Blog Archives - Guardian Adventures

A Beginner’s Guide to Healing Through Play

When people hear “therapy,” they often picture a couch, a clock, and careful conversation. But healing doesn’t always look like talking. Sometimes, it looks like choosing a character, facing a monster, and making a decision that feels terrifyingly familiar. This is the power of tabletop and live-action therapeutic roleplaying games.

One type of transformative game is a therapeutic game. At their core, therapeutic games are structured play-based experiences designed to help people explore emotional challenges, build resilience, and practice (in a safe space) new ways of thinking or behaving. What makes them therapeutic is how they’re facilitated, what they make possible, and who they help you become.

A Different Kind of Safe Space

Good therapy and good games share a specific foundation: Psychological safety. In therapeutic RPGs (roleplaying games) or LARPs (live action roleplaying games), players are guided through consent-based rules, content warnings, and character boundaries. These safety structures create a space where vulnerability becomes possible. When a player knows they can opt in or out, they’re more likely to take emotional risks because they have ultimate control over whether and how to engage. Note that this aligns with trauma-informed care principles, including empowerment, voice, and choice (SAMHSA, 2014).

Players are introduced to consent-based mechanics, session zero discussions, and safety tools like the X-card or tap-outs. There are content warnings, clearly defined character boundaries, and ongoing check-ins. Players know they can pause the game, shift direction, or opt out entirely. And they know that choice will be respected without question.

This matters for the players. But particularly for players with trauma. Because when someone has been denied agency in the past, being handed it back (in a structured and supported way) can be profoundly healing. Having control over whether and how to engage allows players to test the edges of vulnerability without falling over the cliff.

This design aligns with the core principles of trauma-informed care: empowerment, voice, choice, safety, and trustworthiness (SAMHSA, 2014). But it also just makes good design sense. Because when people feel safe, they take creative risks. They open up. They explore parts of themselves they normally keep guarded. And that’s where the work begins.

Practice Without Pressure

Unlike real life, games offer a do-over. You can try something risky such as saying no, asking for help, or leading a group. And if it doesn’t go how you wanted, the stakes are manageable. This is a kind of experiential rehearsal, a space to try on new behaviors before taking them into the real world. There is research in cognitive-behavioral therapy that supports the idea that behavioral rehearsal (otherwise known as roleplay) improves real-life coping skills (Beidas et al., 2014).

What makes therapeutic games different from traditional talk therapy is that the rehearsal is embedded in a narrative. You’re standing your ground as a rebel captain, a village healer, or a spy with a secret. That layer of story creates just enough distance to lower defenses. It lets players experiment with difficult emotions and choices without feeling directly exposed. As drama therapist Sue Jennings notes, stepping into a role allows individuals to safely explore parts of themselves they might otherwise avoid (Jennings, 1998). It’s not exactly you making that choice…until your nervous system remembers what it feels like, and it quietly becomes yours.

And because the consequences are fictional, players are more willing to take emotional risks. They learn through experience what it feels like to speak up, to be supported, to survive a confrontation. Each of those moments lays down new pathways in the brain for responding when similar challenges show up outside the game.

Therapeutic games don’t just teach coping. They let you feel what coping feels like. That difference, the felt experience over abstract instruction, is where a lot of the healing happens.

Stories That Change Us

Stories are how we make meaning. Therapeutic games use collaborative storytelling to help players process real experiences through symbolic ones. Players often bring parts of themselves into their characters (sometimes consciously, sometimes not). And when a character grows, that growth often crosses back over. This phenomenon is sometimes called “bleed,” where emotional experiences in character affect the player and vice versa (Bowman, 2010).

But bleed isn’t just a quirk of gameplay. It’s a mechanism of transformation. When someone sees their own fear, hope, or grief reflected in a character’s arc, it allows for what narrative therapy calls “externalization” (White & Epston, 1990). This shift lets the player observe their experience from a safer distance while engaging with it, shaping it, and sometimes rewriting it.

The co-creative nature of RPGs and LARPs also means that stories aren’t imposed. They are discovered. And that discovery can lead to what psychologist Jerome Bruner described as narrative re-authoring: Reshaping how we see ourselves by changing the stories we tell about who we are (Bruner, 2004).

Characters may be fictional. But the meaning we make through them is not. The experience of embodying strength, compassion, or change in-game has the potential to leave lasting psychological impressions. This is especially true when the game is properly framed and the players are given time and support to debrief, reflect, and connect it back to their real-life narrative.

