In this series of blog posts, we take one training activity, and convert it into three delivery modalities: Instructor-Led Training (ILT), Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT), and Elearning.
Several learning outcomes lend themselves to a game of Elimination. This fun training activity works well for ILT, VILT, and in Elearning. The elimination game is an engaging way to get participants to define a concept based on a few clues. The first clue for each concept should not easily identify the correct answer. Participants eliminate concepts that do not fit the clues. Once they have eliminated all but one clue, they submit their answer for feedback. The feedback offers an opportunity to correctly define each concept.
Elimination Game: ILT Version
Played in groups, the ILT version of Elimination will bring out the competitive spirit of your participants.
Advanced Prep:
- Create several copies of Elimination cards for participants.
- Prepare slides with Elimination clues.
Presenter Notes:
- Group participants into groups of 3 or 4.
- Distribute Elimination cards to each group.
- Instruct each group to arrange the cards face-up on the table.
- The game is played in rounds. Each round has 4 statements that can be used to eliminate cards.
- Using the PowerPoint deck, show the statements 1 at a time.
- As each statement appears, participants should turn over any cards that could be eliminated, after seeing each statement, until they are left with one card.
- The group who correctly identifies the product first wins the round.
Elimination Game: VILT Version
Similar to the ILT version of Elimination, participants use clues to eliminate options and guess the correct concept or product. Online participants work individually and use the private chat feature to correctly guess the answer to the clue.
Advanced Prep:
- Prepare a slide with Elimination options to be shared during the VILT.
- Prepare Elimination clues to read to participants.
- Turn on “show names of annotators” in your online meeting tool.
- A producer is encouraged to help with this activity.
Presenter Notes:
- Share the slide with the Elimination options.
- Explain that participants are working individually to identify the correct answer.
- The game is played in rounds. Each round has 4 statements that can be used to eliminate options.
- Read each clue. Ask participants to use the annotation tools to eliminate options. Warn them that others may be wrong, so do not guess based on what others have eliminated.
- Participants should send a private chat message to the facilitator when they think they know the correct answer. The participant who identifies the product first, wins the round.
Elimination Game: Elearning Version
In an elearning module, Elimination can be reused to speed up development. In this elearning version, participants click to turn over the concepts that do not fit the clues. Once they have eliminated all but one clue, they submit their answer for feedback.
Design
- Draft 3 to 4 clues for each concept.
- Generate feedback that defines each concept.

The game of Elimination introduces challenges and competition to eliminating answers and finding the right answer while learners think critically about the content. It can be a great activity to use as a review of complex or lengthy content and it is almost always sure to energize your group.
Have you tried incorporating Elimination into your training sessions? We would love to hear about it! Drop us a line and let us know how it went.