I recently facilitated an Innovation Game® to gain some fresh insight into a question that my company is always seeking an answer to. How do people value (or not value) working with direct writers vs. independent agents when they buy insurance. For being the first time that I ever facilitated a visual collaboration game, I thought it went really well.
If there is one bit of advice I would share with other Innovation Games® enthusiasts when they're preparing for a visual collaboration game, it's that they should definitely prepare a script for themselves that they can copy/paste into the chat window when they're facilitating the game. I had a script prepared ahead of time and it really came in handy. I allowed me to keep the flow of the conversation going as if I were up in front of the group at an in-person event with all the participants eyes on me.
Here's the script I used for my game. I am writing this blog entry with a somewhat fuzzy memory (the game was several weeks ago) so if I scabbed one or two lines from a game that I participated with another facilitator, please forgive me (I was grabbing lines that I thought made points clear). At any rate, feel free to use this and tweak it for your needs. If you have any thoughts on how to improve scripts in general, give a shout out in the Innovation Games® forum.
Download the text file of the script I used
SCRIPT
Direct Writers vs. Independent Agents
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Thanks for coming everybody. I appreciate your time today and I hope you enjoy the experience.
Well, let's get started.
I work for an property and casualty insurance company (not life or health) and I want to better understand some things going on when you buy insurance. I need your help.
When the game starts, you'll see an image identifying three separate zones.
1. When you are thinking about buying insurance (for whatever reason, e.g. prices went up, unhappy w/ claim result, etc.)
2. When you are shopping for insurance
3. When you already have insurance and plan to stay with your current insurance agent/company.
For the purposes of this game, you can consider buying personal lines insurance (i.e. Homeowners, Boat, Motorcycle, Auto, etc.) or commercial lines insurance (i.e. Liability, Fire, Businessowners, Workers Comp, etc.).
I'm going to assume everyone can relate to personal lines insurance. If you can't relate to commercial lines don't feel like you've got to comment on it.
What I want you to think about is when you buy insurance, what things about the experience adds/subtracts from the VALUE that a direct writer (like Progressive or Geico) versus an independent agents brings to the table.
When you see the image, take a minute or two to examine it. If there's something you don't understand, ask the question in the chat window.
There will be smiley faces and frown faces in the upper-left corner. For things that ADD to the value, use a smiley. For things that SUBTRACT, use a frown.
Ok, I'm going to start the game. Your screen will automatically switch to a new look. See you inside.
Other Helpful Script Items
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Since everyone shares the same set of apples, you will need to collaborate with your fellow players.
You’ll find that the tree has some initial apples to help get you started. You can move these around to where you like them.
You can even delete them by moving them off the game board.
To give you feedback on where the apples are placed, we have created some layers and regions.
These are initially hidden, but you can see the layers and regions by clicking on the layers and regions tab in the upper right during the game.
My job is to answer your questions during the game and help move things along.
We’ll start as soon as more participants arrive.
If you have questions on how to play the game please review the information at https://innovationgames.com/content/docs/HowToPlayPTPT.
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