The Group is the Magic

One-on-one therapy offers insight… but therapeutic games are often played in groups. This adds more levels of connection, empathy, and “vicarious learning” (studies in group therapy show that witnessing others’ breakthroughs can be as healing as having your own: Yalom & Leszcz, 2020). Watching someone else find their voice in-game can help you find yours. Supporting someone else’s healing can give meaning to your own.

Beyond shared storytelling, the group dynamic in games fosters what Irvin Yalom called universality: The realization that others struggle too, and that you’re not alone in what you carry (Yalom & Leszcz, 2020). This principle is especially powerful in games where characters face emotional or moral dilemmas that echo what’s happening in the real world.

Therapeutic games also allow for interpersonal learning (another of Yalom’s group therapy mechanisms) by giving players immediate feedback on how they show up in relationships (Yalom & Leszcz, 2020). In-character conflict, collaboration, or support often reflects the player’s out-of-character habits which can provide insight through action instead of analysis.

These dynamics are also supported by research in psychodrama and applied theatre, which show that shared roleplay can deepen trust, build empathy, and foster mutual understanding. J.L. Moreno, the founder of psychodrama, emphasized that participants “live through” alternative choices in group roleplay, promoting insight and interpersonal change (Moreno, 1946). More recent reviews affirm that dramatic and embodied group practices contribute to emotional expression and group cohesion (Snow, D’Amico, & Tanguay, 2003).

The fictional space makes emotional exposure more tolerable… but the connection that happens between players is very real.

And when a group processes the story together afterward, through structured debrief, it becomes more than a game. It becomes a shared experience of meaning-making, where each person’s insight becomes a resource for the others.

Therapeutic games aren’t a replacement for therapy. But they are a powerful complement. And in some cases, they are the most accessible or effective entry point for healing. For many players, it’s the first time they’re invited to be the hero of their own story.

References:

Beidas, R. S., Cross, W., & Dorsey, S. (2014). Show Me, Don’t Tell Me: Behavioral Rehearsal as a Training and Analogue Fidelity Tool. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 21(1), 1–11.
Bowman, S. L. (2010). The Functions of Role-Playing Games: How Participants Create Community, Solve Problems and Explore Identity. McFarland.
Bruner, J. (1987). Life as Narrative. Social Research, 54(1), 11–32.
Jennings, S. (1998). Introduction to Dramatherapy: Theatre and Healing – Ariadne’s Ball of Thread. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Moreno, J. L. (1946). Psychodrama and Group Psychotherapy. Sociometry, 9(3/4), 249–254.
SAMHSA. (2014). SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Snow, S., D’Amico, M., & Tanguay, D. (2003). Therapeutic Theatre and Wellbeing. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 30(2), 73–82.
White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends. Norton.
Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2020). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (6th ed.). Basic Books.

Framing an Analog Game for Transformation: A Step-by-Step Guide for Game Designers

Transformative analog games such as tabletop RPGs, LARPs, storytelling games, or hybrid formats, can be powerful tools for healing, education, and identity exploration. However, their impact is diminished when players are not invited to emotionally prepare, reflect during play, or process afterward. Framing is the missing structure that helps a game become more than memorable. It helps it become meaningful.

This guide outlines how to frame analog games using research-informed practices and trauma-aware tools like the RPG Consent Checklist and X-Card.

Step 1: Pre-Game Framing – Invite and Prepare

Goal: Help players set boundaries, choose levels of emotional engagement, and align the game with their current needs.

Use a Consent Form

Invite players to complete the RPG Consent Checklist, a fillable tool where participants indicate their comfort levels with various content (e.g., violence, romance, betrayal, body horror).

How to use:

Players fill it out privately or together as a group.
Use responses to tailor the tone, pacing, or content of the game.
Revisit the checklist in later sessions for your players’ evolving needs.
Also ask questions like: “What challenges are relevant in your life right now?”

Include a Physical or Verbal X-Card

Place an X-Card in the center of the table (or establish a verbal signal) that players can activate at any time if something makes them uncomfortable.

When used:

The scene changes or skips without explanation.
No questions asked; no discussion required unless the player initiates it.
Reinforce that using the card is normal and encouraged.

Why both?
The checklist is a proactive framing tool. The X-Card is reactive, protecting players during the unpredictability of live play.

Step 2: Midbrief – Reflect While Playing

Goal: Help players regulate emotions and deepen engagement through reflection during gameplay.

Use Check-in Breaks

Schedule reflection pauses during intense or emotionally complex scenes. These can be in-character, out-of-character, or both.

