Your team is developing a digital health service during a live outbreak. Players must reach the Review phase having both hit delivery milestones and genuinely served user needs — while navigating the ethical and privacy implications of AI-generated advice drawn from location, contacts, and wearable data.
A high Delivery Progress score with a low Service Quality score is a valid and intentionally uncomfortable outcome. The debrief makes it useful.
The session runs against a 60-minute countdown timer on the game board. The facilitator can set a different length before play using the plus and minus buttons, which move the clock in 5-minute steps, and can also put time back on the clock mid-session. The facilitator starts the timer once the brief has been read and roles assigned. If the team does not reach the Review step before the clock runs out, a penalty of −3 DP per incomplete phase is applied automatically when time expires.
| Part | Expected time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Setup & brief | 5–10 min | Facilitator reads brief, assigns roles, sends pressures privately — start the timer once play begins |
| Scenario cards (×8) | 5–7 min each 40–56 min total | Read aloud, triggered roles respond, team discusses, path chosen |
| Event cards & gates (×8) | ~1 min each ~8 min total | No team discussion required; facilitator resolves and advances |
| Debrief | 20–30 min | See Debrief tab for guide and questions — run after gameplay regardless of whether Review was reached |
Each player holds one role card. The ability is shared knowledge — read it now so everyone understands what each role can contribute. Each role also has a private pressure: a default instinct that is realistic rather than a flaw. Pressures are not listed here; they are given to each player individually before the session begins (facilitators can access these near the bottom of the brief). The tension between ability and pressure is the game.
When abilities can be used: Each player may use their ability once per game, and only during a scenario card on which their role is listed as triggered. The ability must be declared before the team chooses their approach. If your role is not triggered on a card, you contribute to the discussion but your ability is not available. Choose your moment carefully.
The team starts each phase with a shared pool of tokens. Tokens represent the team's collective bandwidth and are spent to resolve scenarios or activate abilities. Any token can be spent by the team, whoever is playing which role. Each ability can only be used once per game, and only during a scenario on which your role is triggered. Abilities must be declared before the team chooses their approach.
| Token type | Pool per phase | Spend effect |
|---|---|---|
| Research (R) | 3 | Required for any resolution that involves user evidence. Spent once per card. |
| Design (D) | 3 | Required for usability, content, or design quality resolutions. |
| Progress (P) | 2 | Required for unblocking decisions, accelerating progress, or overriding gates. |
Each scenario card has two or three resolution paths. Before the team chooses a path, triggered players state their perspective and may declare their ability. The Delivery Manager may block other abilities and impose a 1-minute decision deadline. The Product Manager may overrule the team and choose the path directly. Once all abilities have been used or waived, the team agrees a path and the facilitator clicks it on the game board to apply its scores and log the decision.
| Path | Typical tendency | Score effect | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Path A | Usually the highest token cost | Typically +SQ, sometimes −DP | Team takes time to address the root cause |
| Path B | Moderate token cost | Typically balanced or +DP | Team finds a workable middle ground |
| Path C | Usually the lowest token cost | Typically +DP, risk of −SQ | Team deprioritises quality to hit the milestone |
Two separate running totals. Both visible throughout the game on the session tracker. Scores can go negative.
| Final scores (Review phase) | Outcome label | Debrief tone |
|---|---|---|
| Both high (within 4 points) | Sustainable delivery | What made this possible? What nearly derailed it? |
| DP high, SQ low (gap over 6) | Delivered, but at a cost | Who got hurt? What did we skip and why? |
| SQ high, DP low | High quality, real cost | The service quality is strong. The delivery pace reflects the choices you made. Which of those choices do you stand behind, and which would you revisit? |
| Both low | Programme in trouble | Where did we lose control? What would we do again? |
Allow 20 to 30 minutes. The facilitator does not summarise or interpret. Ask the questions and let the team lead.
What moment in the game felt most like something that has actually happened to you?
This is the moment pressures become visible to the group for the first time. Each player: describe the instinct your role gave you. When did it work against the team? When did it help? Was it a fair representation of how that role behaves in practice?
What did you learn today about what another role is actually dealing with? What would you do differently to support them on a real project?
When did the Business Analyst's instinct to define before deciding help the team? When did it slow you down?
Look at where Delivery Progress and Service Quality diverged. What decision caused the gap? Was it the right call at the time?
Name one concrete thing you will do differently on your next project.