Learning through experience can be one of the most effective ways of organizing training, but some experiences are too dangerous or expensive to reproduce. That is why numerous organizations utilize wargames and tabletop exercises (TTX) to allow participants to make decisions in synthetic environments where it is safe to fail. While wargames can be complex to design, Matrix games are suitable for novice designers.
AN ADAPTABLE APPROACH
Matrix games are structured argument-based seminar games that have become popular with trainers all over the world. They were developed by Chris Engle, who was looking for a more adaptable approach to exploring different topics.
The ideal size of a Matrix game is six to eight players, plus a facilitator (although they can be modified for larger groups). Teams of two players role-play different actors in a conflict or situation (these could be countries, organizations, offices, individuals). Teams are provided with background information on the scenario, and specific information on the actor they represent, along with the goals of that entity.
In the context of the scenario, the teams decide how they will go about achieving their goals. The first team presents to the group the (one) action it will take, the effect the action will have, and two to three reasons the action will succeed. Other teams then provide counter-arguments as to why the action will fail. The facilitator can decide if the action is successful based on the arguments presented, or poll the group to determine the likelihood of success and roll dice to determine the outcome. If the action is deemed successful, it is incorporated into the evolving narrative, and the next team repeats the process.
Several rounds are played over two to three hours and can incorporate negotiation or other breakout sessions. An out-of-role debriefing session is held at the end to allow participants to discuss the insights they gained from the game. The facilitator then connects these insights to the larger training goals.
COMPELLING ARGUMENT
Matrix games are flexible; if you can argue about it, you can create a game around the topic. They challenge participants in an engaging manner, and allow them to explore an issue in some depth. To experiment with these games, I recommend Tom Mouat’s free online guide, “Practical Advice on Matrix Games” (2020, version 13).