Example prompts:

“How is your character feeling right now?”
“Does this remind you of anything in your real life?”
“Would you like to shift tone or take a quick break?”

Make time for a quiet journaling moment, especially if you’re running a LARP or immersive story. This supports narrative processing.

Step 3: Post-Game Debrief – Meaning-Making

Goal: Support integration of the experience into players’ lives.

Run a Guided Debrief

Set aside 15–30 minutes after the session for reflection. Choose methods based on your group:

Open Circle: Invite each player to share one moment that stood out.
Structured Prompts:
- “What surprised you about today’s game?”
- “How did your choices reflect who you are (or who you want to be)?”
- “What do you want to explore more in the next session?”

Note: Another excellent resource for debriefing is the Debriefing Cube by Julian Kea and Chris Caswell. These handy cards (now there’s an App!) can address many different approaches to a debrief.

Offer Take-Home Journaling

Give players a journaling handout or invite them to capture their reflections with a prompt:

“What did your character learn? What did you learn about yourself?”

This can be anonymous or shared in future sessions to support character arcs or growth tracking.

Bonus Step: Weave Framing Into Design

Framing shouldn’t just sit outside the game. Instead, make it part of the narrative.

Examples:

The players are guiding an apprentice character who mirrors the challenges they chose to explore in the consent form.
Characters must reflect on decisions in “dream sequences” that act as narrative journaling.
Time is paused in-game for a character’s inner monologue which lets players switch between internal processing and external action.

Key References

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice
Moon, J. (1999). Reflection in Learning and Professional Development
Bowman, Sarah Lynne (2010). The Functions of Role-Playing Games
Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (1985). Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning
Banks, J., Bowman, N. D., & Bowman, S. L. (2016). Avatars Are (Sometimes) People Too
Consent in Gaming Checklist by Monte Cook Games
X-Card by John Stavropolous
Debriefing Cube by Julian Kea and Chris Caswell

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and transformative design for therapeutic centers, museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

Framing a Video Game for Transformation: A Step-by-Step Guide for Game Designers

Serious video games can fall short. This isn’t because of mechanics or story but because they don’t frame the experience effectively. Framing is the structure around gameplay that invites the player to connect personally, reflect meaningfully, and integrate what they’ve experienced. Without it, impact is fleeting. With it, your game can change lives.

This guide outlines how to design framing into your video game before, during, and after play using research-backed methods and trauma-informed tools like the X-Card and the RPG Consent Checklist.

Step 1: Pre-Game Framing – Invite and Prepare

Goal: Help players align the game with their current mindset and emotional needs.

Personalized Onboarding Survey

Begin with questions like:

“What theme would you like to explore today?” (If applicable)
“What challenges are relevant in your life right now?”
“What do you want the game to avoid?”

Ideally the answers influence narrative tone, dialogue, character choices, or even visual assets.

RPG Consent Checklist

Let players fine-tune their experience using the Consent in Gaming checklist, which includes options like:

Romantic or sexual content (Yes / Maybe / No)
Violence (Tone down / Stylized / None)
Moral dilemmas (Light / Medium / Heavy)

Use this input to adjust scenarios, language, pacing, or skip triggering content entirely.

Digital X-Card

In addition to the checklist, provide an in-game “X” button at all times (based on the X-Card by John Stavropolous). When tapped:

The current scene is skipped or replaced with a neutral variant.
No explanation is required.
Content filters can auto-adjust for the rest of the play session.

Why both? The checklist sets proactive boundaries; the X-Card is reactive, giving players power in the moment. Together, they create a layered safety net.

Step 2: Midbrief – Reflect While Playing

Goal: Surface insights before players emotionally disengage.

In-Game Journal Prompts

At emotional peaks or major decisions, insert short, optional prompts:

“What would you have done differently?”
“How is this choice affecting your character’s journey—and maybe your own?”

If the player opted into journaling, use themes from their onboarding to personalize prompts.

Example:

A player exploring trust might see: “Your character chose to keep a secret. Does this reflect how you handle trust in real life?”

Entries can be saved locally, to the cloud, or exported later.

Step 3: Post-Game Debrief – Meaning Making

Goal: Reinforce and extend the impact of the game into the player’s life.

Personalized Reflection Journal

After the game ends:

Show a summary of choices and character evolution.
Offer reflective questions based on themes or topics selected at the start.
Allow the player to download or continue a journal that can feed into sequels or future playthroughs.

Adaptive Continuation

If the game has a sequel or metagame layer, use the player’s journal entries and consent checklist to shape future content.

