Notes from June 2011 Eugene session regarding games and other activities that the deck could be used for (from Dave):

• possible activities using the deck:
  • learning/teaching facilitation: deal out the cards randomly, have someone read/tell/invent a story about an event where the patterns were used well or badly or a story of an upcoming event, and have participants call out when the cards in their hands correspond to patterns that were used, could have been used, or might be used
  • preparing for a facilitated event: deal out the cards by category, have someone describe an upcoming event, and, possibly using a large chart (rows for the 9 categories, columns for the times -- preparation, during the event, post-event), have participants select patterns and suggest when and how they might be used to help the event
  • oracle: select randomly one to five cards and reveal them one at a time; they might represent (a) context/past situation, (b) current influencers, (c) the current challenge, (d) unexpected future influencers, and (e) outcome/resolution; use the cards personally or as a group to divine your future fortune or what to do next
  • reflection about a past event: lay out all the cards in a spread, tell the story of what happened in a recent event, and as you do, identify which patterns were invoked and which might have been more effectively invoked
  • education case study: as part of a session or workshop, based on a detailed case study, identify (and perhaps storyboard) which patterns were used in the case study and which might have been used, and why
  • self-assessment and mentoring: lay out all the cards in a spread, and have each participant identify/mark which patterns they feel most competent using and which they would like to become more competent using, and encourage discussion, suggestions, meetups, exercises and stories to help improve desired competencies
  • website story collection: design our PL website to collect stories from members and visitors, and to 'tag' the patterns applied in each story, to create a story collection/repository that can be used to learn more about each pattern
  • assigned cards: teacher assigns patterns to each student; student must research and write up stories/situations where this pattern was applied or could have been applied, and explain when and how this pattern is best used
  • pattern meetups: website is used to schedule and invite people to meetups where people would gather to discuss specific patterns -- how they were used, when/how to use them etc.
  • iPhone app: an iPhone app would capture all of the information on the cards (and perhaps also detailed descriptions and stories), randomly select cards, allow users to search keywords to see which patterns refer to these keywords, allow users to review stories pertinent to a specific pattern, etc.
  • methodology mapping: the core patterns applicable to each facilitation methodology would be mapped, to see, on a large chart, how methodologies compare and differ
  • 91-day self-study program: each day, draw and study one pattern and think about one time when you used this pattern, and one time when it could have made a difference
  • flash cards: develop, for each pattern, a situation and/or question that would call for the use of that pattern; test yourself on your ability to identify correctly all 91 patterns from these situations/questions

Pattern Language for Group Process: Games

(November 21, 2010 Summary)

Introduction:

This document is a summary of various ideas that have been presented by various people throughout 2010 for games based on the Pattern Language for Group Process that has been evolving for two years and continues to evolve. It is designed to provide a framework for thinking about games, and to provoke ideas for new games based on the language. No game has yet evolved to the point it is ready to “publish” though several games have been tested in group sessions since June 2010.

Game Objective (to date, all proposed games share this same core objective):
To help participants learn and become more skilled in applying the patterns that can be applied in group process situations, and to understand how patterns are related and when each is applicable. The games have no scoring or winner; the participants as a group ‘win’ by learning which patterns are most appropriate in different situations.

Equipment: (labels A-I are used in the game descriptions below to indicate which game variants use which pieces of equipment)

A: Deck of Pattern Cards -- each illustrating and summarizing a group process pattern
B: Story Sheets -- a one-page blank template with headings, used by participants to write up their group process stories including both ‘unfinished’ stories (describing where an issue has arisen but is so far unresolved), and ‘finished’ stories (describing where an issue has arisen and been successfully resolved) (a copy of a Story Sheet and some examples of finished and unfinished stories that used this sheet are appended)
C: Pattern Map -- showing all patterns colour-coded by category and showing links to related patterns (still in development)
D: Expertise Tokens -- 5 tokens each of 10 different colours, used by each participant to denote which patterns they are, or seek to, relatively expert in employing
E: Appropriate Pattern Tokens – 5 tokens of each of 10 different colours, used by each participant to denote which patterns they think were, or could be, employed in the story currently under discussion during the game

F: Storyboards – a set of sequential depictions of key stages/developments in a story or event about group process, with slots for participants to place the pattern cards they think were, or could be, employed at each stage of the story

