Communicate to Escape
Communicate to Escape
Embedded Files
Custom escape room for communications training and team building
Custom escape room for communications training and team building
Overview
Designed and implimented a western-themed escape room as part of communications training at department retreat for a community college.
Designed and implimented a western-themed escape room as part of communications training at department retreat for a community college.
Demonstrates
Gamification, Backward design, ADDIE, storytelling, cohort training session, experiential learning, content mapping, evaluation and plans for growth
Gamification, Backward design, ADDIE, storytelling, cohort training session, experiential learning, content mapping, evaluation and plans for growth
Audience
This escape room was included in a multi-day depoartment retreat. The group consisted of 18 people with various institutional and professional experience including several levels of leadership experience from the dean of the department to a recent hire.
This escape room was included in a multi-day depoartment retreat. The group consisted of 18 people with various institutional and professional experience including several levels of leadership experience from the dean of the department to a recent hire.
Process
With my background in communications and teaching leadership skills through our workforce department, I was given the communication training section for the retreat. Since one of the goals of the retreat was team bonding, I chose to host this training in the most interactive way possible: a live escape room.
Research and analysis of escape room structures
Research retreat site and available resources
Decide on theme and general strategies
Define the end goal (backward design)
Create room content map
Find or create clues to move people through the story
Find props to contain clues, or be clues
Create pre-game and debrief materials (Handouts, QR codes to lead to videos etc)
Run Escape room at retreat
Gather feedback to adjust room set up for clarity and added challenge.
Experience Structure
Before the experience
Before the experience
- Prep session around key communication principles as well as a primer on the function and goals of an escape room for those who hadn’t done one before (most of the audience).
- This included a video presentation and a Q&A session.
Escape Room experience
Escape Room experience
Groups entered the escape room staged in a rented cabin at the retreat location. They had one hour to complete the experience.
Groups entered the escape room staged in a rented cabin at the retreat location. They had one hour to complete the experience.
I stayed in the room in the corner as the game master and was available to give 3 clues. Groups had to agree unanimously to receive a clue.
I stayed in the room in the corner as the game master and was available to give 3 clues. Groups had to agree unanimously to receive a clue.
After the experience
After the experience
After all groups went through the escape room, a department debrief was held to connect the experience with practical communication techniques useful in both personal and professional settings.
After all groups went through the escape room, a department debrief was held to connect the experience with practical communication techniques useful in both personal and professional settings.
This was key to move this from a fun challenge to a learning opportunity by connecting the escape room to current issues and challenges in the department.
This was key to move this from a fun challenge to a learning opportunity by connecting the escape room to current issues and challenges in the department.
Responsibilities
Yes.
This was an entirely solo project and a true labor of love. I conducted research, wrote the story, mapped the challenges, created needed artifacts, found or wrote riddles and puzzles, procured the props, staged the room, ran the pre-game session, conducted the escape room, restaged the room, and ran the debrief.
It was a blast. Honestly, it is one of the most fun projects I have completed in my professional career and part of the reason I became interested in instructional design.
Sample Artifacts
Handouts
Room map
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