Bonus Step: Weave Framing Into Story

Don’t just bolt framing onto the sides of the game—build it into the world:

Maybe the player is mentoring a character with a life challenge they selected.
Or they’re a time-traveling observer recording a personal history.

These specific narrative lenses can support eudaimonic play (gaming that fosters growth, meaning, and identity development).

Key References

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice
Moon, J. (1999). Reflection in Learning and Professional Development
Bowman, Sarah Lynne (2010). The Functions of Role-Playing Games
Boud, Keogh & Walker (1985). Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning
Banks, J., & Bowman, N. D. (2016). Avatars Are (Sometimes) People Too: Linguistic Indicators of Parasocial and Social Ties in Player‑Avatar Relationships. New Media & Society, 18(7), 1257–1276.
Consent in Gaming Checklist by Monte Cook Games
X-Card by John Stavropolous

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and transformative design for therapeutic centers, museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

We live in a time when AI is often framed as the answer to loneliness, anxiety, even trauma. “AI will listen.” “AI will care.” “AI will be your friend.”

But what if that’s not the right role?

What if AI isn’t meant to be the solution but the alibi?

In the field of Transformative Game Design, the word “alibi” is an established term that refers to a character that the player embodies in a roleplaying game… providing a safe space to different emotions and perspectives through the character and the scenario. In this context, Alibi is a safe space and safe interaction for practice. It’s a place to begin saying what’s hard to say. A bridge back to connection with others, built on growing trust with your own skills, self-awareness, and choice.

The Role of AI as Alibi

There are many reasons people stay silent: Fear of judgment, past trauma, or simply not knowing where (or how) to begin. When this happens, we often need something low-risk. A place to explore our thoughts before we speak them out loud. A space where we can rehearse the words we’ve never been able to say. It’s a conversation practice that gives you the “undo” option where you can “beta test” your thoughts.

This is where AI as Alibi lives.

This kind of AI is trained not just on language models, but on listening models. It knows when to pause, when not to offer advice, and when to gently suggest that what you’re sharing might be too important, too complex, or too human for an algorithm to hold alone. It doesn’t diagnose. It doesn’t try to fix. It doesn’t pretend to know what’s best.

But it does help you find the words.

It gives you a space to rehearse hard conversations. It helps you think through who in your life feels safe enough to talk to. It might even help you ascertain the possibility that there isn’t anyone in your circle that has the skillset for a healthy connection – and provide you with resources to organizations that can help.

When you’re ready it can remind you that you don’t have to do it alone.

Growth Through Boundaries: A Transformative Design Approach

At the heart of this is transformative design. Not transformation through fantasy or escapism, but through a gradual, supported shift in how we see ourselves and what we believe we’re capable of.

AI as Alibi isn’t just about “processing emotions.” It’s about creating conditions where users can:

Identify and reframe internal narratives
Recognize patterns of avoidance or fear
Practice the risk of vulnerability in a low-stakes environment
Move from passive introspection to active connection

This is the architecture of transformation, which is framing experiences so users can feel safe enough to reflect, empowered enough to act, and supported enough to grow.

Done well, this kind of interaction can cause lasting change not because the AI is wise, but because it’s smart enough to know its limits.

What AI Should Never Be

There’s a growing risk in AI that’s “too helpful.” When AI is designed to mimic friendship, to validate every feeling without context, or to simulate unconditional presence, it can quietly become a replacement for real human connection.

That’s not just unethical. It’s dangerous.

A trauma-informed AI must be trained not to overreach. It must resist the temptation to play the hero. That means avoiding emotional language that suggests attachment (“I’ll always be here,” “You can trust me”), and instead modeling healthy boundaries:

“That sounds like something worth talking about with someone who knows you well.”
“I’m here to help you sort through your thoughts, but I’m not a therapist.”
“You’re not alone. Would you like help thinking about who to talk to?”

This reframing encourages real connection, not digital dependence.

Designing AI That Knows When to Step Aside

To play this role well, AI needs more than technical training. It needs design intention so that it understand that its purpose is not to be the destination, but the bridge.

That means:

Identifying signs of distress or trauma disclosure and shifting into a safety-first mode
Responding with pause and redirection, rather than escalating false intimacy
Championing agency, by helping users make decisions rather than giving them
Offering structured reflection, so the user can track their emotional patterns over time

AI as Alibi becomes part of a larger transformative arc. It’s playing the role of support instead of savior. This way, the AI isn’t replacing human contact, but by gently guiding people back toward it when they’re ready.

