You and your colleagues are trapped in an organisational maze.
There is just one way out. You have 40 minutes to escape. Your only chance is partnering and working together.
The Collaboration Maze is a game for 5-6 players who play against the clock in order to achieve their goal – the backdrop is a changing organisation.
We all know how to collaborate, don't we?
The Collaboration Maze is a serious game. It shares key learning from a Henley Forum research project, in an engaging and enjoyable way.
It’s novel, it’s memorable, and it’s serious fun!
Why collaborate?
In an increasingly complex world, it’s no longer possible for one person, one team, or even one organisation to succeed on their own. Achieving goals, especially change goals, means working together.
Collaboration is no longer optional. Yet, in the real world, it is rarely straightforward.
What’s the story?
The Collaboration Maze is a game for 5-6 players who play against the clock in order to achieve their goal.
The backdrop is a changing organisation, so reaching the target is not easy. Obstacles to success are always a threat. And sometimes there are unexpected opportunities too.
Players must Find the right partners, Form productive working relationships, and Perform to meet their goals.
How can it be used?
It has been successfully used in team meetings, to kick off projects and in conferences. There is even a virtual play option. You can embed it into more formal learning programmes on topics such as leadership and change. And it also lends itself to informal lunch and learns.
In one organisation it went viral, with over 2,500 clicks on the introductory social media post.
How it was developed
The content and format for this game were developed over 2 years as part of a Henley Forum action research project. Ten large organisations and fifteen highly committed individuals have been involved.
They used the Find, Form and Perform framework¹ to help them create change in their own organisations. They distilled their learning to create the maze concept and then they applied ideas from gamification and storytelling to bring The Collaboration Maze to life.
The team created multiple opportunities to test and refine the game in their own organisations before launching it at the Henley Forum Annual Conference in March 2017.
¹ Adapted from Birkinshaw, J, Bessant, J and Delbridge, R (2007) ‘Finding, Forming, and Performing: Creating networks for discontinuous innovation’. California Management Review, 49 (3): 67-84.
Want to play?
- Henley Forum members can download the game directly from the Members’ website. Everything you need to play is included. Just add dice and you’re ready to go. Visit the Member’s website – login required
- If you want to try out the Collaboration Maze in your organisation, we can supply copies of the game and one of our consultants to facilitate.
- If you’ve played the game and would like to order further copies for your organisation, please contact us and let us know how many copies you would like.