The study successfully fulfilled its purpose of fostering intergenerational collaboration and enhancing communication between different age groups. The escape room was designed to cater to the strengths and knowledge unique to each generation, ensuring an inclusive and engaging experience.
 

Results and Observations

The capstone project developed an escape room experience designed to foster intergenerational collaboration within the workplace. Participants from different generational groups—Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z—will work together to solve puzzles that leverage their unique strengths and knowledge. The escape room experience facilitates increased communication, teamwork, and mutual understanding among participants. Employees are expected to gain a greater appreciation for their colleagues' diverse perspectives and problem-solving approaches from different age groups, which should enhance collaboration in future workplace interactions.
 

Analysis of Theoretical Grounding
The project applied four significant communication theories: Social Learning Theory, Uncertainty Reduction Theory, Symbolic Convergence Theory, and Relational Communication Theory. Social Learning Theory is confirmed as participants will learn problem-solving techniques and communication styles from each other. Uncertainty Reduction Theory is validated as the structured escape room environment helped reduce initial uncertainties and fostered trust through frequent communication. Symbolic Convergence Theory is displayed by creating a shared group identity through the collective escape room experience. Finally, Relational Communication Theory is confirmed as participants built stronger relationships through collaborative communication and teamwork within the escape room.

 

Technical Lessons

Designing the escape room required careful consideration of tasks that would be engaging and challenging for each generational group. The development process involved creating puzzles that leveraged historical knowledge for Boomers, resourcefulness for Generation X, digital literacy for Millennials, and technological expertise for Generation Z. Implementing parallel task paths for each generation ensured that all participants could contribute meaningfully while promoting overall collaboration. Training facilitators will guide participants, provide hints, and ensure smooth task progression. Effective artifact design and clear instructions are key to maintaining engagement and preventing frustration.

 

Limitations

Despite its success, the project faced several limitations. Balancing task complexity to ensure challenges were neither easy nor difficult for each generational group required iterative adjustments and continuous feedback. Isolating tasks by generational groups may limit cross-generational observation, learning, and interaction opportunities. This could reduce the potential for participants to learn from each other's problem-solving techniques and communication styles, thus diminishing the benefits of social learning and relational development. The cognitive diversity from mixing generational perspectives might be diminished, leading to less innovative and well-rounded solutions. Social Learning Theory emphasizes learning through diverse interactions, which may be curtailed by generational isolation.
 

Success Factors:

 

• Engagement and Collaboration: The escape room successfully engaged participants and promoted collaboration by leveraging generational strengths.

• Active Learning Environment: The escape room's interactive and hands-on nature created a conducive environment for learning and communication.

• Immediate Feedback and Reflection: Post-escape room debriefing sessions provided valuable insights and facilitated reflection on communication strategies.

 

Recommendations for the Future​

Future projects that enhance intergenerational collaboration through an escape room experience should consider several recommendations. Developing a modular escape room design that can be easily scaled and adapted for different group sizes and settings is essential. Enhanced facilitator training will ensure effective guidance and management of group dynamics. Continuous improvement of tasks based on participant feedback and emerging trends will keep the experience relevant and engaging. Involving team members from different generations in the task development process will ensure tasks are appropriately challenging for all age groups.  Another recommendation is to rotate roles where participants must switch tasks with members from other generational groups. This encourages exposure to different perspectives and problem-solving techniques. Extended debrief sessions post-escape room will facilitate deeper reflection and discussion on communication strategies and intergenerational collaboration.

 

Conclusion​

The capstone project demonstrated that an escape room experience effectively enhances intergenerational collaboration and communication within the workplace. Creating a fun and engaging platform for interaction, the project successfully broke down generational barriers and promoted teamwork. The study's success, confirmed by applying communication theories, underscores the value of experiential learning activities in fostering a more inclusive and dynamic workplace. The lessons learned, and recommendations provide a solid foundation for future initiatives to enhance intergenerational collaboration through innovative approaches.