G: Sequence Tokens and Thread Tokens – sets of numbered (sequence) and coloured (thread) tokens used to document a collective discussion of what patterns were, or could be, employed in the story under discussion during the game

H: Question Cards – a set of preprinted and blank cards, each containing a question (or room to write in a question) that will prompt discussion of which patterns could best be employed to resolve that question

I: Challenge and Wrinkle Cards – preprinted cards that introduce an in-the-moment problem or wrinkle into a story

List of Games to date (with codes A-I denoting equipment used in each game)

GAME 1. “The Facilitation Game” (A, B, C, D, E)

In this game, the particular expertise in, and curiosity about, specific patterns is explicitly recognized and drawn upon to optimize the learning of the group and to engage participants to deepen their skill and further explore the patterns most aligned with their experience and areas of interest.

The Pattern Map is placed in the middle of the area where the participants are seated. The Pattern Cards are sorted by category and placed around the outside of the Map, where all participants can access them. Each participant (to a maximum of 10 participants) takes a set of Expertise Tokens and puts 4 of them on the cards for patterns they are most comfortable applying, and a fifth, upside-down, on the card for a pattern they would most like to become more comfortable applying. Each participant takes and completes 4 Story-Writing Sheets, writing about group process situations that were satisfactorily or unsatisfactorily resolved, or remain unresolved (i.e. they can be either ‘finished’ or ‘unfinished’ stories).

The game consists of four rounds. Youngest participant goes first and turn then passes clockwise, until all participants have had a turn, which completes the round. On their turn, each participant is the Lead Facilitator.

During rounds 1-2, the Lead Facilitator selects one of their 2 ‘finished’ story cards and reads it out loud. All players simultaneously identify patterns that they think were applied in resolving this situation and place one of the Appropriate Pattern Tokens on each corresponding Pattern Card. Each participant should identify any of the patterns that their Expertise Tokens are on the Pattern Card for, if applicable, before suggesting other patterns they think were successfully applied.

Each time an Appropriate Pattern Token is placed by a participant, any other participant who has reservations or caveats about the use of that pattern in that story should voice them, and a consensus should be reached among the players on whether this pattern was applied or not. Note: At any stage where there is discussion about the applicability, meaning or appropriateness of a pattern that has an Expertise Token on the corresponding Pattern Card, the person whose token it is should be prepared to explain and/or champion the use of that pattern. The Appropriate Pattern Tokens are then all removed and turn passes to the next participant. Once all participants have had a turn, this ends the round.

Rounds 3-4 proceed like the first two, except that ‘unfinished’ stories are used instead of ‘finished’ stories, and each participant selects patterns that s/he thinks might best be used to resolve the story situation, instead of patterns that appear to have been used.

This game might also be played with preprinted story sheets if someone wanted to make them up.

GAME 2. “I Can Help With That” (A, B)

Best for groups of 10 or more. Each participant writes up Story Sheets for two ‘finished’ and two ‘unfinished’ stories. The full deck of Pattern Cards is shuffled and dealt evenly to all participants. Participants can either lay out their cards where all can see them (beginners) or hold them in their hands (more advanced). In turn, each participant reads one of their stories and everyone calls out the patterns that they have the card for, that is or would be applicable to that story. By consensus, the most applicable patterns are agreed upon. Everyone passes their cards to the left and the next participant reads their story. Game continues until all story sheets have been read aloud. Experienced facilitators should prompt novices who fail to notice the applicability of ‘their’ patterns to the situation.

GAME 3. “Make Up a Story” (A, B)

Deal out three cards to each participant and challenge each participant in turn to invent a story where all three of the patterns they were dealt could be applied.

GAME 4 (Variant): “Storyboard” (A, F)

This is the same as Game 2, except that instead of writing up a story and reading it aloud, on their turn each participant uses blank 5-part storyboards to illustrate the five major stages in the sequence of their story, and post them on the wall. Participants then place the applicable Pattern Cards that they have been dealt in the appropriate slots on one of five boards. The storyboarder then retells their story incorporating the patterns that have been suggested at each stage, asking for help if they are unsure how to incorporate one of the suggested patterns in their story.

This might also be played with pre-printed storyboards if someone wanted to create them

GAME 5 (Variant): “But Then Something Unexpected Occurred” (A, B, C, D, E, I) – to be developed

This is the same as Game 1, except that in addition each participant is given one Challenge Card and one Wrinkle card that they can ‘play’ at any time in another participant’s story to introduce an unexpected element into the story and perhaps change the patterns that are applicable to bringing it to an effective resolution.

