The

Paper
Prototyping
Workshop
Toolkit

A toolkit for creative workshops from Biome Collective.

1
Welcome Index
Welcome to the Paper Prototyping Toolkit from Biome Collective! 05 About us
This toolkit is designed to be used in a workshop setting to encourage 06 Introduction to the toolkit
experimentation and to generate playful ideas for games or any other creative 07 Background- why did we make this?
project. We hope it can be useful in creating an accessible and creative learning 08 Who is this for?
experience for you and the people you work with. 09 How to use this toolkit

10 PART 1: PLANNING AND SETUP

12 Overview
13 What you will do
14 Facilitation
16 Preparation for the workshop
18 Where to hold your workshop
20 Materials you will need

22 PART 2: THE WORKSHOP

24 Overview for running the workshop
26 Workshop structure
27 Steps 1-8: Running the workshop
38 Demonstrating a paper prototype game
42 Step 9: Paper prototyping
44 Example paper prototype game: Zombie Burger War
50 Steps 10- 11: Sharing and finishing the workshop
52 Acknowledgements

2 3
 About us
Biome Collective is a creative studio, community and space for people to create,
collaborate and explore new frontiers in games, digital art and technology. We
create world-class interactive and multi-sensory experiences through
experimental and collaborative design. Our unique and accessible games,
interventions and installations span digital, physical and cultural spaces.

This toolkit was written and produced by Malath Abbas & Tom deMajo.
Graphic design, illustration and layout by Tom deMajo.
Proofreading support from Jonny Walker.

4 5
Introduction Background
Paper prototyping is a fun and easy way to come up with new ideas for games Collaborative experimentation is a cornerstone of our game design process,
and playful experiences using simple techniques that require little more than fostering the creation of games and playful media that truly engage audiences.
paper, pens, a little space and a bit of time. Paper prototyping has been a critical tool for us in facilitating this
experimentation.
The process demystifies game design and takes play back to its first principles,
making it suitable for a wide range of people and projects. The materials in this We believe that over-reliance on computers and software may create barriers for
guide will help you prepare and facilitate a paper prototyping game design many aspiring game designers and can often overshadow the fundamental
workshop session for a group of 5-20 people. principles of play and game design we all intuitively understand from childhood.

In addition to ideating games, the toolkit can also be applied to a range of Using simple materials like paper and pen, we are empowered to think
creative challenges and used as a tool for exploring new ideas. creatively, grounding our design process in the tangible. This approach lightens
the group dynamic, making collaboration more enjoyable and significantly
reducing pressure. With these insights, we have successfully hosted engaging,
low-tech workshops focused on universally applicable game design principles.

Initially, our workshops were designed with young adults in mind, aiming to
unlock the creative power of game design in a playful and accessible
environment, bypassing the need for expensive technology. However, we soon
realised that these workshops have a universal appeal and can foster creativity in
individuals of all ages.
.

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Who this is for? How to use this
We have successfully carried out workshops with professionals, students and The toolkit is a general guide that you can use based on your needs and
young people alike. Your audience should not require any prior knowledge of audience requirements. If this process is new to you, we highly recommend you
game design in order to participate. test the toolkit first before leading others through the process.

This tool kit is for anyone who wants to facilitate a workshop that will:
• First read these sections to make sure this is right for you
• Quickly generate a prototype for a range of creative projects • Read the planning guidelines to help prepare for a workshop
• Encourage people to work in collaboration with others
• Get familiar with the workshop content and tools provided
• Test their prototype idea in an enjoyable and low-risk environment
• Have fun and pick and choose different elements to match your needs

8 9
PART 1
PLANNING
AND SETUP

“A lovely quote from someone who hopefully knows

what they are talking about. “

—Their Name—

10 11
Workshop Overview What you will do
The term 'paper prototype' refers to the simplest possible representation of a Paper prototyping is a creative approach that uses simple tools and techniques.
game idea, intended to communicate and demonstrate its core concept. There It may feel unfamiliar for first-time participants, so be ready to encourage them
is no set way to create a paper prototype and it is entirely dependent on context, to try new ways of thinking and doing.
materials and audience. Be open to any interpretation of what a paper prototype
is and encourage creative thinking. The workshop consists of a series of facilitator-led discussions that will result in
short-form responses that are written or drawn on bits of paper such as sticky
The workshop is a general and creative structure that can be adapted and notes. These can then be combined to generate new and interesting game ideas
resized as you see fit. From a single session over a few hours to multiple sessions that can then be prototyped using paper, pen and other materials.
over several days, you can decide what works best for you and your group. We
have provided a minimum timeframe for each step as a general guide for a As a Facilitator, you will be responsible for creating a positive learning
workshop session of 2-3 hours involving 2 facilitators and 10 participants. Key experience for people who may be new to prototyping playful ideas. You will
factors in deciding how long you take are; the number of people in the help navigate creative blocks and, encourage participants to learn by doing.
workshop, the time available to you and the depth you want to reach in
exploring your design ideas. Please adjust as you see fit.

