The Future of Education

Through both live and online components, SmileUrbo is designed to educate players about the realities of developing countries while simultaneously promoting cooperation and problem solving skills amongst players. Through the reinforcement of these qualities, SmileUrbo aims to create a more efficient work environment for all by promoting teamwork as well as give players a deeper understanding of poverty and its dynamics.

The game is about a rural village that is facing a challenging time, an investor from a developed country arrives to the village with a proposition to buy a piece of land and build a hotel. At this point, the local village board must decide the future of their community. They must make a decision how they will plan to use the village´s budget and land in a way that will ensure the development and success of their community in years to come.

The game consists of eight players, each of whom takes on the role of a different member within the community. Six of the players take on the role of individual board members, who will vote on how to solve problems within the village. The investor and the NGO worker are only able to discuss their ideas with the board.

The objective of the game is to receive both the highest individual score and the highest level of village well being indicators. The five well being indicators of the village being measured are unemployment, cost of living, life expectancy, environment and food sovereignty. These indicators are shown graphically in three levels: red, yellow, and green. In order to win the game, none of the indicators can reach the red level. If in the third round an indicator appears red, all team players lose ten points.

In addition to the game´s interactive participation, an online timer tracks the allotted time devoted to discussions and votes. This online component collects the voting results and calculates the village´s well being indicators, which reflects the positive or negative consequences of the team´s decisions.

SmileUrbo teaches the importance of each individual and their role as a contributing member within a group. Although each player is working to gain the highest individual score, they must also consider how their personal role will affect the success of the village, and compromise accordingly. Though one may gain a high personal score, if they are not considerate of other roles within the community, the village will suffer, and everyone will lose.

The game also improves communication and cooperation in the workplace or educational environment through real world problem solving and team decision-making. The game incorporates all types of people of different skill levels and encourages them to contribute their ideas and solutions in a realistic setting. By teaching the skills needed to work together efficiently through interactive and online components, SmileUrbo aims to create a better and more efficient work environment.