The Innovation Game - @ Verge of Disaster

A few years ago, I met Richard Mak, the inventor of a board game on entrepreneurship called Zeros to Heros, at an conference. He was exhibiting the game at the event when we chatted.

'How have things been since we met last year?' he asked me.

I replied: 'Busy. I see that you have successfully launched your game.'

'Yes. We were at the schools recently, and the acceptance of the game there was tremendous.' he updated me excitedly. He added: 'How about your game?'

'You mean the MINDEF Innovation Game? Yes. I introduced the game at the Civil Service College's Bluesky Festival on 10 July 2004. Over 200 officers from various ministries played it and the feedback has been great. We have started to receive calls asking us to run the game for their senior executives.' I said. (See side note below for coverage of the game on line)

'This is good. Like to collaborate?' he asked.

'Sorry. I can't do it with this innovation game because of IP issues, even though I develop it. Once I created another, I will reach you again.' I said, and we went on to talk about other things.
It has been some years since I made that promise. Nothing happened because I didn't have the time and energy to follow through. Now, I am please to say that I can finally keep my word. I am introducing the new Innovation Game called '@ Verge of Disaster'.

The game delivers three outcomes to the player. It:

• Creates for the player an access to his/her source of creativity.
  
• Provides the player the technology to overcome his/her barriers to innovate.
  
• Gives the player insights into his/her contributions to these barriers on others.

Side Note:

The MINDEF Innovation Game is a board game designed to help people understand what innovation is all about. The game is conducted as a workshop, in which participants will go through a journey of self-discovery, gaining insights into their own preconceived barriers to innovation, as well as realising the power of innovative, breakthrough thinking.

Anthony Mok facilitating the MINDEF Innovation Game

The MINDEF Innovation Game was created and developed by me, and it has attracted plenty of attention since its introduction in 2003. Here is a list of write-ups on the game:

• Corporate entrepreneurship: exploiting technologies for innovation discovery and breakthrough


• CAPAM - List of Submissions


• Challenge - Innovation takes pride of place in MINDEF


• Civil Service College - Course Details


• ::August Highlights:: - MINDEF Innovation Game Facilitator Workshop & MINDEF Innovation Game Workshop


• MINDEF Innovation & Transformation Office - Introducing the MINDEF Innovation Game to the civil service


• Challenge - 3rd Innovation Circle


• Riding on the crest - NDU's voyage towards organisational and operational excellence

Some feedback from participants:

“The MINDEF Innovation Game had very good learning lessons…I learnt that limits are often self imposed.”

“The MINDEF Innovation Game is not only fun but also very effective in imparting the importance of certain values and practices.”

“The MINDEF Innovation Game is more than an innovative tool. It also teaches some fundamental values (communication, leadership and etc). It can also be used to analyse individual’s behaviors, team dynamics…”

“The MINDEF Innovation Game was interesting helps people understand the concepts of risk taking.”

Copyright 2007, Anthony Mok. All rights reserved.