12 13
Facilitation
As a Facilitator, your role is to inspire a positive learning experience, particularly 1. Set the tone for an easy, open and enjoyable experience.
for those inexperienced in prototyping playful concepts. You will guide 2. Try to stay neutral and focus on creating a positive and inclusive
participants through creative hurdles, promoting a 'learn by doing' approach. environment.
Your main goal is to create an environment that is enjoyable, promotes team 3. Group teams together to ensure a diverse range of skills or perspectives are
collaboration and sparks inspiration. Use this toolkit as a basis to support and represented in each group, whilst responding to individual needs.
guide your workshop, but allow for some flexibility as most workshops present 4. Use a prepared agenda to guide the discussions and a timer to make sure
an element of chaos that you cannot plan for. you have enough time to do everything.
5. Pay attention to individual needs and make adjustments based on them.
Be prepared to support yourself and the workshop with additional facilitation 6. If needed, ask people to raise an object or their hands to talk. Remember that
team members if the number of participants calls for it. We recommend a some people might not have anything to add at any given moment and that’s
facilitator for every 5 participants if possible. ok too.
7. Summarise the end of each section where possible to ensure the
Try some of the tips on the following page to help you. documentation is reflective of the group consensus.
8. Be prepared to support yourself and the workshop with additional facilitation
team members.

14 15
Preparation We have facilitated the workshop with a range of participants from children to
professional game designers. Each group will have its own specific needs that
you need to be conscious of and adapt to.
We encourage you to group people with diverse perspectives and different skill
sets into teams to get the most out of the workshop.

Gauge the workshop

It's important to spend an appropriate amount of time preparing for a workshop
based on your audience. Factors such as age or level of expertise could
determine the appropriate length of the workshop session.

Do your research
Research into a design topic or a theme will help make informative and well
considered workshop material. This will help potential questions that come up
and will inspire people to be creative if they have the right materials to work
with.

Quick tips before you begin:

It can be helpful to have a timer and a printout of the workshop timeline at hand.
Arrange the tables and chairs and get the pens and paper ready on each table.

Group Size
The workshop is designed for 5-20 people. During the workshop there will come
A note on Intellectual Property (IP). a time to break larger groups into smaller teams - we recommend 3-5
Ideas generated in workshops are shared openly. However, in certain participants for each small team if possible. If you are working with children or
situations you may need to discuss IP, establish ownership boundaries and young people it can be a good idea to randomly select the teams yourself to
clarify these to encourage participants to express themselves comfortably. prevent existing dynamics from dominating the team.

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 Places to look for

Where to workshop? Public spaces like libraries, corporate locations in your network or co-working
spaces in your area could all be potential spaces to hold your workshop. Don’t
forget you could also hold the gathering outside (weather permitting of course).
It’s always inspiring to be surrounded by nature. Just remember to adapt
materials to the weather - you don’t want your sticky notes or designs blowing
While the workshop is designed for face-to-face interactions with groups of up
away!
to 20, it can also be adapted to work in an online environment. Even though in-
person sessions are preferred, it's reassuring to have the option of a virtual
Online
session if necessary. In both settings, spatial considerations remain the same.
Video conferencing and collaboration tools such as Miro can be a good
alternative if an in person workshop is not possible. Online workshops offer the
Feel good
advantage of allowing collaboration with anyone with internet access,
Look for a space that inspires and can comfortably host the number of
regardless of geographical location.
participants you expect. The environment needs to be conducive to creativity
but also practical in terms of chairs and tables. Make sure there’s room to do
Safe space
group work and tables that you can move around during different activities.
Make sure participants know they are in a safe space to share ideas and
contribute regardless of their background or experience.
The basic setup
Ideally, you want a space that can facilitate groups of people working together.
To do this you need to set clear rules and boundaries. Clearly define the
Look for a space with large tables and room to move around—this tends to work
relationship between participants and facilitators and set a friendly tone. Make it
best for collaboration. Lots of empty wall space is good for putting up visual
clear that facilitators are there to support and can be approached in confidence
cues and sticky notes that everyone can see.
if an issue arises. Encourage people to be patient and listen in order to provide
everyone with an opportunity to contribute.

