Road to Graduation

Gibson Ek High School · 8-Week Design Lab

Road to Graduation: A Gibson Ek Board Game Design Lab

Use the design thinking process to invent, prototype, and playtest a board game where every Gibson Ek student's goal is to reach graduation.

Welcome to the Design Lab

Designing A Board Game

For ten years, Gibson Ek students have designed real projects, learned by doing, and shared their work with the school community. Over the next eight weeks, this lab puts that same spirit to work: you will study how board games are built, interview people across our school, and design a game that captures what the road to graduation really looks like.

The path, week by week

  1. 1

    Empathize

    Analyzing Board Games

    Week 1 (11/2 - 11/6/2026)

    Work in small groups to play a published board game and break down its physical and structural pieces with the two-part Analyzing Board Games worksheet.

    • Part One — How It's Built: Look closely at the game's components, goal, turns, and mechanics.
    • Part Two — How It Plays: Examine choices, chance, theme, and rules — and what makes the game fun or frustrating.

    Interview classmates and advisors about the real Gibson Ek journey to graduation.

    Worksheet Part 1: Analyzing Board Games →
    Open Part OneOpen Part Two
  2. 2

    Empathize + Define

    Identifying GEHS Systems and Culture

    Week 2 (11/9 - 11/13/2026)

    Break down the areas, systems, and concepts inside Gibson Ek's culture — advisory, projects, internships, exhibitions — and decide which ones become your game. End with a one-sentence pitch.

    Open the culture map
  3. 3

    Ideate

    Mechanics & Theme

    Week 3 (11/16 - 11/20/2026)

    Brainstorm mechanics (movement, cards, resources) that mirror projects, internships, and exhibitions. Choose the core loop of a turn.

    Open the worksheetOpen the class decision sheet
  4. 4

    Prototype

    Paper Prototype

    Week 4 (11/23 - 11/27/2026)

    Start with a rough, playable version. See simple board-path sketches, everyday supplies, and ways to make your first turn work before adding details.

    Explore prototype ideas
  5. 5

    Test

    First Playtest

    Week 5 (11/30 - 12/4/2026)

    Play your own game, then have another team play it while you only watch and take notes. Don't explain; observe.

  6. 6

    Iterate

    Balance & Fix

    Week 6 (12/7 - 12/11/2026)

    Fix confusing rules, long waits, and runaway leaders. Tune the balance of luck and strategy. Playtest again.

  7. 7

    Refine

    Art & Components

    Week 7 (12/14 - 12/18/2026)

    Design the final board, cards, and pieces so the theme is clear. Polish the rulebook and add a quick-start guide.

  8. 8

    Share

    Exhibition

    Week 8 (12/21 - 12/25/2026)

    Host a game fair: guests play, give feedback, and you present your design process and what you'd change next.

Student reference

Need help with a game design idea?

Look up components, mechanics, goals, turns, prototyping, playtesting, and key vocabulary at any point in the lab.

Open the Design Guide