Common Cold Game
This game is ready to play and includes 20 game cards, component causes (4 groups), and an answer key. Simply print the document, cut along the dotted lines, and play!
See download below: "cpb_fullgame_withkey_feb2025.pptx"
Note: This download was last updated in February 2025.
Create Your Own Game
Create your own game using the blank Powerpoint templates provided. Choose your favorite outcome and risk factors to customize your game.
See downloads below:
Blank pie shapes: "cpb_blankshapes.pptx"
Pie library (list of pies used in the game): "cpb_pielibrary.pptx"
Things to remember when creating your own game
1. Make sure the combination of sufficient causes (causal pies) is not redundant for a given player. For example, suppose a player has the folllowing sufficient causes (SC) on their game card:
SC I: [A, B, U]
SC II: [A, B, C, U]
SC II becomes irrelevant because the only way to get the disease by SC II is to get the disease by SC I.
2. Avoid mass exposure (unless intentional) and keep the prevalence of exposure under 100%. When pairing component causes (exposures) with group numbers, make sure at least one group does not get each exposure. For example, suppose you are creating cards for exposures "STRESS" and "POOR DIET" for a game with 5 exposure groups. The component cause cards might be something like:
GROUP 1 - STRESS
GROUP 2 - STRESS, POOR DIET
GROUP 3 - STRESS, POOR DIET
GROUP 4 - POOR DIET
GROUP 5 - POOR DIET
This way, it will be unlikely that everyone will get the outcome by the end of the game.
3. Test your version of the game before using it in class! Invite your friends and colleagues to play a quick game. The combination of pies and component causes you've chosen might by chance lead to everyone or no one getting the outcome.