Flood Risk Awareness Game (FRAG): Learning to Prepare in Flood Events

Abstract

This study aimed at developing flood awareness and preparedness board game. This game was the first flooding board game in Thailand. To design and develop this flooding board game, numerous steps in methodology were implemented. Firstly, the literature reviews of both research and board games were conducted. Analyzing and synthesizing these documents were carefully done to extract key elements of flood awareness and preparedness board game design and development. Secondly, brainstorming of experts in board game design and development and disasters fields were conducted to gain some ideas and integrated with concepts retrieved from the literature reviews. Thirdly, the first prototype of flood awareness and preparedness board game was launched and tested by the experts in a disaster filed. Next, game modification was done to adjust the game to be more attractive and effective based on experts’ recommendations. Finally, the final version of this board game was prepared and launched for the test run with target groups across the country. This game consisted of 37 spaces including the victory point. Each space was assigned different special characters in which different characteristics of playing cards were applied and needed to be opened to make the flow and the enjoyment of the game. Players received knowledge based on the participation during the gameplay and the mechanics of this board game. To ensure that objectives of this board game development were met, pretest and protest were conducted as part of the gameplay.