Discovering Cognitive Biases

Discovering Cognitive Biases is a serious game designed to help participants identify and understand cognitive biases. Through the use of cards, this game promotes critical thinking and enhances team decision-making. Participants will learn to recognise biases in real-life situations and develop strategies to mitigate them.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Introduction to the Game

   10 min

   The facilitator begins by explaining the objective of the game: to understand and identify cognitive biases. They present the cognitive bias cards and explain that they contain descriptions and concrete examples. Participants are encouraged to ask questions if they have doubts about the biases.

   Tip — Use concrete and current examples to illustrate each bias to capture the participants' attention.

2. 2

   Team Formation

   5 min

   The facilitator divides the participants into teams of 3 to 5 people. Each team receives a set of cognitive bias cards. The facilitator explains that each team will need to work together to identify biases in given scenarios.

   Tip — Ensure that the teams are balanced in terms of diversity to enrich the discussions.

3. 3

   Reading the Scenarios

   15 min

   The facilitator distributes written scenarios to the teams. Each team reads its scenario and discusses the potential cognitive biases present. Teams must identify at least two biases per scenario and explain their reasoning.

   Tip — Encourage teams to take notes and designate a spokesperson to share their findings.

4. 4

   Sharing Discoveries

   20 min

   Each team presents its scenario and the identified biases to the other participants. Other teams can ask questions or suggest additional biases. The facilitator facilitates the discussion to deepen the understanding of the biases.

   Tip — Use a whiteboard to note the identified biases and key ideas from each team.

5. 5

   Developing Strategies

   15 min

   Teams discuss possible strategies to mitigate the identified biases in their scenarios. Each team proposes concrete actions to minimise the impact of biases in similar situations.

   Tip — Provide examples of pre-thought-out strategies to inspire the teams.

6. 6

   Closure and Summary

   10 min

   The facilitator summarises the biases and strategies discussed during the workshop. They remind participants of the importance of vigilance regarding cognitive biases in everyday decision-making. Participants are invited to share a key takeaway from the workshop.

   Tip — End with an inspiring quote on critical thinking to leave a lasting impression.

Variants

• Use real scenarios from your organisation to make the exercise more relevant.
• Turn the game into a friendly competition by awarding points for each correctly identified bias.
• Incorporate videos or images as supports to illustrate cognitive biases.