HiQ digitalize a collaborative game to address the sanitation crisis

HiQ is digitalizing a board game, RECLAIM, that captures the challenges in the sanitation service chain and inspires players to build more sustainable systems. A digital version of the game enables the project to reach a larger target group and the game to be played online.

“We are so proud to be working on this project with SLU and all other partners. The world is facing big challenges when it comes to sanitation and sanitation planning is something that can change the lives of a lot of people. The game we have digitized, RECLAIM, especially explores technical and societal readiness of alternative Nutrient-recovery Systems. The results will assess the potential of alternative nutritional recovery systems in Uganda municipalities, to provide benefits to public health and the environment. This knowledge will expand the arsenal of solutions to address the sanitation crisis,” says Jenny Svensson Borg, Project Manager at HiQ.

Poor sanitation has major negative impact on the lives of millions of people around the world, including disease and pollution of waterways. The SPANS project (Sanitation Planning for Alternative Nutrient-recovery Systems) focuses on alternative sanitation systems that can recycle nutrients in Uganda. In Uganda only 29% of the urban population have access to a good toilet. Together with Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (SLU), HiQ has as mission to analyze what could be done digitally within the framework of the research project.

As part of the project HiQ digitalize the existing physical board game, RECLAIM, as a way of informing decision-makers in sanitation planning. The game captures the challenges in the sanitation service chain and inspires players to build more sustainable systems in a collaborative manner. It helps players explore new structures for managing human waste, both in physical infrastructure and in management organizations, thus improving knowledge related to adaptation and innovation in sanitation planning. The digitalized board game is developed as an online tool to bring more players together in the planning process.

The analog version was tested with decision-makers and university students in Uganda and Sweden, and participants have found the game both fun and useful for discussing challenges in sanitation planning. Using the platform Foundry, HiQ has developed a digital version of the physical board game so that the project can reach a larger target group and be played online. Since the game is incredibly complex, the initial idea was to digitize only certain parts, but thanks to HiQ's game developers it was possible to digitize the entire game.

"I am looking forward to using the digital game within the training sessions that we will do on sanitation planning this coming year. Having the game both as a physical and digital tool opens up for more possibilities in participatory planning processes," says Jennifer McConville, Project leader at SLU.

This project is a collaboration between researcher Jennifer McConville from SLU and Charles Niwagaba from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. The project group also consists of Visual Arena in Gothenburg, documentary filmmaker Görki Glaser-Muller, Professor Monica Biller from Chalmers University, Professor Jaan-Henrik Kain from Gothenburg University and HiQ.

For more information or to become a client, please contact:
Jenny Svensson Borg, Project Manager at HiQ
Phone: +46 72-310 81 16
Email: jenny.svensson.borg@hiq.se