From Isolation to Identity Shift

When someone practices speaking their truth (on their own terms, and at their own pace) they’re doing more than processing. They’re rewriting their story. They’re deciding they are worthy of being heard. They’re transforming.

This is where transformative design can meet technology: Not by simulating a relationship, but by gently cultivating the confidence to seek real ones. Not by fixing people, but by helping them imagine what connection might feel like again.

And that is how AI becomes not a substitute…

…but an alibi.

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and transformative design for therapeutic centers, museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

There is a difference between Remarkable and Transformative Serious Games.

There’s a growing number of serious games (games designed to teach, heal, and to build empathy). Many of them are remarkable. They’re engaging. Immersive. Memorable. They might even leave players in awe of the experience. But being remarkable isn’t the same as being transformative. And for the kind of impact many of these games are aiming for, such as shifts in behavior, mindset, or cross-cultural understanding, remarkable simply isn’t enough.

Remarkable experiences are the ones we talk about at dinner. They leave a strong impression. They make us feel. But those feelings often fade. A transformative experience, on the other hand, is one that sticks with us. It alters our perspective in a sustained and prolonged way. An experience like this is the difference between remembering something fondly… and changing how you move through the world because of it. In the context of serious games, this is the gap we can close.

One of the primary reasons serious games or experiences fall short of real transformation is framing (or rather, the lack of it). Too often, designers rely on the content like a strong story, and mechanics to do the heavy lifting. These are certainly important. Just don’t assume that if a game is built around important topics like trauma, anxiety, or cultural identity, the impact will automatically happen.

Framing is what transforms a good experience into a life-changing one.

Framing begins before the game. It prepares the participant to bring their own lived experience into the space and sets expectations about how personal growth might take place. It continues during the experience, reinforcing the metaphor and giving language to what’s unfolding. And most importantly, it includes the after. This is the part so many games miss: the debrief, the reflection, the integration. Without it, insights fade and players move on. With it, they return months later still rethinking a belief or behavior they once took for granted.

Transformative games can and should be used across sectors like classrooms, therapeutic facilities, and conflict zones. They can address trauma, build resilience, support people living with anxiety, or help foster understanding between displaced communities and host cultures. But transformation doesn’t come from mechanics and story alone – no matter how immersive they seem. It comes from meaningful design choices that recognize the player as an agent of change in their own life, not just a character in a story.

So, the next time you design a game to have a strong impact, you have to ask: Are we aiming to be memorable or are we setting the stage for something more enduring? Are we designing for awe or are we designing for change?

Because the difference between remarkable and transformative is not about complexity or length. It’s about intentional framing. And it’s time we start building serious games seriously.

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and transformative design for therapeutic centers, museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

There’s a quiet assumption in many serious (educational or therapeutic) digital games that impact will happen on its own if the game is “immersive” enough. That if players are engaged enough, the lesson will stick. But those of us who work in transformative design know:

In serious games, transformation rarely happens by accident. It happens through careful framing, incorporating lived experience, and reflection.

Live Action Roleplaying (LARP) designers have been crafting meaningful experiences for decades. We’ve learned that the power of roleplay doesn’t lie in the story alone… it lies in how we invite players into it, how we guide them through it, and how we help them make sense of what they experienced once it’s over. That structure (before, during, and after) is where the real magic lives.

Transformative Digital Serious Game Example

Imagine a digital serious game that is designed with this structure in mind. Instead of selecting an avatar where (at most) the player chooses what the avatar is wearing and what they look like, the player instead chooses a character with a detailed backstory from an array of pre-written options they paste together. This character can have real-life emotional challenges like anxiety, abandonment, or fear of failure. But here’s the twist: the player doesn’t play that character. They care for them. Like a conscience, a mentor, or a guiding voice, the player helps that character navigate the story with compassion and insight.

This design reframes the player’s role. They’re not solving puzzles for points, they’re modeling emotional resilience. They’re learning strategies not in spite of the narrative, but through it. And as they guide their character, the transfer between player and story deepens. That’s what we call bleed: When our in-game experiences transfer into our out-of-game life (and vice versa) allowing for a transformative outcome.

And just like in a well-run LARP, the experience ends with debrief. But it’s not an external experience that breaks the flow of the game. It’s an in-game experience like a quiet scene where the character reflects on what they’ve been through and looks ahead and talks with the player about how they have grown. That reflection loop matters. It’s what turns the game time into a transformative experience for the player.

