Collaborative Games

Business Analysis Techniques Series.Collaborative Games technique uses game playing techniques to collaborate in developing common understanding of a problem or a solution. It involves strong visual or tactile (activities) elements such as moving sticky notes, writing on whiteboards, or drawing pictures. A neutral facilitator should guide the game flow.

Steps for conducting Collaborative Games are:

1. Define the game’s purpose.

2. Play the game.

1. Opening step – Define rules of the game and start generating ideas.
2. Exploration step – Engage participants with one another and look for connections between their ideas, test those ideas and experiment with new ideas.
3. Closing step – Assess ideas which are likely to be MOST productive.

Collaborative Games techniques:

Strengths

• Identifies hidden assumptions or differences of opinions.
• Encourages creative thinking.
• Participants play a more active role.
• Exposes needs that aren’t being met.

Limitations

• Can be perceived as silly and unproductive.
• Uncomfortable for reserved participants.
• Time-consuming. 
• Can lead to a false confidence in conclusions reached.

Worked out Example:

Collaborative Games on needs of Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) management system. Check out Business Analyst Article for information about CBAP Certification, CCBA, ECBA

Key stakeholders for the Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) management system were summoned to collaborate and identify the need for Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) management system- i.e. who will be the main users of the system and the high-level features required by each user group. The affinity map created as part of this session can be seen below: