Gamestorming (Opening-Exploring-Closing)
A collaborative methodology that applies game mechanics and visual thinking to business challenges. It provides a structured environment for groups to break out of routine thinking patterns and co-create solutions through divergent and convergent stages.
When a few voices dominate or quieter people don't contribute
Your group discussions aren't balanced, you need better ways to include everyone, or conversations go in circles.
Ideal for innovation workshops, strategic planning, complex problem-solving, and any scenario where traditional meeting structures fail to produce creative or actionable results.
Opening
Exploring
Closing
Ensures every voice is heard and the group's collective intelligence is unlocked.
Facilitators can integrate this by mapping their session arc to the three phases: selecting 'Opening' games to generate ideas, 'Exploring' games to test and iterate on concepts, and 'Closing' games to drive consensus and action items.
- 1Use structured turn-taking to balance voices
- 2Start with individual reflection before group discussion
- 3Create safe spaces for minority opinions
- 4Summarize and synthesize regularly
- Collaborative Innovation
- Strategic Alignment
- Team Building and Problem-Solving
- Divergent and Convergent Thinking
- Visual Thinking and Artifact Creation
- Structured Play and Game Mechanics
- Shared Mental Models
- Rule-breaking for Innovation
- Requires a high level of psychological safety for participants to engage in 'play'
- Facilitators must be skilled in time management to ensure the group reaches the 'Closing' phase
- May require cultural adaptation for highly conservative or hierarchical organizations