GAME 6: “The Glass Plate Game” (A, B, C, G) – to be developed

This game is played along the same lines as the Glass Plate Game (see http://glassplategame.com/ ) except that instead of using the 38-card standard Glass Plate Game deck, the Pattern Card Deck is used.

GAME 7 (Variant): “Questions” (A, H) – to be developed

This is a variant of Game 1 or Game 2, where instead of stories and Story Sheets, Question Cards are used to prompt participants to decide which patterns are applicable to the situation implied by the question.

GAME 8 (Variant): “The Trading Game” (A, B) – to be developed

This is a variant of Game 2, where all participants work simultaneously to collect the appropriate pattern set for the story passed to them by the participant to their right, by trading their Pattern Cards for the ones they need to resolve the story. The game has four rounds, two for finished and then two for unfinished stories.

GAME 9: “Facilitator Fortune Telling” (A, B) – to be developed

Each participant writes up an ‘unfinished’ story about an in-progress, upcoming or hoped-for facilitation assignment. Then in turn, each draws three Pattern Cards, laid out in a tableau. The first represents the Current Situation, the second the Challenge or Turning Point, and the third the Resolution, for this assignment. If the card is reversed (printing is upside down when drawn) it signifies a failure of or failure to used that pattern – possibly a warning). All participants help with the interpretation of the tableau.

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Appendix 1: Pattern Language for Group Process: Sample Stories

To sail, or not to sail (finished story):

Situation: Jennifer is trying to cope with two feuding groups in a new company about to offer water taxi and glass bottom boat tours in their city.

Challenge: The investor group believes there’s been insufficient market research and marketing done and want to halt the launch. The management group believes that with tourist season approaching, it’s now or never, and once the media and first tourists experience the tours, business will boom by word of mouth.

Resolution: Jennifer gets the groups to do a reverse role-play “shoe’s on the other foot.” Through that exercise they agree to call in a tourism industry expert for recommendations. Based on that, they collaborate on a scenario planning exercise with contingency plans. The feuds quickly dissipate and the launch is a great success.

Youth job creation in Vancouver (finished story):

Situation: Robert has been asked to lead an Open Space event to explore how to create 10,000 work-from-home jobs in Greater Vancouver (GVRD).  The younger invitees are proposing some bold  public service and Internet-based social networking enterprises. The older invitees support more traditional, private enterprise initiatives such as  neighbourhood door-to-door sales franchises.

Challenge: The sponsors (GVRD Business Development Office) thinks the youngsters’ ideas are naïve and lack a valid business case and business model. They also think the older invitees’ ideas are lacking in imagination, unlikely to be profitable, and unlikely to be the kind of work young people would be interested in.

Resolution: Robert decides Open Space is not the right method for this event. Instead he proposes a ‘bridging’ session where all three groups (older, younger, sponsors) explain their point of view and work together to synthesize the ideas into something that all three can agree on.  Then teams consisting of all three groups role-play presenting their ‘business plans’ to a representative of Westcoast Credit Union’s financing group, who critiques them.

Hazing the new Director (unfinished story):

Context: Karen has just been appointed Research Director of a large organization. She came from a similar position in another organization, and won the job over the three most senior people in Research at her new employer. These three veterans now report to her.

Challenge:  Karen needs to produce the annual department plan, and will need the full support and knowledge of the three veterans, some of whom now see their futures in the organization as limited. She has asked you to facilitate the meeting to produce the plan.

It takes more than a village (unfinished story):

Context: Lee is facilitating a meeting of a co-housing community on the theme “The Responsibility of Parents”.  You are the facilitator of the meeting. The community has 40% children.

Challenge: Some of the adults think some of the parents are shirking their responsibility and allowing their kids to run unsupervised around the community. To make matters worse, there have been two recent vandalism incidents, and these kids have been assumed to be the ones responsible. The parents of the kids involved believe they are giving their kids just the right balance of responsibility and freedom, and that other parents ‘smother’ their kids.

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Appendix 2: Pattern Language for Group Process: Story Sheet

Story Title:  ________________________________________________________________

Situation:

Challenge:

Resolution (for Finished Stories only):