Here’s a fast-paced card game that can used to review the content while requiring some higher-order thinking.
Participants
3 to 5 players.
Larger groups can be divided into smaller groups and each group playing a parallel game.
Preparation
Prepare category cards. Create about a dozen cards, each containing a category related to the training topic.
Example:
Here are the categories we used during a recent training session on outsourcing:
Countries used by US corporations for outsourcing
Different functions that are outsourced
Common criticisms leveled against outsourcing
Major advantages of outsourcing
Trends in outsourcing
Techniques for improving the effectiveness of outsourcing
Supplies
One set of category cards for each table
Handout
How To Play Fast Responses, one copy for each participant
Flow
Organize participants. Divide them into groups of three to five and seat them at different tables.
Distribute supplies. Place a packet of category cards in the middle of each table, written side facing down. Give a copy of the handout to each participant.
Demonstrate play of the game. Walk participants through the steps in the handout. Read the category on a card, select a player to play the role of a contestant, and ask all other players to listen carefully to see whether you or the contestant makes a mistake and loses the round.
Let participants play the game. Get the game started at each table. Walk around the room to clarify the rules, if necessary.
Handout
How To Play Fast Responses
How Does the Game Begin?
The tallest player becomes the first player. Other players take turns to be the first player in subsequent rounds.
What Does the First Player Do?
The first player picks the top card of the packet. She reads the category aloud and shows the card to the other players.
The first player selects any other player to compete with her. This person is called the contestant.
The first player says an item that belongs to the category.
The contestant immediately says a different item that belongs to the same category.
The two players take turns alternatively supplying another new item that belongs to the same category.
What Do the Other Players Do?
All other players listen carefully to the items supplied by the first player and the contestant. One of these two players lose the round if she commits any of these three errors:
Hesitate too long before saying an item
Repeat an item that was already said
Say and item that does not belong to the category
How Does the Game End?
After each round, the next player (on the left of the previous player) becomes the new first player. The game proceeds as before.
Game ends when all cards are played out. The person who has won the most cards is the winner of the game.