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Materials list
For Facilitators
• A computer or device to share a presentation deck
• Projector A/V Connectors Wi-Fi Access
• Speakers (for video and music during brainstorming, prototyping and breaks)

Essential materials
• Large format paper (flip chart paper or rolls are cheap)
• Pens/Pencils
• Sharpies
• Sticky Notes

Optional materials
• Scissors
• Tape
• Glue
• Assorted Paper
• Coloured Dot Stickers
• Random objects (for wildcard scenario)

Don’t forget!
• Food! Breakfast/Lunch/Snacks and drinks

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PART 2
THE
WORKSHOP

22 23
Overview
This toolkit presents a generic structure that can be shrunk or expanded as you Roles
see fit. From a single session over a few hours to multiple sessions over several Participants are invited guests to partake in the workshop with little to no prior
days, you need to decide what works best. knowledge of the content.
Facilitators are 1 or more individuals who are able to manage the process and
Key factors in deciding how long you take are, the number of people in the ensure good time keeping, documentation and a clearly articulated set of
workshop, the time available to you and the depth you want to reach in instructions. If the audience is more than 10 it is advisable to have extra
exploring your design ideas. facilitators. A ratio of 1 facilitator for each 5 participants is good where possible.

Process Quick tips before you begin:

The workshop is a series of facilitator led discussions that will result in short It can be helpful to have a timer and a printout of the workshop timeline at hand
form responses that are written or drawn on bits of paper, post it notes etc. Arrange the tables and chairs and get the pens and paper ready on each table.
These can then be combined to generate new and interesting game ideas that
can then be prototyped using paper, pen and other materials.

Timings
We have provided a minimum timeframe for each step as a general guide for a
workshop session of 2-3 hours involving 2 facilitators and 10 participants.. Please
adjust as you see fit.

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 01
Workshop structure Introductions
GROUP DISCUSSION (5-10 MINS)

01 Introductions It's good to give everyone the chance to introduce (or reintroduce) themselves,
02 Ice breakers to cover preferred pronouns and for each participant to get the chance to
03 Discussion time: What is play? express what they want to get out of the workshop session.
04 Organise teams
05 Discussion + group: What makes a game? From a facilitator’s perspective, this is an opportunity to introduce the aims and
06 Discussion + group: What are the elements of a game? objectives of the workshop, go over the schedule and set rules and boundaries
07 Discussion + group: Ideation and combination to ensure the workshop is a safe space and a friendly and creative atmosphere.
08 Demonstration time
09 Group work: Paper prototyping
10 Randomness: an unexpected turn of events!
11 Sharing
12 Wrap up and feedback

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02
Ice-ice breaking
GROUP EXERCISE (5-10 MINS)
Icebreaker example 2: FRUIT LOOP

Form a circle. Participants have to shout a fruit name to the group without
showing their teeth and point to pick the next person to do the same. This
person repeats the first person's fruit and adds another. If anyone forgets the
A great way to begin a workshop is by playing a collective game. sequence or shows their teeth they are out of the circle. Repeat until only one or
two people remain.
Ice breakers are quick and easy ways for everyone to get to know each other,
break down social barriers, lessen anxiety and make things fun. You can make
them up or start with an existing icebreaker and adjust, change the rules and
add variations to the games to make them your own. There are a lot of online
resources to help you pick an ice breaker based on your audience type or size. Icebreaker example 3: ZOMBIE
Here are some examples:
One person begins as an infectious
zombie and must move slowly - zombie

Icebreaker example 1: SAY HELLO style (very important!) - up to any other

participant and “infect” them by

Split participants into pairs to spend a few tagging them. Everyone else has to

minutes getting to know each other. You can move around the space to avoid being

provide each person or team with a random tagged. If tagged, that person then

word as a prompt to focus the conversation on becomes a zombie and tries to infect

a particular theme or provide a random topic, someone else as well. This continues

such as ‘food’, to make it more interesting. until almost everyone has become a

Once everyone has come back to the circle, zombie and there is one last survivor!

each person has 30 seconds to tell the group

about what they learned about their partner.
More ice breaker examples can be found at: https://woodcraft.org.uk/resources/games

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03
So what is a game?
GROUP DISCUSSION (5-15 MINS)

The aim is to ground everyone in the same mental space through an open This is where your curiosity as a facilitator can really benefit the session. Ask
discussion with the entire group about play and games in general. It can be them what their favourite game is. Find out what they have to do in the game.
helpful to remind everyone that whether they see themselves as gamers or not, Get them to really think about what it is that they love about it. Is it that they
they will be familiar with and have enjoyed playing games at some point in their enjoy playing with other people? Or maybe they like solving puzzles? What do
life. they think about [insert current popular game]? Why do they think that?

