Escape Bureaucracy Card Game
A collaborative organization challenge that highlights the pros and cons of bureaucracy while introducing the cabinets of the Executive Office.
Guiding Question:
- How does the expansion of the bureaucracy mirror the increasing complexity of the executive branch?
Objectives:
- Explain how tasks are carried out and performed by the different departments of the executive office.
- Demonstrate understanding of the different cabinet departments.
- Collaborate with others to problem-solve, prioritize, and accomplish goals.
- Applying critical thinking skills to organize an accurate and timely process.
- Reflect on the importance of clear communication and transparency in delegating discretionary authority and task completion.
Download the Print-and-Play version.
Game Time: 10-45 minutes
Number of Players: 3-24 players
Game Facilitation Presentation:
About the Game:
- A collaborative organization challenge that highlights the pros and cons of bureaucracy while introducing the cabinets of the Executive Office. Packaged as 5 levels of increasing difficulty, players need to design a process that can move both accurately and speedily under time pressure and deteriorating communication transparency.
Post-play Discussion and Reflection
The core intent of this game is to highlight the benefits and challenges of a growing bureaucracy. Lean into how players establish and iterate on process to make learning objectives stickier.
- Self and Social Awareness
- What moments stood out to you during the game?
- What’s a strength you demonstrated during this activity, and what’s one area you’d like to develop?
- How did your role affect your ability to contribute to the team?
- What questions could you ask to gain clarity or confidence?
- Human Connection and Relationships
- How did trust and collaboration evolve between players as roles and tasks became clearer?
- What helped your team communicate effectively, even under time constraints?
- What role did feedback or guidance play in improving your team’s performance?
- Problem Solving and Decision Making
- What strategies did your team use to create and refine processes for organizing the cards?
- How did you adjust to new challenges or rules as the game progressed?
- Were there any moments where breaking a process would have been beneficial? Why or why not?
- How did your team decide when to focus on speed versus accuracy?
- Wider and Future Application
- When are you most likely going to rely on a structured process?
- What are the inherent pros and cons of a system?
- How might you design a system to balance flexibility with efficiency?
- How does a system communicate and stay accountable to the people it serves?
