Public Transportation Collaboration Board Game

Board game map

Inspiration

Resilient and Inclusive Communities project idea by Front and Centered.

What it does

Creates a fun space in which players can explore the barriers to public transportation and how we can collaborate to overcome these challenges. This project (as a tool for educators) teaches students the struggles of others, letting them step into the shoes of Martha, Rin, Shreya, and Naveen. Public transportation works for some and doesn't work for others; people experience public transportation differently due to different parts of their identity. Shows how highways impact and disrupt communities (striate regions and aren't walkable).

How we built it

We brainstormed ideas about the challenges/barriers of public transportation, created board game prototypes (three full prototypes), play tested (seeing where issues lied and troubleshooted), and finalized our map and game rules.

Challenges we ran into

Turning the plans into a physical game (and making the map reflect/parallel real life)
Making the game both fun and educational
Understanding and incorporating the different limitations/challenges of people navigating the public transportation system
Balancing complexity with playability

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Teamwork and collaboration
Creating a game that values inclusivity over competition (fostering solutions)
Putting lots of time and effort into the planning process (and improving with each iteration)
Making substantial changes with each play through of the games

What we learned

Understanding of the barriers faced in the public transportation system (and how that varies for everyone)
How to make a board game (and how hard it is)
How important teamwork is when making an inclusive, justice-oriented project

What's next for Transit Justice: A Collaborative Board Game

Creating coins/pieces for the stars (team power!) and hazards; deciding most strategic location for the pieces on the board
Creating a more finalized physical board
More testing with community members and disabled folks to see if the game is inclusive