---
title: CLA Game
description: A participatory futures methodology for transformative scenario exploration
doc_version: '1.0'
last_updated: 10-Sep-25
canonical_url: https://garden.johanneskleske.com/cla-game
---

*A participatory futures methodology for transformative scenario exploration*

---

## Overview

The **CLA-Game** is a participatory futures method based on [[Sohail Inayatullah]]’s [[Causal Layered Analysis (CLA)]] framework. It uses role-playing and layered analysis to deconstruct and reconstruct complex issues, enabling groups to explore alternative futures by examining surface-level problems, systemic structures, cultural worldviews, and underlying myths[^1][^2][^6]. Below is a breakdown of its structure and gameplay:

## Core Structure: The Four CLA Layers

The game operates across four interconnected levels:

1. **Litany**: Surface-level facts, headlines, or immediate perceptions of an issue (e.g., "Unemployment is rising").
2. **Systemic Causes**: Structural drivers like policies, economic systems, or institutional practices.
3. **Worldviews/Stakeholder Perspectives**: Cultural, ideological, or stakeholder beliefs shaping the issue.
4. **Myths/Metaphors**: Deep narratives, symbols, or unconscious stories underpinning societal assumptions[^1][^2][^13].

## How to Play the CLA-Game

### Phase 1: Setup

1. **Group Formation**: Divide participants into four teams, each assigned to one CLA layer.
2. **Scenario/Topic Selection**: Choose a focal issue (e.g., "Future of energy systems") or use predefined scenarios (e.g., "Radical Startups" or "Green DIY Engineers")[^6][^11].

### Phase 2: Layered Analysis

- **Litany Group**: Create a "front-page news headline" reflecting the surface reality of the issue (e.g., "Solar Power Overtakes Fossil Fuels by 2050")[^6][^11].
- **Systemic Group**: Identify structural causes using tools like **PESTEC analysis** (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Ecological, Cultural)[^6][^7].
- **Worldview Group**: Role-play stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, activists) to articulate competing ideologies and alliances/enemies[^4][^11].
- **Myth/Metaphor Group**: Uncover foundational stories or symbols (e.g., "Energy as a communal right" vs. "Energy as a commodity")[^10][^13].

### Phase 3: Interaction and Reconstruction

- Groups present their layer’s findings, then **rotate perspectives** to critique or expand other layers.
- Participants collaboratively design **alternative futures** by reimagining myths, revising systems, and creating new headlines[^10][^11].

### Phase 4: Debrief and Strategy

- Identify **leverage points** for transformative change (e.g., shifting metaphors from "growth" to "regeneration").
- Develop actionable strategies aligned with reconstructed scenarios[^6][^10].

## Key Mechanics

- **Role-Playing**: Participants embody stakeholders or "mythic archetypes" to challenge assumptions[^4][^11].
- **Iceberg Worksheets**: Visual tools map issues from litany (tip) to myths (base)[^10].
- **Iterative Refinement**: Continuous feedback between layers ensures holistic insights[^6][^13].

### Example Application

In a **Neo-Carbon Energy workshop**, players deconstructed scenarios like "Value-Driven Techemoths" by:

1. Litany: Crafting news headlines about decentralized energy grids.
2. Systemic: Analyzing policies enabling peer-to-peer energy trading.
3. Worldview: Debating roles of corporations vs. communities.
4. Myth: Replacing "energy scarcity" with "abundance through solidarity"[^6][^7][^11].

## Conclusion

The CLA-Game fosters **collaborative foresight** by merging analytical rigor with creative storytelling, making it a powerful tool for addressing "wicked problems" like climate change or societal equity.[^10][^13] By systematically moving through the four layers of analysis while incorporating participatory elements, the game creates transformative spaces where participants can discover new possibilities for understanding and action.

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## References

[^1]: [Inayatullah, S. "Causal layered analysis - theory, historical context, and case studies" - Intro chapter from The CLA Reader](http://metafuture.org/cla%20papers/Inayatullah%20Causal%20layered%20analysis%20-%20theory,%20historical%20context,%20and%20case%20studies.%20Intro%20chapter%20from%20The%20CLA%20Reader..pdf)
[^2]: [Sohail Inayatullah - CLA Presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImWDmFPfifI)
[^4]: ["My son deals in hamburgers and other futures" - Causal Layered Analysis in Rio de Janeiro](https://jfsdigital.org/2020/02/26/my-son-deals-in-hamburgers-and-other-futures-causal-layered-analysis-in-rio-de-janeiro/)
[^6]: [Testing transformative energy scenarios through causal layered analysis gaming](http://www.metafuture.org/cla%20papers/TransformativeEnergyScenariosCLAGaming.pdf)
[^7]: [Testing transformative energy scenarios through causal layered analysis gaming - University of Turku](https://www.utupub.fi/handle/10024/165623)
[^10]: [CLA Game Tool - UN Global Pulse Intergenerational Equity](https://foresight.unglobalpulse.net/intergenerational-equity/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/Tool3.pdf)
[^11]: [CLA Game 2020 - Teaching the Future](https://library.teachthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CLA-Game-2020.pdf)
[^13]: [Inayatullah, S. "Causal layered analysis - Deepening the Future"](https://www.metafuture.org/cla%20papers/Inayatullah%20Causal%20layered%20analysis%20-%20Deepening%20the%20Future.pdf)

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