SBIR Phase I: Far-Plane: Beyond Boundaries

This SBIR Phase I project proposes to adapt a proven research-based leadership model to a youth audience and merges it with an online interactive game environment to teach leadership to high school students. The empirically tested model developed by a global leader in corporate, military, and education training uses three basic strategies and six practices to expand perspectives and collaborative problem-solving. The result will be a highly effective leadership program that engages 21st-century learners and provides them with the skills to build respect across boundaries, resolve conflict, and achieve transformation. Far-Plane: Beyond Boundaries is a single-player online action-adventure, narrative-based game where the player becomes the game's hero. Video lessons within game metaphor introduce players to the leadership model; fast-paced mini-games assess understanding; and role-playing games challenge the player's ability to apply skills in context. The experience culminates in a facilitator-led synchronous debriefing exercise in which students work collaboratively with peers in other locations to apply what they have learned in-game to real-world discussions. An administrative dashboard provides real-time performance data. The game is scalable, accessible, and designed for repeat playability. The Phase I prototype will be tested as a global collaboration exercise with high schoolers in the U.S. and China. The broader/commercialization impact of Far-Plane: Beyond Boundaries lies in the unique adaptation of a proven research-based leadership model into a single-player online adventure role-playing game for high schoolers. The leadership model has been successfully tested with corporate, military, and education leaders globally. There are currently no comparable leadership programs for youth in the market that link a highly engaging asynchronous online video game learning experience with a facilitator-led synchronous debriefing exercise. This innovative design structure makes it possible to bring young people together from around the globe, a unique opportunity to expand perspectives and collaborative problem solving around a shared learning experience. Far-Plane's s scalable online design is conducive to distribution through multiple channels and to competitive pricing structures, and the program will be accessible on both Web and mobile platforms. The product will be marketed to youth organizations and schools across the globe through the non-profit leadership organization's large distribution center for programs and products and its extensive network of affiliates. Far-Plane has the potential to serve large national and international audiences very quickly. A strong revenue stream is projected from product sales.