We tested power of the design thinking method when creating a game for girls
Author: Hana Müllerová, member of the BPWCR and founder of Baby Office
For me, being a member of the BPWCR means not only contact with inspiring women and impulses for personal development, but also opportunity to get involved in projects that have ambitions to change the world.
As part of the Anchors for the Future project, we travelled to the Polish city of Opole in June to visit our partners from the Fundacja Laboratorium Zmiany. The aim of the trip was to create a fun educational game for girls that will help them realize their strengths and improve their self-confidence.
Karolina a Magdalena from the host organization Fundacja Laboratorium Zmiany are experienced trainers and facilitators. They prepared a busy program for us, which we attended together with representatives of other partner organizations from Spain (Jovesólides) and Portugal (CAI – Associação Internacional). From the beginning to the end we worked hard, but it was a job full of energy and happy and emotional moments.
After the first meeting when we got to know each other and clarified what we actually expect, we tried the game „Map yourself“. Funny and agile game with a deep impact, which arose from the need to moderate fundamentalism and racial intolerance. This game was created in the same way that we were going to apply; using the design thinking method.
Creating a game in 4 steps
Design thinking method focuses on effective problem solving. It starts with defining what we want to achieve, goes through mapping the target group, prototyping, testing and ends with the final product.
“What appealed to me the most was strict time schedule that helped us maintain the golden triangle rule; time – money – result. When you are limited by time, your work is faster, more efficient and more effective.”
The international environment was a great inspiration for all the representatives of partner organizations who created one strong creative team and brought their experience and knowledge of local communities, especially during a demanding brainstorming.
We are testing a prototype
The game was tested by three young women. Until the very last minute we had no idea if it works. We had only 20 minutes to create the final prototype of the game.
When these girls came, we were weak at the knees. But when they quickly understood the rules and started the game, all the tension flew away and we enjoyed the game with them. Girls were full of great ideas and gave us perfect feedback.
We were all overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for the opportunity to do work that makes sense. We created something that is useful and has great potential to help people from different parts of the world.
But our work did not end with the testing. We had the last “planning” day ahead of us, during which we clarified how to continue working with the prototype so that the best possible final version of the game would emerge.
I recommend to watch
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World Peace Game, invented by the teacher John Hunter, brings children into world politics. It gives them a chance to address the fundamental issues about security, sustainability and stability of their own country. Children learn to communicate, negotiate and find solutions.
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