Overview

In Fall 2024, I developed Pivot, a strategic card game that transforms the complex challenges of learning design into an engaging professional development experience. At its heart, Pivot challenges players to craft and adapt learning solutions using research-based design principles, mirroring the real-world demands faced by instructional designers. Players receive a hand of design principle cards and must use them to solve evolving scenario challenges, forcing them to pivot their solutions as new requirements emerge – just as we do in actual learning design work. The game comes in two variants: PD Pivot for K-12 professional development design and L&D Pivot for workplace learning solutions. Both versions share the same core mechanic where success requires both creating viable solutions that meet all requirements while also demonstrating mastery through the thoughtful application of learning design principles.

Personal Reflections on Development

Creating Pivot was a fascinating journey in translating the messy, complex world of learning design into a structured yet engaging game format. What’s particularly satisfying is how the core tensions we experience as learning designers – balancing requirements against aspirations, adapting to change, and drawing on collective expertise – emerged naturally through gameplay.

The most rewarding aspect has been seeing how the game creates “aha moments” for players when they realize they’re developing real skills through play. When a team successfully pivots their solution after a challenging new requirement, or when players discover an unexpected synergy between design principles, they’re learning exactly the kind of adaptability and creative problem-solving that great learning design requires.

Future Game Design Possibilities

This experience has me thinking about other aspects of our field that could benefit from game-based learning:

• Stakeholder Management – A game where players navigate competing priorities and limited resources while maintaining relationships could help designers develop crucial soft skills.
• Needs Analysis – Perhaps a detective-style game where players gather clues about performance gaps and organizational context before proposing solutions.
• Technology Selection – A simulation where players must choose and combine different learning technologies while managing budget constraints and integration challenges.

Learning From the Development Process

If I were to start fresh with another game design project, I’d focus even more on:

• Creating more varied scenario cards that reflect emerging challenges in our field, like AI integration and hybrid learning environments
• Building in structured reflection points where players explicitly connect gameplay experiences to their professional practice
• Developing companion tools that help facilitators draw out learning moments and guide productive discussions

The Creative Commons licensing has been particularly valuable, allowing the community to adapt and evolve the game while maintaining its core principles. I’m curious to see how others might take these foundational mechanics and apply them to different contexts and challenges.

This journey has reinforced my belief in the power of structured play for professional development. When we can transform complex professional challenges into engaging gameplay mechanics, we create opportunities for deep learning that feels natural and enjoyable rather than forced.