Do you want to go beyond small talk with colleagues, friends, family, or strangers? This is your game to truly connect with people. Imagine a red car, I'll do the same. Now describe it to me. No red car would ever be the same. No thought, or story ever is. We listen. We might smile. We nod. But, do we really understand each other? The human mind predicts and assumes to make sense of the world, and to understand people. There's often more to discover than we assume to know. The Empathy Game connects the dots. It engages people to share, listen, and engage with stories beyond their own frame of reference. There's more to discover and learn. Let's play. EXAMPLE QUESTIONS Memory How different was your life one year ago? What is special about the place you grew up in? Who is I? What do you admire/value in others? What is the best day on the calendar? Imagine If you could invent anything, what would it be? If someone could give you the answer to any unresolved question, what would you ask? . the game forges deep connections, and help people go beyond the usual small talk . facilitates the exploration of each other's memories, assumptions, and imagination through playfully engaging with each other's stories, and sensory experiences

Saskia H. Herrmann is a Service Designer at Saftladen Studio. She is also a Researcher & Partnerships at Inclusion Lab Amsterdam.