last mini-team member completes the educational game. Additionally, the completion time of a team is the completion time of the last mini-team associated to the team to complete the educational game. Finally, the completion time of an aggregate team is the completion time of the last team associated with the aggregate team to complete the educational game.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram of an exemplary educational game question process in accordance with the present invention. A mini-team member moves and lands on a question field or free field 322. From the question field or free field, the question category is determined (410). If the mini-team member is on a free field, the mini-team member merely waits on the free field until the mini-team member's turn to move comes up again. If the mini-team member is on a question field, the mini-team member is presented (414) a question posed by a member of another mini-team. The mini-team member answers (416) the posed question. If it is determined (418) by the member of the other mini-team that the mini-team member's answer is correct, the mini-team member is rewarded (420). Otherwise, the mini-team member is penalized (422) for the incorrect answer.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram of exemplary question answering rules in accordance with the present invention. As previously noted, the category of question is determined by the question field to which the mini-team member has moved. The mini-team member answers (416) a question according to rules specified for each question category. One category of question is a “The Buck Stops with Me” question 218 (FIG. 3). This category of question emphasizes personal responsibility as a team leader. If it is determined (518) that the question is a personal responsibility category question, the mini-team member answers (520) this category of question by themselves without asking other mini-team members for help. Additionally, the mini-team member should answer the question within a given time period such as within one minute. If the mini-team member answers the question correctly, the mini-team member is allowed to keep their current position on the game board. If the mini-team member fails to answer the question correctly, the mini-team member goes back to the question field the mini-team member was on before the mini-team member took their current turn.

[0045] Another category of question is a “Truth or Consequences” question 214 (FIG. 3). This category of question emphasizes industry expertise and knowledge needed by a mini-team member to be successful within a particular industry. If it is determined (522) that the question is an industry knowledge category question, the mini-team member may answer (524) this category of question by themselves or may ask other mini-team members for help. If the mini-team member receives help, the mini-team member rewards the other mini-team members for their assistance. Additionally, the mini-team member should answer the question within a given time period such as within one minute.

[0046] Another category of question is a “Wild Card” question 216 (FIG. 3). This category of question emphasizes general knowledge needed by a mini-team member. If it is determined (526) that the question is a wild card category question, the mini-team member may answer (528) this category of question by themselves or may ask other mini-team members for help. If the mini-team member receives help, each mini-team member helping to answer the question is rewarded for a correct answer and penalized for an incorrect answer. Additionally, the mini-team member should answer the question within a given time period such as within one minute.

[0047] Another category of question is a “Market Forces” question 220 (FIG. 3). This category of question tests a mini team's knowledge of complex factors in the economy, politics, and industry. If it is determined (530) that the question is a market forces category question, the mini-team member answers (532) this category of question with the assistance of the mini-team member's entire mini-team. Each mini-team member is rewarded for a correct answer and penalized for an incorrect answer. Conversely, if a mini-team member attempts to the answer the question without accessing the mini-team's knowledge, the mini-team member is penalized individually, thus penalizing the mini-team member for not utilizing the mini-team's cross-functional knowledge. Additionally, the mini-team members should answer the question within a given time period such as within one minute.

[0048] Another category of question is an “Innovate!” question 222 (FIG. 3). This category of question, asked of an entire team, tests a team's ability to generate innovative solutions to problems that an organization may face. If it is determined (534) that the question is an innovation category question, the mini-team member answers (536) this category of question with the assistance of the entire team to which the mini-team member belongs. Each team member is rewarded for a correct answer. Conversely, the Additionally, the team members should answer the question within a given time period such as within five minutes.

[0049] In an embodiment of an innovation category question in accordance with the present invention, the team members play for monetary rewards. If the team answers the innovation question correctly, each team member receives a monetary reward from the bank.

[0050] FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram of an exemplary winner determination process in accordance with the present invention. In a determination of winners process 20, a first mini-team within an aggregate team to complete the previously described educational game and exceed a threshold value of points receives (610) a reward. Additionally, a first team within an aggregate team to complete the previously described educational game and exceed a threshold value of points receives (612) a reward. Finally, an aggregate team within an organization to receive the most awards at the mini-team and team levels receives (614) a reward. In the event of a tie between aggregate teams, the first aggregate team in which all the mini-teams completed the educational game receives the reward. In an embodiment of a winner determination process in accordance with the present invention, the rewards are in the form of monetary compensation.

[0051] The structure of the winner determination process reinforces the concept that the members of an organization can prosper through cooperation. For example, in an embodiment of a game where mini-teams compete one-on-one while playing the board game, at least one mini-team will win the board game. Then, each mini-team has a chance to win again at the team level. Finally, each team will have a chance to win again at the aggregate team level. By compounding the concept of winning at each level, more than half of the members of the organization will exit the game as a member of a winning team.

[0052] Although this invention has been described in certain specific embodiments, many additional modifications and variations would be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the invention is presented in the context of educating a for-profit organization such as a business. It may be apparent to those skilled in the art of educational games that the invention may be modified to create an educational game for any size organization, whether for-profit or not-for-profit. It is therefore to be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. Thus, the present embodiments of the invention should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention to be determined by any claims supported by this application and the claims' equivalents rather than the foregoing description.