In this episode, Phylise Banner talks to Ben Harkins, owner of Floodgate Games, to explore the intersection of tabletop games and collaborative learning. As a game designer, Harkins shares his journey from creating educational games for school projects to launching successful titles on Kickstarter. The conversation delves deep into how game design principles mirror learning design, examining concepts like strategic depth, victory conditions, and user interface considerations.

Together, they explore the unique advantages of physical tabletop games over digital experiences, the importance of clear rule structures, and the role of play in creating engaging learning environments. The discussion offers valuable insights for learning designers, educators, and anyone interested in using games as educational tools, highlighting how the "magic circle" of gameplay can create powerful learning experiences through collaborative problem-solving and strategic thinking.

ABOUT BEN HARKINS

Ben Harkins is the founder and owner of Floodgate Games, a tabletop game publisher known for creating immersive gaming experiences. With a background in software engineering and team leadership at Aon/Modern Survey, Harkins combines his technical expertise with creative game design to develop innovative tabletop games. His company's most successful titles include Sagrada, a dice-drafting game about crafting stained-glass windows, and Fog of Love, which reimagines romantic comedies as a board game experience.

At Floodgate Games, Harkins oversees all aspects of game development, from initial design and art direction to manufacturing and distribution. His approach emphasizes creating games that foster meaningful social interactions and deliver lasting experiences for players.

Prior to founding Floodgate Games, Harkins led engineering teams at Aon/Modern Survey, where he developed HR analytics and administration solutions, focusing on data modeling, software architecture, and data visualization. This technical foundation informs his current work in game design, where he applies principles of user experience and system design to create engaging tabletop experiences.

The Innovations in Training podcast is presented by Training magazine.

In this episode, Phylise Banner interviews Ethan Webb, co-founder and CEO of Mindsmith, an innovative AI-powered elearning authoring tool. Ethan shares the origin story of Mindsmith, which emerged from his co-founder's experience transitioning in-person English classes to online learning during 2020. The conversation explores how Mindsmith is disrupting the traditional elearning authoring space by incorporating AI to streamline content creation while maintaining quality. Ethan discusses the importance of allowing teams to experiment with AI technology, Mindsmith's approach to handling bias and accessibility, and their innovative cloud-based SCORM solution that enables dynamic content updates. We conclude with Ethan's vision for the future of AI in learning and development, emphasizing how L&D professionals can adapt and thrive by embracing AI as a strategic tool rather than viewing it as a threat to their roles.

ABOUT ETHAN WEBB

Ethan Webb is a co-founder and the CEO of Mindsmith, an AI-native eLearning authoring tool. He started Mindsmith in college. He lives with his wife and son in Utah. He loves "outdoorsy" stuff like rock climbing, backpacking, canoeing, and anything fun in the beautiful Rocky mountains.

The Innovations in Training podcast is presented by Training magazine.

In this episode, Hector Valle interviews Josh Cavalier, founder of JoshCavalier.ai and a 30-year veteran in learning and development. Josh shares his journey with generative AI since its early days, from experimenting with ChatGPT in late 2022 to developing comprehensive AI training programs. The conversation explores how AI is transforming learning and development, with Josh highlighting the shift towards AI-powered content creation, automated workflows, and the future role of L&D professionals as learning journey orchestrators.

Josh provides fascinating insights into how organizations are measuring AI productivity gains and improving accessibility through AI tools. The discussion concludes with a compelling vision of how AI agents could revolutionize instructional design, while emphasizing the continued importance of human oversight in learning and development.

ABOUT JOSH CAVALIER
Josh Cavalier has been creating learning solutions for corporations, government agencies, and secondary education institutions for nearly 30 years. He is an expert in the field of learning & development and has applied his industry experience to the application of ChatGPT and other Generative AI frameworks for business and life skills. Josh is passionate about sharing his knowledge and has a popular YouTube channel that shares tips and tricks on Generative AI.

The Innovations in Training podcast is sponsored by Symtrain — an AI-training platform that automates time consuming role-play exercises required to prepare your employees for interactions with customers. Symtrain helps teams learn more, faster by creating an immersive CX training experience.

The Innovations in Training podcast is presented by Training magazine.