Synopses & Reviews
Smart trainers know that games and activities can involve adults in learning like no other instructional method and no one knows more about games than Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan. In this must-have resource, Thiagi shows you how to customize more than thirty different kinds of games—games that fit the circumstances perfectly and that can be designed in mere minutes.
"I had always heard that magicians were never supposed to reveal the secrets behind their tricks. In this book, Thiagi reveals the secrets behind his forty years of work in human performance technology, and delivers them in a way that will make HPT magicians out of all of us."
—Bill Matthews, Performance Consulting Team. Alteris Group, Birmingham, Michigan
"Packed with meaningful substantive games and activities, this book is a must-have for anyone designing and facilitating performance improvement. Need an interactive strategy fast? This book has a handy classification system based on topic, type of interactive strategy, and format you can use to quickly find just the right game or activity for your performance improvement needs—ones you can modify and us immediately."
—Dr. Darryl Sink, president, Darryl L. Sink & Associates, Inc.
"Thiagi has compiled an amazing book that shows anyone how to be a creative game designer. You will not find anything available elsewhere of greater scope and value."
—Mel Silberman, author, Active Training and 101 Ways to Make Training Active
"For a few dollars you can learn everything you always wanted to know (and some you didn't know you did) about designing training games and activities. Thiagi takes you on an exciting romp through the fundamentals of training exercise design. This tour de force will spark idea after idea about how to create, facilitate, and debrief games and activities. This book is a must-have for every trainer's bookshelf."
—Arthur B. VanGundy, founder, VanGundy & Associates and AllStarMinds.com
"The #1 book by the #1 authority on workplace games! Everything you ever needed to know about games is included in this well-written, easy-to-follow resource. This book is destined to be the dog-eared companion to my dictionary, thesaurus, and Bartlett's Quotations—it is a smorgasbord of tips and techniques for developing, playing, and debriefing games."
—Steve Sugar, author of Games that Teach and co-author of Games that Teach Teams
Review
"It's a treasure if you use it for it's stated purpose of designing your own games and activities." (Training Media Review, April 8, 2003)
Review
"Thiagi has done it again! The man you love to listen to has created a book that brings HPI interactive strategies down to a level that everyone can use."
— George M Piskurich, principal, GMP Associates
"Though there are many collections of training and simulation games, only a few are able to give you the understanding and guidance you need to take full advantage of the power of games as learning tools. Of those few, none is more comprehensive, more fun, more practical than Thiagi and Son's Template— a master trainer and master player who has been bringing new levels of functioning fun to business and education for more than thirty years. His son Raja has taken the best of his father's wisdom, and added both clarity and humor."
— Bernie DeKoven, author, DeepFUN.com, The Well-Played Game
"At various meetings over the years, Thiagi has been sharing his
innovative approaches to action learning and we've all been taking
notes. Now, in Design Your Own Games and Activities, Thiagi and Raja
provide us with do it yourself templates. My working life just became
easier, better and a lot more fun! Thanks."
— Glenn Parker, team building consultant and author, Team Depot: A
Warehouse of 585 Tools to Reassess, Rejuvenate and Rehabilitate Your Team
"Teachers, trainers, church and community leader will want this collection of inexpensive, highly creative, useable games. Suggestions and aids for helping the participants gain the most value from each experience are included for each game. It's truly a valuable work."
— R. Garry Shirts, Simulation Training Systems.
"The Thiagarajans are the grand masters of games for training. In their new and richly illustrated book they tell all you need to know to become your own game master."
— Danny G. Langdon, partner, Performance International
"This 'Tjiagi in a box!' A comprehensive resource of highly interactive performance improvement strategies. This book is in Thaigi's tradition of sharing wisdom at it's best."
— Chris Saeger, Chair, North American Simulation and Gaming Association
"Once in a lifetime a book like this comes along. As a trainer, I'm going to make sure this book stays within reach on my desk. Is there anyone who would want to take this opportunity to learn from a master?"
— Sandra Mumford Fowler, editor, Intercultural Sourcebook: Cross-Cultural Training Method Volumes 1 & 2
"A Thiagi tour de force: people who understand performance will find practical templates for rapid development of training that supports performance improvement projects. At minimum, the templates, examples, and guidelines will excite expert facilitators, guide novices, and bring smiles to the lips of participants."
— Dale Brethower, coauthor, Performance-Based Instruction: Linking Training to Business Results
Synopsis
This hands-on book will help trainers design their own games that can involve adults in learning like no other method. The designs are created as tools that can be adapted to individual needs and is written by Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan who is one of the most recognized authorities in the realm of simulations and games. In this book Thiagi shares his game-building secrets. Thiagi is the co-author of "The Guidebook to Performance Improvement" (0-7879-0353-1) and "Teamwork and Teamplay" (0-7879-4791-1).
Synopsis
Smart trainers know that games and activities can involve adults in learning like no other instructional method and no one knows more about games than Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan. In this must-have resource, Thiagi shows you how to customize more than thirty different kinds of games -- games that fit the circumstances perfectly and that can be designed in mere minutes.
About the Author
Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan, Ph.D., is director of research at QB International, a company that provides custom-designed interactive learning resources in instructor-led and online environments. Among his long-term clients are AT&T, Bank of Montreal, Cadence Design Systems, Chevron, IBM, Intel, Intelsat, United Airlines, and Liberty Mutual. Thiagarajan has published 40 books, 120 games and simulations, and more than 200 articles. He has made hundreds of presentations and keynote speeches at professional conferences. An international consultant, he has lived in three different countries and has consulted in twenty-one others.
Table of Contents
How to Use This Book.
Introduction: Toward Serious Playfulness.
Part 1. Framegames.
1. Introduction to Framegames.
2. Structured Sharing.
3. Creativity Techniques.
4. Interactive Lectures.
5. Textra Games.
6. Item Processing.
7. Video Vitamins.
.8 Debriefing Games.
9. Card Games.
10. Board Games.
11. Matrix Games.
12. Paper-andPencil Games.
13. Instructional Puzzles.
14. Audio Games.
15. Telephone Games.
16. Game Shows.
17. E-Mail Games.
18. Improv Games.
19. Openers.
20. Closers.
Part 2. Simulation Games.
21. Introduction to Simulation Games.
22. Action Learning.
23. Reflective Teamwork Activities.
24. The Case Method.
25. Production Simulation.
26. Training Devices.
27. Metaphorical Simulation Games.
28. Interactive Storytelling.
29. Role Playing.
30. Cash Games.
31. PC Simulations.
32. Jolts.
References.
Glossary of Interactive Strategies.
Activity Indexes.
Resources.
Basic Books on Interactive Strategies.
Classified List of Books on Interactive Strategies.
The Best Resources on Interactive Strategies.
Websites on Interactive Strategies.
Companion Website on the Book.
About the Author.
How to Use the CD-ROM.