It is important to broaden the definition of games in this instance to include These questions will help engage the participant’s own curiosity and encourage
board games, card games, playground games and sports. If people are finding it deconstructive thinking.
difficult to think about games they have enjoyed, prompt memories of games
from their youth. Guiding everyone to see the underlying similarities between Hopefully, by the end of this session, everyone will see that there are many ways
games of all kinds will help to break down barriers and will encourage the group to think of and enjoy games or playful experiences.
to bond over familiar experiences.

Note: because this involves the group as a whole it can get

noisy- especially with younger participants! Do your best to be

present and listen to the answers emerging from the group

and respond openly. Be prepared to embrace the chaos.

30 31
04
Organise teams
TEAM EXERCISE (5 MINS)

We move from a large group to smaller teams where we can facilitate more
focused conversations and foster some healthy competition between teams. We
have found that small groups of 3-5 people work well. This size makes for a
friendly and manageable atmosphere within teams that makes it easy for all
voices to be heard and included.

There are advantages and disadvantages to how you select teams. We do not
recommend you let teams self-select as you are likely to end up with uneven
team sizes. Groups who are already familiar with one another can work together
quickly but may bring with them pre-existing dynamics that aren't conducive to
new thinking. Random groups often spark more original and creative ideation
but may need more attention to smooth over social barriers. Encourage each
team to come up with a team name to foster a sense of ownership and
togetherness.

Bonus Activity - If you have extra time, you can ask your teams to design a team
logo. It gives teams the opportunity to be creative together and show off what
makes their group unique!

A simple way to randomly select teams is to divide

the group number into roughly even sized teams.

Say you have 4 teams, then assign the number 1-4

32 in turn to each member of the group. 33

05
What makes a game?
TEAM DISCUSSION (5- 15 MINS)

Now, we will discuss the different elements that make up a game in teams. Here are some example questions that can help provide context for this
discussion:
The aim is to highlight the complex nature of games by identifying a number of
key elements that captivate different people. For instance, the competitive • What elements make a game?
aspect of an online game might enthral one person, while another might be • What makes something a game?
more engrossed by the narrative or characters. This discussion can often result • How does play become a game?
in a big and broad list of answers and its important to steer the group based on • What do you enjoy about your favourite game?
the theme or to make sure certain core elements are covered such as:
Set a time limit for participants to write down as many one word answers as
• Goal/Objective they can on sticky notes and stick them onto the wall. Wrap up by asking each
• Rules team to share a few highlights from their discussion.
• Mechanics
• Story
• Characters
• World

The explicit definition of each word is not as important as where the group
discussion takes it. The term ‘story’ or ‘narrative’ can mean different things to
individuals and that's ok. If you are asked for clarity about a particular meaning
or definition, encourage the group to help define the terms themselves.

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06 07
Elements of a game
TEAM DISCUSSION (APPROX 3 MINS PER ELEMENT)
Combining ideas
TEAM DISCUSSION (5 MINS)

Pick a number of core elements from Step 5 to use as headers. Three or four In teams, participants take a moment to review the sticky notes they created
should be enough. during the previous steps. Each team then randomly selects a certain number of
elements from this pool — for instance, one rule, one mechanic, and one goal.

GOAL MECHANICS After choosing their elements, they will combine them into a single game
concept that they agree to explore further.
RULES
CHARACTERS It is important to note that this is just a starting point. It's fully expected that
WORLD these initial concepts will evolve and develop over the course of the workshop.

STORY
GOAL MECHANICS
CHARACTERS WORLD
Then for each element, ask participants to write down on sticky notes as many
examples that they can think of within a short time limit. Eat all
Dancing
For example, name as many rules from different games you can think of in the the cake You are a A zoo
next 3 mins, or write down as many examples of game mechanics as you can zombie
think of in the next 3 mins. Save the Making
penguins people Giant
Fish happy pizza
Use sticky notes on a wall in a location that is easily accessible to all Find the
participants. Repeat this process for 3 or 4 more core elements in party Fast food collecting Inside a
order to generate enough material for the next step.
characters stuff Big nose
36 37
5-10 MINS

GOAL CHARACTERS
MECHANICS WORLD

Save the Maria the

prince plumber Running Whacky

Complete Cartoony
the level Pumba the
pumba Jumping

38 39
Demo: a game!
1. Maria has to run and jump through levels in a
whacky cartoony world to save the Prince.
2. In her way are Pumbas- if Maria touches a Pumba
she will lose a life and start the level again.
3. Maria can collect bubble coins to get extra points.
Some bubble coins are hard to reach!
4. Maria completes a level when she reaches the flag.

