The transition of an agricultural business, whether within or outside a family enterprise, is always a pivotal phase. Effective communication is essential for a smooth handover. Table Talk, an educational board game, encourages meaningful discussions by challenging players to step into each other’s shoes and consider different perspectives.
The transition of an agricultural business is a complex process, particularly (or perhaps even more so) when it happens within the same family. Discussing it at home can be challenging, as conversations often center on the business side while the emotional aspects—an equally important part of the transition—are often overlooked.
In collaboration with the Animal and Livestock Farming program and the Master’s in Serious Gaming at NHL Stenden, we have developed an educational board game to support young successors in agricultural businesses: Table Talk. This educational board game brings emotions to the surface in a safe and engaging way—right to the table.
ApproachIn our development process, we prioritize defining the goal before selecting the format. While serious games are often associated with digital platforms, a digital game isn’t always the most effective choice. For games designed to spark conversation, a traditional board or card game can often be more impactful. Additionally, the preferences of the target audience play a key role in determining the right approach. Through a series of brainstorming sessions between researchers and students from the Animal and Livestock Farming program at Van Hall Larenstein, an educational board game emerged as the format that generated the most enthusiasm.
“Studenten vertellen dat ze het fijn vinden om op deze manier meer te leren over het onderwerp, maar ook om er met elkaar over in gesprek te gaan. Het spel verlaagt de drempel om ideeën uit te wisselen.”
Docent-onderzoeker
ResultsIn the game Table Talk, players are tasked with managing the business succession of the Beukeboom family. Each player takes on a specific role—whether it’s an in-law eager to have a say or the retiring farmer struggling to adapt to impending changes. Through gameplay, players gain a deeper understanding of their assigned character’s emotions and interests while also considering the perspectives of other family members. Although the board game was originally designed for educational settings, several students expressed interest in playing it at home with their parents—a fantastic bonus!
Johan likes to think along!
Start your project with us. Together with you, your target audience, and all stakeholders, we create a solid foundation for your game or gamification—ensuring a well-informed and effective approach.
People-centered challenges require people-centered solutions. That’s why we apply our own social design methodology across all our projects. Over the past ten years, we have developed and refined this approach into a clear and manageable process. Together with stakeholders, we validate assumptions at key strategic moments, refine solutions, and work toward implementation. At the same time, we prioritize efficiency and a goal-oriented approach. In our social design roadmap, we explain how we put this into practice.