This is just an example. There are any number of other options that can be integrated into a game to help frame it for measurable outcomes. If serious game companies want to build experiences that truly transform, they need to stop thinking only in terms of achievement and start thinking in terms of care. Care for the story, care for the character, and most importantly, care for the player’s personal journey beyond the game. And to get there, they might want to reach out to a transformative designer. Change is what we do for a living.

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and transformative design for museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

…and why those lenses support innovation.

All designers seek an elegant solution to a significant problem. Elegant, in this sense, means a solution that isn’t complex and addresses each of the objectives efficiently and effectively.

When taking on a project, especially one with a transformative objective, it’s important to bring in perspectives from various fields and lived experiences. Each expert view not only deepens our understanding but also improves how the project unfolds, making sure it’s both accessible and engaging. But more, I posit that having a wide range of perspectives (people from very different fields or cultures) is what makes your project truly innovative and approachable. They will ask questions and make suggestions that will prevent many iterations of re-design because they are not seeing the project through the sometimes myopic viewpoint of a singular solution.

I’d like to acknowledge Upsalla University, in particular the Transformative Game Design Masters Degree for this list of various expert lenses. I’ll give you my summation of the role for each of these perspectives.

- Physical Logistics Specialist: Think of this person as your go-to for making sure everything fits—literally. They make sure the space works just right and that all the resources are in place so everyone can participate fully without a hitch. This isn’t just for in-person programs. Online events or courses still need a logistics specialist who makes certain that the software being used is the right kind and in working order.
- Communication Specialist: This is your storyteller. They ensure that every message, whether spoken, written, or displayed, is clear and captivating, making certain everyone’s on the same page. This is both in the mode of project production (think of a Project Manager) and also as it pertains to the end users (think of an Instructional Designer). IE. Making sure the instructions for the experience are clear and easy to understand.
- Safety Specialist: Every great project needs a guardian angel, and that’s this specialist. They’re all about creating a safe space where everyone can explore, learn, and process. This role is particularly important in helping your end users calibrate to each other and the topic before engaging in content that might be a polarizing subject or a topic that could be triggering. You don’t want your end users to have a negative experience and this role will lower that risk.
- Accessibility Specialist: Accessibility goes beyond just physical access. This specialist helps make sure that everyone, no matter their ability, can engage fully with the project. These are also called Universal Designers. Trust me – getting these experts on board right at the start of the design process is vital. Many developers don’t bring them in until the project is in a final draft state (or even already available to the public) and then they have to go back and redesign because they didn’t have the lived experience or training to see accessibility through another person’s lens.
- Cultural Consultant: If your project serves or is about a specific demographic, do yourself and the project a big favor and partner with a cultural consultant who is an active member of that culture. And don’t just have them on the side lines telling you what words to use or that such and such design element is not appropriate. This isn’t just about preventing cultural appropriation… it’s about reaching your end users through elements of their own culture and lived experience. There’s a great saying I heard, “Nothing about us without us.” I would also add that if you want a project to go global and to be easily translatable into multiple languages, make sure you have a large number of your designers whose first language is not English. They will help you use words that are clearly translatable and steer away from lingo that certain English users take for granted as being widely known.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist: With all of the backlash on this in the USA, I am going to make the point that all of the people pushing against DEI are just not getting: You will NEVER be at the pinnacle of innovation if you don’t have a diverse team. This diversity is what brings perspectives that you and people like you don’t have. If you don’t have Equity, then you are not accounting for these differences so your diverse team cannot operate efficiently and once again, you are missing out on peak innovation. And if you don’t have Inclusion, your team won’t feel like they can speak up and provide their full, authentic feedback – which might run counter to what others are saying. But strong innovation requires positive conflict. Just ask any top performing music band.
- Education Specialist: They’re focused on making sure the project isn’t just fun, but also truly educational, with takeaways that stick. These roles are Curriculum Designers and Learning Experience Designers. They know not just how to deliver the content, but how to process the experience so that transfer is the outcome. Transfer means that the end-user has a takeaway from the experience that is applicable to their life outside of the experience.
- Mental Health Professional: This is the partner to the Safety Specialist. Their role is to ensure that the resulting experience supports everyone’s emotional and mental well-being, making it a positive outcome for all participants. The more emotionally challenging the topic you are trying to explore, the more vital this role is in your project. As well, they can assist in the debrief of the participants at the end of the experience so that everyone has a chance to process their emotions and make sense of their interaction.
- Workshop Designer: This person designs engaging activities that not only fit the project’s goals but also help make the experience safer and more engaging. This role identifies how to prepare the participants ahead of time for the experience in such a way that they have a better understanding of what is to come and an agreed upon method for communicating what their comfort level is with the changing dynamics.
- Documentation Lead: They document everything. This role is vital because it helps the team reflect on what’s working and what needs tweaking, while also making sure that everyone is working on the same version. I’m sure some of you recall a time you discovered that you were adding or editing an outdated document and had to start again on the more recent version (insert exasperated sigh here).

