ADVANTAGEOUS: A Game of Collaboration

Alex Sharp

1. How might we embrace interdisciplinary collaborations and diverse work spaces through understanding the biological system of symbiosis?

2. How might we discover the individual skills, knowledge, experiences, and background that benefit a working system?

3. How might we learn to apply collaboration in our own lives to provide a mutual benefit to both parties (as seen in mutualism) or to find the value in a team, ourselves, and other individuals?

Project Research

According to the Biomimicry Toolbox website, biomimicry can be defined as “the practice of applying lessons from nature to the invention of healthier, more sustainable technologies for people.” My original goal was to educate people about biomimicry and to practice its methods, but I realized that my idea was too broad, so I decided to focus on encouraging people to practice interdisciplinary collaboration, which is a major component to the research required to practice biomimicry.

My first round testing began at our Pop-Up Gallery on February 25th, 2020 where I tested my game. The goal of the game was to simply answer questions that challenged players to consider how their roles in society impacts how they view specific concepts. The next iteration of my game will include playing cards, envelopes, and other interactive elements. Although I want people to be more excited about collaboration, I also want people to learn something about themselves when they finish playing the game.

Why Create this Game?

The reason why I am creating a game about diverse collaboration is because it is not a practice that is appreciated in many social groups. By communicating with others, we learn about our personal differences. These differences make us unique, and what makes us unique gives us value. By working together, we not only accomplish goals, but we also find value in ourselves.

Play ADVANTAGEOUS