Dr Ying Wu presents

Learning Lab

Free games, simulations and toolkits on marketing, strategy, sustainability and employability, for lecturers, trainers, workshop leaders and professionals. I design and build them independently, test them with real learners, and share them for anyone to use and adapt, with credit.

5 games3 simulations 2 toolkits8 guides1 live brief board 0 logins needed
Explore the games ↓ For teachers
The library

Games and tools

Each one turns a lecture idea into decisions students make: in teams on the classroom screen, on their own in their own time, or on a real problem from a real organisation.

001 · Search marketing

Ad Auction Live

Four teams bid for the top Google ad on "trainers sale". The biggest wallet rarely wins. New: play solo against three computer shops.

Live in class or solo10 min4 teams or just you
Play in classPlay soloGuide
002 · Strategy and innovation

Bank the Unbanked

Teams build a solution for people without a bank account, survive a reality check and pitch in 30 seconds. New: a solo version with a pitch builder.

Live in class or solo15 min2 to 8 teams or just you
Play in classPlay soloGuide
003 · Sustainability marketing

Greenwash Detective

Crack 12 case files on green claims: spot the greenwash, name the sin, sort the emissions scope and fix the claim.

Self-paced5 to 8 minPhone or laptop
PlayGuide
New
004 · Digital marketing simulation

Shoestring Campaign

Run a small charity's campaign on a tiny budget: split it across five channels, pick a green claim and survive the twist. Play in class, or solo against three rival agencies.

SimulationIn class or solo15 min
Play in classPlay soloGuide
New
005 · Doctoral research

The Viva Room

Rehearse your doctoral viva with two examiners, timed answers and follow-up questions, then get a debrief on what to practise next.

Self-paced20 to 40 minDBA · EdD · PhD
EnterGuide
New
006 · Employability

The Interview Room

Rehearse a job interview with two interviewers. Speak your answers, get instant feedback with a STAR check, then a debrief on what to practise next.

Self-paced20 to 40 minPlacement · Graduate · MBA
EnterGuide
New
007 · Search marketing

Rank Rescue

Four coffee roasters fight for page one with on-page, off-page and technical SEO. Then a Google core update sorts the shortcuts from the real work.

Live in class or solo15 min4 teams or just you
Play in classPlay soloGuide
New
008 · Campaign planning

Campaign ER

A charity's sustainability campaign plan is flatlining. Teams treat eight symptoms through SOSTAC, from SMART objectives to a £1,000 budget, then face a green claims emergency.

Live in class or solo15 min4 teams or just you
Play in classPlay soloGuide
Collect them all

Your badges

Play the games to earn stickers, then share them on LinkedIn or with your class. Saved only on this device: no account, no login, nothing sent anywhere.

Student voice

Lab results

What students say after playing. Their words, never rewritten: every Mentimeter answer from Ad Auction Live, and a Biz-a-thon student on Bank the Unbanked.

Observation log · Search Marketing7 Oct 2026 · Ad Auction Live

I loveeeeee the lecturer, good class, bubbling spirit and engaging

Search Marketing student
Anonymous Mentimeter response
  • Wonderful! Very engaging
  • So fun!
  • Very lively
  • It was so interesting
  • Everything it’s wonderful ❤️
  • I need trophyRequest logged. Brewing.
  • Really nice having you here today. Thank you.
  • Interesting×2
  • Cool
  • Nice!
12 responses12 shown0 editedAnonymous, via Mentimeter

Bank the Unbanked

We played it before teams pitched at the NCR Atleos Biz-a-thon. Afterwards, I asked one student whether it helped.

Observation log · Biz-a-thonOct 2026 · Bank the Unbanked

People don’t trust banks. And you’d be like, how to improve their trust, and it can be used in the project as well.

Undergraduate student
Biz-a-thon participant
  • Before the presentation, it helped me because it was relevant to the topic
  • And it’s real life examples
  • Honestly, I think it’s brilliant
  • It’s amazing that you can put as many people as you can, like the teams
  • So it is helpful
1 student6 lines shown0 rewordedFillers trimmed · spoken feedbackShared with permission
On the shelf

On the shelf

New experiments go up here as I build them. Pop back, or follow me to hear when the next one is out.

Ready

Toolkits

Now on the shelf: the Strategy Toolkit. Eleven established tools in easy, medium and complex levels, with examples, templates and references.

Open the toolkit →
Ready

Live Briefs

Real problems, case studies, guest talks and feedback panels from small businesses and community organisations, for classes, challenge days and portfolios. Career-ready posts are brewing too.

See the briefs →
Brewing

Subject bites

Quick, shareable explainers on search, AI and digital marketing, with the latest data and sources.

For teachers

Use it in your class

Everything here runs in a browser. No sign-ups, no apps, no student data collected.

Open

Load the game on the classroom screen. It works offline once loaded.

Team up

Split the room into teams. Paper and pens are all they need.

Play

Type in their choices and let the reveal do the teaching.

Debrief

Use the built-in questions to link the game back to theory.

Teacher's guide · 001Ad Auction LiveAuction rules, worked answers, round-by-round plan, fixes.Open the guide → Teacher's guide · 002Bank the UnbankedScoring, card market, reality checks, step-by-step plan, timings.Open the guide → Teacher's guide · 003Greenwash DetectiveFour frameworks, answer key, a 20-minute class plan, debrief questions.Open the guide → Teacher's guide · 004Shoestring CampaignScoring model, worked answers, month-by-month plan, solo mode.Open the guide → Supervisor's guide · 005The Viva RoomQuestion bank, checklists, a 60-minute mock viva workshop.Open the guide → Teacher's guide · 006The Interview RoomQuestion bank, the STAR check, a 60-minute mock interview workshop.Open the guide → Teacher's guide · 007Rank RescueScoring model, worked answers, a 15-minute class plan, debrief answers.Open the guide → Teacher's guide · 008Campaign ERAnswer key, scoring, a 15-minute class plan, links to assessment practice.Open the guide → Toolkit · 001Strategy ToolkitEleven established tools with steps, examples and references.Open the toolkit →
Used a game?

Tell me how it went

One minute, six quick questions. It shows me where the games make a difference and how to improve them.

Quick feedback

4. How useful was it for your teaching?
1 not useful · 5 very useful
5. Compared with your usual session, students were…

I use these answers only to improve the Lab, count where it is used and reply if you leave an email. To have yours removed, get in touch.
Dr Ying Wu
Behind the Lab

Made by Dr Ying Wu

I design and build these games independently, in my own time, test them with students in real classes, and write about what happens on my website. My day job is Director of MBA and DBA Programmes at the University of Dundee School of Business.

On the blogSee the games in a real classHow Bank the Unbanked and Ad Auction Live went at the NCR Atleos Biz-a-thon.Read the post → ResearchThe thinking behind themIndustry-integrated learning, gamified assessment and AI in business education.Explore my research → By emailHear about new gamesGet new games and teaching posts straight to your inbox. Free, unsubscribe any time.Subscribe →

Want a game for your module?

If you use something from the Lab, I'd love to hear how it went. And if you'd like a session, or a game built for your topic, let's talk.

Get in touch →