Running the Debrief

All games end with a debrief. This is the point at which most learning occurs so it is very important to leave sufficient time for this activity. The debrief allows players to process what happened during the game, share their reactions, and learn from their peers.

As the facilitator, your main role is to elicit people’s opinions and allow others to carry the conversation. The goal is to encourage peer-to-peer sharing and learning. 

You should also use your knowledge as the game host to answer questions, provide guidance, and share your own point of view and experiences. This is especially important if someone is sharing misleading or going off track.

You should allot at least 15-30 minutes for the Debrief, with more time preferred. 

AlgoRobin was created in response to the rapid growth of health and wellness influencers - and the real risks of following persuasive but unproven advice online. Media reports have documented numerous cases in which people suffered serious illness, permanent harm (including lasting changes to their appearance), and even death after adopting such guidance. Crucially, these stories are not about reckless or uninformed individuals, but about people who are intelligent and generally well-informed - like “Robin,” the protagonist of the game.

Take-aways: 

• To experience how easily and incrementally someone can be drawn into believing and acting on what is promoted online. 

• To discover how casual curiosity can turn into committed adherence, whether to a health fad or any other online movement. 

• To appreciate how influencers and social media platforms reinforce each other’s worse tendencies (e.g. algorithms that encourage viral content over quality).  

Prior to the event, review and tailor the Debrief Kit to the needs and interests of your players 

• Download the Debrief Kit

• Review the suggested questions, activities, and examples

• Create your own questions/activities/examples that will resonate with your audience (and skip those that are not relevant)

• Print 1 Debrief Kit per table OR project the Debrief Kit on a screen 

There are two options for running the debrief, depending on the number of teams.

Game host led (best for 1-3 teams)

• Game host leads a single conversation with all players (team/s that finish early get a short break)

• Project the Debrief Kit on a screen

• Facilitate the discussion  

Player led (best for 4+ teams)

• Print out the Debrief Kit and hand it to each team when they turn in their final answer card

• Ask them to answer the questions among themselves at their tables

• After all teams have had enough time to discuss among themselves, Game host leads a single conversation, asking each table to share their responses to each question.

The debrief can also involve other activities. For example:

• Create a poster or meme that communicates what was learned in the game

• Develop a solution, such as a social media platform policy, government role, or some other action that could address the situation

• Run a roll-playing activity

Be creative with an activity that will interest your audience!