So there you go. By incorporating each of these perspectives/roles into the planning process, you can ensure the project isn’t just highly innovative, efficient and effective, but also deeply impactful. Because when you are in the job of making an experience or game that is transformative, you really need to know what you don’t know… and co-design with those who can fill in those gaps for you.

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and transformative design for museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

What is Transformative Design: Definition, Design, and Impact

Understanding Transformative Experiences

A transformative experience is an event or interaction that shifts or grows an individual’s perspective, understanding, or behavior in a sustained and prolonged manner. These experiences are particularly impactful in game design, where they not only engage and entertain but also influence personal development, educational outcomes, and social perspectives. By challenging the participant or players’ preconceived notions or opening them to new views, these experiences can promote growth and insight.

Designing Transformative Experiences

To create a transformative experience, our designers integrate intentional design, compelling narratives, and meaningful interactions. However, one of the key differences between an experience that is just immersive and one that is transformative is the concept of ‘framing.’ Framing involves setting up the game environment and rules in such a way that players feel safe to explore and make decisions. This safety net is important for encouraging experimentation and learning without fear of real-world repercussions. As well, the activity must have a strong debrief experience in which participants process and put words to their experiences. Then, by providing space for them to associate this new perspective to their life beyond the experience, the participants leave with an understanding of how to incorporate their new knowledge or interest. In other words, transformative design isn’t just about creating a cool interaction… it’s about inspiring change.

The Impact of Transformative Design

Strong transformative design can inspire change because they offer an engaging method to interact with complex subjects such as historical events, scientific concepts, cultural divides, or ethical dilemmas. Experiencing the consequences of their decisions within a safe, game-based environment allows participants to gain deeper insights that they are more likely to transfer to real-life situations. As well, these experiences can bridge cultural and educational gaps, creating inclusive environments where diverse groups can learn from each other’s perspectives, encouraging empathy and understanding.

What Does This Matter to You?

Transformative experiences and games are powerful tools for deep engagement, effective teaching, and inspiring sustained and prolonged positive change. By using framing to ensure safety and encourage thoughtful introspection, participants can bravely engage with challenging ideas that entice them past their comfort zone. As educational tools, they hold the potential to revolutionize how we interact with new and complex topics, making them invaluable for encouraging learners to see these fields of study as career opportunities. So if your organization is interested in having your participants or guests experience your subject matter in a transformative way, then Transformative Design is the path forward.

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and program development for museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

October 25 at 10am EDT on Zoom

16:00 GMT+2 in Geneva, Switzerland

We hope you will join us this year during STEM Week!

Join us for an exciting online adventure:

CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has somehow shut down! Help us solve the mystery as you play a role in reassembling the part of the LHC, working as a scientist, an information technologist, or an engineer. This is a Zoom-based interactive adventure designed in partnership with CERN for ages 8-10 and runs 30 minutes. This adventure will be hosted in English.

This is a free an online event funded by Mass STEM Week and developed in full partnership with CERN for ages 8-10

How it works:

Register below by October 23rd. There are limited spots so be sure to register ASAP.
Teachers: You may register as a student and project the screen on your board (in presentation mode), then allow your class to vote on their next move. In this case, we will not need all of your students to register, just you.
Students: You will be emailed instructions with the Zoom link. NOTE: There are no more individual Student spots left. Please fill out to be placed on a waiting list for a possible second future event.
Make sure your name display on Zoom is the same as your registered Student/Class name or you may not be admitted to the event.
You should have some comfort in navigating Zoom reactions and turning on and off your mic. Parents can assist if a student is struggling with the controls.
If you are more than 5 minutes late, you may not be accepted into the event as the game will begin promptly.
You do not need to know any physics in order to participate.
Note: This session will be recorded!

If you have questions contact us via our website. Are you an educator? Fee free to share this page so parents can register their students in your class if they are attending individually instead of in presentation mode.

In order to participate, please fill out the form below no later than Thursday, October 24th. There are limited spots available on each day so please register soon.

This game was developed through a Massachusetts STEM Week grant from the Northeast STEM Network and in partnership with CERN.

