THE INNOVATION GAME

Create & Share Your DIY Innovation Game

The holiday season is upon us, bringing with it a mosaic of global festivities taking place over the next few months. As we celebrate togetherness, learning, and creativity, what better way to collaborate with friends, family and colleagues, and have some fun with innovation than to have your very own Board Game!

We introduce Innovation 360’s The Innovation Game. It isn't just a game; it's a journey into innovation, strategy, and personal expression, and a delightful, enriching experience!

And here's the best part: it's a Do-It-Yourself adventure. Personalize your game, add unique elements representing your culture, and reflect your creativity. All the steps and content you need can be found below!

We encourage you to share your creations with the world. As you craft and enjoy your game, take pictures and share them on social media using the hashtag #TheInnovationGame. Let’s create a global tapestry of innovation and joy!

So, let’s embrace the festive spirit with a blend of fun, learning, and creativity. Share your unique game boards, celebrate the diversity of ideas, and enjoy the warmth of global togetherness this holiday season.

Happy Holidays, Happy Crafting, and Happy Gaming!

Warm regards,

The Innovation 360 Team

Note: This game is for non-commercial use and is based on copyrighted and patented material. Innovation 360 has graciously allowed its use for personal and educational purposes. As you share your creations, let’s honor and respect this generosity, spreading joy and inspiration across all communities.

The Innovation Game

The Innovation Game Objective:

Players represent organizations striving to excel in innovation across 16 Innovation360 Wheel of Innovation aspects. The goal is to manage the organization’s capabilities to achieve industry leadership, using an ‘Ask or Tell’ mechanic to encourage knowledge sharing and strategic thinking. All aspects can be explored in detail in the book Assessing and Measuring Business Innovation by Magnus Penker.

Game Components for up to five players:

  1. Game Board: Circular, divided into 16 sectors for innovation aspects.
  2. Capability Cards: 66 cards, each detailing a unique capability.
  3. Rating Tokens: In five colors (one per player), representing ratings from 1 to 5. The suggested number of tokens is 50 in each color, distributed on scores of one to five.
  4. Aspect Tiles: 16 tiles, each describing an innovation aspect.
  5. Organization Profiles: Cards representing different organizations (a suitable number of cards could be 15-20).
  6. Dice: For movement and decision-making.
  7. Resource Tokens (optional): Representing financial, human, and technological resources.
  8. Event Cards (optional): Introducing external factors and challenges.
  9. Scoreboard: Tracking players’ progress. It can be a piece of paper with a scoring table or just a notebook.

AI generated inspirational picture

Gameplay Mechanics:

  1. Turn Sequence:
  • Roll dice to move around the wheel.
  • Draw a Capability Card related to the landed aspect.
  • Choose to ‘Ask’ or ‘Tell’:
    • Ask: Query another player about the capability. Satisfactory answers benefit both players.
    • Tell: Share knowledge about the capability. Other players vote on its usefulness.
  • Successful interactions advance players in the corresponding aspect.
  1. Strategy and Resource Management:
  • Balance the use of ‘Ask’ and ‘Tell’ strategically, ‘Ask’ can be a good choice when you expect the other payers might have valuable insights, and ‘Tell’ can be a good choice when you have a really interesting example to share. See downloadable cards for the ‘Ask’ and ‘Tell’ cards.
  1. Events and Challenges:
  • Face unexpected scenarios affecting resources and strategies.

Scoring and Winning:

  • Score points based on ratings in each aspect.
  • Gain bonus points for balanced development across aspects.
  • The highest score after a set number of rounds or achieving a target score wins.

Game Instructions:

  • Detailed rules for movement, capability investment, and resource management. See the separate section (Rulebook) for an example.
  • Guidelines for ‘Ask’ and ‘Tell’ interactions, including judging criteria.
  • Strategies for balancing innovation aspects and responding to events.

Additional Features:

  • Challenge Rounds: Special scenarios for in-depth discussion and problem-solving.
  • Expert Cards: Offering strategic insights and tips.
  • Feedback Mechanism: For players to give feedback on ‘Tells’.

Educational Aspect:

The game educates players on managing innovation in organizations, emphasizing communication, collaboration, and strategic decision-making. It’s suitable for both educational and casual gaming environments.

Packaging:

  • Sturdy box with compartments for different components.
  • Illustrated Rulebook.
  • Online resources or an app for extended play.

“Innovation Game Wheel: The Board Game” offers a dynamic and engaging way to explore the complexities of organizational capabilities and innovation management, ideal for players interested in strategic thinking, management, and interactive learning.

The Innovation Game: Rulebook Example

Introduction

Welcome to “Innovation Wheel: The Board Game,” where you navigate the challenges of organizational innovation. Represent an organization and strive to excel across 16 aspects of innovation by effectively managing capabilities, resources, and strategic knowledge sharing.

