Spaceship Earth: A Sustainable Manufacturing Game

Developing an educational game about sustainable manufacturing can be an effective way to teach people about the importance of sustainable practices in the manufacturing industry. Through educational sustainable manufacturing games, users can learn about the impact of sustainable manufacturing on the environment, along with strategies and techniques that can be used to reduce waste and methods of sustainable production. A minimal number of articles have focused on board game development for sustainable manufacturing, and of the few, most focused on educational simulation of machines/systems, catering to specific profession. This paper chronicles the creation of “Spaceship Earth,” a sustainable manufacturing board game from game design to testing. It explores the entire process of developing an educational game, from game theory to final testing. The game incorporates various elements such as resource management, decision-making, and problem-solving to simulate the real-world challenges faced by manufacturers when implementing sustainable practices. By examining the design of educational games, this paper aims to gain insight into the constraints of engineering education gamification through development of a board game. The paper demonstrates the potential of educational games as a means of promoting sustainability and provides useful framework for designing and developing similar games in the future.