Presenting each element separately by cutting them out of paper or

drawing them onto individual sticky notes makes it easy to introduce

each element, and for you to move and interact with them.
40 41
09
Paper prototyping
30-60 MINS

Now you have all the pieces you need for the main focus of the workshop. Energy levels are important to monitor as participants might be struggling,
confused, or simply tired. The key to success is maintaining momentum, so be
The goal is to use arts and crafts materials to quickly create a paper prototype of prepared to chat with anyone who needs some support one-on-one. Take time to
the game idea that can be iterated and shared with the wider group. listen and offer advice when necessary. You can also take action if necessary by
taking a break or altering the pace.
This step can be broken down into mini steps in order to help anyone struggling.
For example, you can ask them to focus on picking a story for the game or ask
half the team to work on the mechanic ideation while the other half work on the
visual designs.

Facilitators should visit each team and check on progress, remind them of time
remaining, and assign tasks to anyone who is struggling. Participants having fun
and getting messy with the materials is a great sign that things are progressing
well!

Dedicate the majority of the workshop time towards this

practical aspect of the workshop to provide ample

opportunity for creative expression.

42 43
Example: Zombie
Burger War!
This is an example paper prototype (illustrated on the next page): Using pen and paper, sticky notes and cutting out images, the group made the
Zombie Burger War! A group collected the following sticky notes to combine game you can see on the next page where you play a dragon trying to survive a
and make their game: zombie apocalypse. Its wings were damaged by a helicopter so it cant fly and it
has to climb around New York to collect the fast food left behind.
Goal: Eat all the food
Characters: Zombies and a Dragon Burgers arrive when an armoured delivery car drives past throwing burgers into
Mechanic: Climbing the city. The zombies steal the fast food and want to eat the dragon too so you
World: City of New York have to be fast.

With the sticky notes decided, they used a big piece of paper to put them If you eat enough burgers you can poop goop onto the zombies to stop them
together and come up with a game. They decided to call their team Dragon but it can also destroy the fast food delivery car!
Goop (presumably inspired by one of the character notes…) and even made a
logo. The group talked about what the game would be about and then worked Who wouldn’t want to play that?
out who was going to do what- drawing characters, backgrounds, coming up
with the game name, inventing a story, etc..

44 45
 ZOMBIE BURGER WAR
by team dragon goop

ZOMBIES

EAT ALL
THE FOOD DRAGONS CLIMBING NEW YORK

46 47
09.2
Bonus: Wildcards
3- 5 MINS

Incorporating a wildcard element into the workshop adds spontaneity,

freshness, and fun. This can be a selection of random words or physical objects
to stimulate discussion and idea formation. This surprise element, while
optional, can be introduced anytime after the initial brainstorming. For instance,
you might place a small prop, like a toy, on each table and ask participants to
incorporate it into their idea.

48 49
10 11
Sharing
5 MINS PER TEAM
Feedback
Now it's time for each team to present their paper prototypes while fielding It’s good to end with an open conversation to discuss how the participants
questions from other participants. Ask the group to nominate one or two found the workshop. Honest feedback helps to improve future sessions. Where
members to present their team idea to the wider group. Before asking for possible you can ask participants to stand in a circle in order to share their
questions from the wider group start by sharing positive feedback and questions thoughts and feedback on the session.
to set the tone. This fun wrap-up can transition into a feedback session, which
helps us learn and refine future workshops. Use this moment to celebrate the game concepts created and encourage
participants to have a closer look at each of the paper prototypes. Once you’re
done make sure you thank everyone and say goodbye.

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Acknowledgements
We hope you enjoyed this toolkit and find it helpful in facilitating your own
workshops, wether for games or any other creative and collaborative enterprise.

Feel free to contact us at info@biomecollective.com for consultation, workshop

facilitation or collaboration.

Thanks to InGame for the collaboration and the support in creating this toolkit.
InGAME (Grant Reference AH/S002871/1) is funded by the Creative Industries
Clusters Programme, managed by the Arts & Humanities Research Council as
part of the Industrial Strategy, with additional funding from the Scottish Funding
Council.

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 The Paper Prototyping

Workshop Toolkit

copyright Biome Collective 2023

Visit us at: www.biomecollective.com

Contact at: info@biomecollective.com

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