14 June, 2013 CENTER for APPLIED STRATEGIC LEARNING Doing More With Less: Can Your Game Multi-task? Elizabeth Bartels, Research Analyst Deirdre Hollingshed, Research Associate - UNCLASSIFIED -

Presentation Overview Introduction to multi-purpose gaming Case study: Exercise “Scattered Lights” Findings - UNCLASSIFIED -

What is a Game? Contextualize Decision Making using: Players defined by Roles Environment defined by Scenario Decisions defined by Rules OR PlayersEnvironment DecisionsRules Players are asked to act on presented Environment by making Decisions give a particular set of RulesOR Group Story Creation - UNCLASSIFIED -

Purposes of Games Education Learn to improve understanding of concepts, environments etc. “Wrong” answers exist Discovery Exploring problem space to better understand complex/unstructured phenomenon “Wrong” answers exist Training Practice of a specific set of practical skills to improve performance “Correct” answer exist Analysis Testing a theory in and constructed environment Looking for the “correct” answer - UNCLASSIFIED -

Conventional Wisdom Says… Games should have one set of objectives, united by a single purpose. Game structure flows from game objective – muddied objectives = muddied structure Too many “variables” for the number of data points Provides focus and prioritization. Allows you to link the scope of the exercise to the audience. - UNCLASSIFIED -

Why Consider Breaking the Rule Potential benefits of cross fertilization for participants. Serve multiple goals with a single event saving time and effort. Better attendance through using captive audience. - UNCLASSIFIED -

Case Study: Exercise Scattered Lights Strategic Level 4 day exercise Audience: 80 DoD Master’s Degree students and 40 interagency and international policy experts. Scenario: Near Future Mali. - UNCLASSIFIED -

Exercise Objectives Educational Analyze a range of threat types, to include the roots of conflict and the Ends-Ways-Means of the threat group(s), to prepare a Strategic Estimate of the Situation. Consider the effects of regional and global phenomena on national conflicts. Develop a Strategic Course of Action to address threats using all instruments of national power and adapt the plan to unfolding events. Develop and brief policy options appropriate to senior leaders at the national and international levels. Policy Create a forum for discussion about US and international courses of action to address Mali and the greater Sahel region Introduce international voices into the US planning process Raise awareness of CISA methods and resources among US interagency practitioners GOAL: Demonstrate competency in analysis and planning skills learned at CISA GOAL: Leverage CISA methods and resources to improve policy decision making - UNCLASSIFIED -

Purposes of Games Education Learn to improve understanding of concepts, environments etc. “Wrong” answers exist Discovery Exploring problem space to better understand complex/unstructured phenomenon “Wrong” answers exist Training Practice of a specific set of practical skills to improve performance “Correct” answer exist Analysis Testing a theory in and constructed environment Looking for the “correct” answer - UNCLASSIFIED -

Game Structure Strategies for Government of Mali Red Team Plans International Plan Revised Strategies for Government of Mali Revised International Plan Hotwash International Plan Revised International Plan Students work in 4 parallel groups advising the government of Mali, and the threats that face the government. Policy team works together to create a recommendation for the international community to respond. Move 1 & 2 Move 3Move 4Analysis - UNCLASSIFIED -

Key Exercise Findings Security, political reconciliation, and development strategies needed. Same idealized end state for Mali, differences in prioritization. Correct implementation, rather than new ideas, are critical to achieving better outcomes. Ensuring Malian government buys-in, while promoting ownership of core problems by the Malian government. Involve regional actors, both through multi-lateral organizations and bilaterally. Expand the UN MINUSMA force’s mandate. Value of coordination at the strategic, operational, and tactical level. - UNCLASSIFIED -

Determining the value of multi-purpose games EducationDiscovery Audience of policy makers raised the stakes for students – more buy in Audience of policy makers raised the stakes for students – more buy in Source of information not otherwise available to students given time constraints Source of information not otherwise available to students given time constraints Student plans served as a foil, rather than a model of real world plans BUT that droved a major epiphany Student plans served as a foil, rather than a model of real world plans BUT that droved a major epiphany - UNCLASSIFIED -

The Downside Benefits found through heavy facilitation. Not much less resource intensive than running two games. Limits on scenario and game structure to accommodate the needs of both groups. - UNCLASSIFIED -

Takeaways n = 1. Parallel not merged events. Benefit both to the education from the discovery and the discovery from the educations, but the first seems like it might be more reliable. Possible to have a successful multi-purposes game - UNCLASSIFIED -

Next Steps Test with other scenarios. Test with lower stakes problem. Test with one directional linkages. Testing other combinations- education to discovery might be the only one that works. - UNCLASSIFIED -