Communications and engagement game

The other day I ran a workshop for PR and communications staff who are working in housing associations, and I've put the presentation and game that I used on the social media wiki.

The cards are much the same as those used in other games, but after groups had invented the scenario (a housing organisation wanting to improve communications) I asked them to think about two dimensions. First, who was the main focus for improved communications (Board, staff, residents, others) and then what benefits were they looking for: improved consuming of information, better communication, and/or collaboration. After that the groups considered what communication methods would be most appropriate.

Overall the game sequence was:

• People break into groups of 6-8 and invent scenarios around local housing organisations and their residents
• They then present the scenarios as challenges to a pair group
• Groups use a matrix to think of who they are trying to engage and why: consume information, communicate, collaborate
• They then choose communication methods from a set of cards. Each card has 1, 2, 3 points - budget is 15.
• The develop a plan and present this back to the "client" group
• Group split into sub-groups and tell the stories of how this works for different characters, and the project

... although we didn't get time for the storytelling.

I think that it should be possible to develop this game for The Membership Project, where as I reported earlier we need some ways to help organiaations explore the implication of social media, and how to use it. Meanwhile you can download everything from the wiki.