The quality of an organization’s conversations shapes its decisions, culture, and leadership. Yet many teams face questions that don’t have simple answers. Complex issues require space to explore perspectives, surface assumptions, and think together.

Metaphoria brings together two powerful ideas:

1. Metaphor – the way humans make sense of complex ideas

2. Play – a state that encourages curiosity, openness, and creativity

When combined, they create a space for conversations that are thoughtful, reflective, and often surprisingly insightful.  

Metaphoria helps teams:

• Engage complex questions

• Strengthen listening and understanding

• Explore multiple perspectives

• Build shared meaning across differences

Play lowers defensiveness. Metaphor opens perspective. Dialogue deepens understanding. The playful structure translates from formal workplaces to informal discussions with community groups, friends, and family without the pressure of debating or winning.

Metaphoria™ is informed by academic research on metaphor, play, and organizational communication. These ideas draw from fields including cognitive linguistics, organizational studies, and play.

Research shows that:

• Metaphor shapes how humans understand complex ideas

• Play encourages curiosity, openness, and creative thinking

• Shared language supports deeper dialogue and collaboration

Metaphoria brings these ideas into practice through structured gameplay designed to help teams explore complex questions together.

Research conducted through Thresa Nasi’s graduate work in the University of Texas at Austin’s Human Dimensions of Organizations program explored the role of metaphor and play in organizational dialogue.

→ View the Capstone Research

Metaphoria is designed for small groups of 4–6 players. Each round centers on a shared topic—often complex or abstract—that can be understood in many different ways.

Players respond using metaphor cards, explain their reasoning, and reflect together. Leadership rotates each round, giving every participant the opportunity to guide and contribute.

The game can be customized by selecting topics relevant to your group or organization. Some groups choose thought-provoking topics about leadership and culture while others choose to explore topics like success, happiness, or grief.

What’s in the box:

• 85 Topic Cards

• 85 Metaphor Cards

• Play Instructions

→ Buy Metaphoria

Metaphoria works across ages, industries, and settings. It is designed for people of all backgrounds and cultures who interact in groups and are curious about creative, tangible ways to better understand others and express their own perspectives clearly.

Common uses include:

• Team retreats

• Strategic planning warm-ups

• Leadership development

• Coaching and therapy

• Classrooms

• Volunteer groups

• Book Clubs or other social gatherings

• Family or dinner-table conversations

The game invites cross-generational dialogue, fosters cultural awareness, and helps players notice how metaphor shapes how we think and communicate.

How to play Metaphoria:

1. A player reveals a Topic Card and places it in the center.

2. Each participant selects a Metaphor Card that represents what the topic means to them.

3. Players share why they chose their metaphor.

4. The round leader selects the metaphor that resonates most, and leadership rotates.

The structure is simple, but the conversation is deep. Rounds often lead to moments of insight, humor, and unexpected connections between and among players. Metaphoria creates space to explore multiple perspectives at once.

 For organizations navigating complexity, transition, or growth, Metaphoria can be delivered as a guided team experience. Facilitated workshops combine research on metaphor, play, and psychological safety with structured gameplay to support deeper dialogue and shared understanding.

Workshops typically include a brief introduction to the research behind metaphor and play followed by guided small-group gameplay (4–6 participants) with structured reflection connecting insights to real team dynamics.

Ideal length: 1–1.5 hours, expandable to half-day sessions depending on group size and goals.

A Train the Trainer program is coming soon for organizations interested in using Metaphoria internally.

→ Learn More About Workshops

Metaphoria can be used independently to spark meaningful conversations within teams, classrooms, and small groups. It is especially well suited for people who have already experienced the game and want to continue using it within their own groups and conversations.

→ Buy the Game