Parent/Guardian/Teacher's Name*

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Zoom links will be sent using this information.
Student's First Name or Class Name*
School City/State/Country*
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Student or Entire Class*

Is this registration for a single student or an entire class?
This zoom event will be recorded for teacher training so that teachers who run the course can see what an adventure looks like.*
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Museums are evolving from static spaces where information is simply presented into dynamic environments that engage visitors in meaningful and even transformative ways. Transformative Game Design plays an important role in this evolution, turning museum visits into immersive, interactive experiences that not only educate but also inspire visitors to take action based on their new insights.

This approach leverages game mechanics to create compelling narratives/adventures and challenges that resonate with visitors on a personal level. This then encourages them to reflect on and change their behavior outside the museum. This concept is called “transfer” and is considered the pinnacle of education. But this process is entirely dependent upon the type of experience the visitor has, how they feel about it (because emotion inspires action), and whether or not they know what their next step is for acting on this new perspective.

To help illustrate this, we’ve come up with nine example interactions that are broken out into the type of Exhibit, the Design of the interaction, and the Action that this inspires in the visitor.

1. Climate Action Simulation

Exhibit: Climate Crisis Interactive
Design: Visitors participate in a role-playing game where they act as leaders of different countries tasked with negotiating a global climate deal. The game uses real data to show the impact of their decisions on global emissions and climate change.
Action: Participants are encouraged to commit to personal or community actions to reduce carbon footprints, with resources (based on their locale) provided to help them implement these changes.

2. Historical Immersion LARP

Exhibit: The Underground Railroad Experience
Design: A live-action role-playing (LARP) game that recreates scenarios from the Underground Railroad. Visitors assume the roles of various historical figures, making critical decisions that affect their journey to freedom.
Action: This exhibit prompts visitors to engage with modern issues of justice and equality, directing them to volunteer opportunities with local civil rights organizations.

3. Economic Decision-Making Game

Exhibit: Trade and Commerce in the Ancient World
Design: An interactive board game where players trade goods along historical trade routes, facing challenges like pirates and storms. The game highlights the economic principles and the impact of trade policies.
Action: Players learn about fair trade and are provided with information on how to support ethical consumer practices.

4. Public Health Interactive Challenge

Exhibit: Outbreak!
Design: A digital interactive experience where visitors work together to stop a spreading infectious disease by making public health decisions and allocating resources effectively.
Action: The game encourages visitors to participate in health initiatives and educates them on ways to prevent disease spread in their communities.

5. Art Conservation Puzzle

Exhibit: Art in Peril
Design: Visitors solve puzzles that simulate the challenges of art conservation, understanding the chemistry and artistry behind preservation techniques.
Action: Inspired by the exhibit, visitors can donate to art preservation funds or participate in local art restoration projects.

6. Wildlife Conservation Strategy Game

Exhibit: Endangered Ecosystems
Design: A strategy game where visitors manage a wildlife reserve, making decisions about habitat protection and species conservation.
Action: This game inspires visitors to support or volunteer for wildlife conservation efforts and provides information on adopting endangered animals.

7. Archaeological Dig Simulation

Exhibit: Digging Into the Past
Design: A hands-on exhibit where visitors participate in a simulated archaeological dig, uncovering replicas of artifacts and learning about the scientific methods used in archaeology.
Action: Participants are encouraged to support archaeological research through educational programs or become amateur archaeologists… even what local colleges offer archeology as a course.

8. Space Exploration Interactive Lab

Exhibit: Mission to Mars
Design: An interactive lab where visitors plan a mission to Mars, involving challenges like spacecraft design, navigation, and life support systems.
Action: This interaction promotes interest in STEM fields and offers links to space camps and science education initiatives.

9. Sustainable Living Workshop

Exhibit: Future Cities
Design: This interactive model city allows visitors to be involved in urban planning and sustainability decision-making. As they make choices about infrastructure, energy sources, and public spaces, they see the real-time impact of their decisions on the city’s development.
Action: Visitors leave equipped with a “sustainable living toolkit” that includes practical tips and resources for reducing energy consumption and waste in their own homes, encouraging them to make environmentally friendly choices daily.

We hope you found inspiration in the above examples transformative game design that can make museum exhibits more than just informative—they can become catalysts for personal and social change. By adding interactive and actionable elements into your museum experience, your visitors are not only educated but also motivated to apply their new knowledge in meaningful ways. And isn’t that the best outcome for education?

Guardian Adventures provides transformative game consulting and program development for museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

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