Preparation
Step-by-step instructions
Introduction and role assignment
- Explain the purpose of the simulation and how the activity will work.
- Divide participants into small teams (3–6 people per team).
- Provide each team with a base scenario containing key contextual information.
- Within each team, assign different roles with specific interests, motivations, and constraints.
Scenario development
- Each team works on creating a structured narrative, incorporating:
- Key dialogues between characters.
- Critical decisions to be made within the simulation.
- Possible outcomes (at least two different ways the story could unfold).
Scenario presentation
- Each team presents its simulation to the group through a dramatization or reading of the dialogues.
- The rest of the participants observe and identify key points, relevant decisions, and consequences of the simulation.
Reflection and learning
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- Facilitate a group discussion with questions such as:
- What were the main challenges in decision-making?
- How did different interests and perspectives shape the narrative?
- What strategies worked best for resolving the scenario?
- How can the insights from this activity be applied to real-life situations?
- Facilitate a group discussion with questions such as:
Materials
Practical recommendations
Define a clear purpose
Before designing the scenario, establish what learning or reflection you want it to generate for participants.
Include multiple perspectives
Make sure the scenarios are open enough to allow for different approaches and solutions.
Create believable characters and roles
To make the experience more realistic, assign roles with clear motivations and objectives.
Incorporate elements of uncertainty
Adding unexpected twists or external factors will keep participants engaged and foster creativity.
Use a flexible format
Allow participants to adapt the storyline or develop new branches based on their decisions.
Facilitate final reflection
After the exercise, guide participants to share their insights and compare approaches.
Use visual aids
Boards, diagrams, or context cards can help participants immerse themselves more fully in the scenario.
Balance structure and creativity
Provide clear guidelines but leave enough space for participants to innovate.
Test the scenario in advance
Before implementing it with a large group, run a pilot with a small team to fine-tune the details.
Inspiration
- Decision-making scenarios: Present situations where participants must choose between different options, each with distinct consequences.
- Conflict resolution scenarios: Recreate situations where participants must negotiate, mediate, or find solutions to disagreements.
- Crisis scenarios: Simulate high-pressure moments where teams must react and act under stress.
- Innovation scenarios: Challenge teams to develop creative solutions to complex problems.
- Strategic planning scenarios: Help visualize the future and anticipate opportunities or risks in projects or initiatives.
- Social or community scenarios: Allow participants to analyze social dynamics, explore community issues, and design collective interventions.
- Educational scenarios: Designed to reinforce the learning of concepts or skills through immersive experiences.
- Ethical and moral dilemma scenarios: Challenge participants to reflect on complex ethical decisions across different contexts.
- Organizational change scenarios: Simulate transformation processes within a company or institution to prepare teams.
- Community-building scenarios: Facilitate connection among participants by creating collective stories and shared experiences.