Game Setup

  • Place the game board (the Wheel of Innovation) in the center.
  • Shuffle the Capability Cards, placing them in designated areas on the board.
  • Each player selects an Aspect (of the 16) and places their token at the start.
  • Distribute Resource Tokens evenly among players., one color per player.

Gameplay Overview

Players move around the board, drawing Capability Cards, and deciding whether to ‘Ask’ questions or ‘Tell’ information related to these capabilities. Points are scored by advancing in innovation aspects, with the goal of achieving industry leadership.

Turn Sequence

  1. The person sitting closest to the aspect Value proposition starts: Then clockwise.
  2. Roll the Dice: Move your token according to the dice roll; if the player already has a Rating Token on that aspect, please continue to the next player.
  3. Draw a Capability Card: Corresponding to the aspect where you land.
  4. Choose Ask or Tell:
    • Ask: Pose a question to another player related to the capability.
    • Tell: Share knowledge or insight about the capability.
  1. Interaction Outcome: Advance in aspects based on successful interactions.
  2. Ask or Tell Mechanics
    • Asking: If the answer is deemed satisfactory by other players or a judge, the player should receive one Rating Token (between 1 and 5) to be placed in the corresponding Aspect.
    • Telling: Other players vote on the usefulness of the information shared.

Download the Rulebook

Creating a DIY version of “Innovation Wheel:  

The Board Game“ is a fantastic project for those interested in business strategy and game design. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make your own version of the game. Remember, this DIY project is for non-commercial use only, as the original concept and materials like the Wheel of Innovation are patented and copyrighted, but have been allowed for personal use by Innovation 360.

Creating and Assembling the Game Components

  1. Printed Wheel of Innovation Board:
    • Download the JPG file of the Wheel of Innovation from the provided link (see below).
    • Print it out on a large-sized paper. Consider visiting a print shop if you need a larger or higher-quality print.
  2. Ask and Tell Cards:
    o Download the card designs using the provided links.
    o Print the cards. For durability, use cardstock paper. If using regular paper, consider laminating the cards for longer use.
  3. Card Box:
    • Download the card box design from the provided link.
    • Print the design. You can either construct a new box using this printout or wrap it around an existing small box to ‘pimp’ it.
  4. Rating Tokens:
    • For DIY tokens, print the token designs on paper, and cut them out.
    • Alternatively, use small colored objects like beads or buttons in five different colors.
  5. Aspect Tiles:
    • Download the Aspect Tiles designs from the provided link (the book).
    • Print these on regular paper and cut them out. Laminating these tiles can add durability.
  6. Organization Profile Cards:
    • Design or generate text for these cards (eg use ChatGPT).
    • Print the designed Organization Profile Cards on cardstock or laminate them for durability.

      1. Resource Tokens:
        • Use readily available small items like coins, paper clips, or similar small objects as Resource Tokens.
        • If you prefer custom tokens, design and print them, then cut them out.
      2. Event Cards (Optional):
        • Follow the same procedure as for the Organization Profile Cards if you choose to include these in your game.
      3. Dice:
        • A standard six-sided die is needed. This is usually readily available or can be purchased from any store with gaming supplies.
      4. Scoreboard:
        • Create a scoreboard on paper or cardboard.
        • You can design it on a computer and print it, or simply draw it manually.
      5. Other Supplies Needed:
        • Scissors: For cutting out printed tokens, cards, and tiles.
        • Glue: For assembling the card box and any other paper-based components.
        • Markers: For customizing or writing on the scoreboard or other components.

Assembly Steps

      1. Cut and Prepare the Components:
        • Use scissors to cut out the printed materials such as Aspect Tiles, Organization Profile Cards, and Event Cards.
        • If you laminated any prints, trim the lamination to size.
      2. Assemble the Card Box:
        • Fold and glue the printed card box design into shape.
        • If modifying an existing box, apply glue to the printout and wrap it around the box.
      3. Organize Your Game Space:
        • Designate areas for the different components: the Wheel of Innovation board in the center, card boxes, tokens, and dice within easy reach of all players.

Non-Commercial Usage Notice

Please note that this DIY version of “Innovation Wheel: The Board Game” is strictly for non-commercial use. The original concept, design, and materials such as the Wheel of Innovation are under copyright and patent protections but have been generously allowed for personal use by Innovation 360.

Additional Tips for the Innovation Game

  • Be creative with your materials. For example, if you don’t have access to a printer for the board, you could draw it by hand based on the provided JPG.
  • Consider using an online tool or app to keep track of scores digitally.
  • Feel free to customize the organization profiles or add your own rules to suit your preferences.

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