Flujo de Bolsillo [Pocket Flow]: A Board-game Simulation for Financial Decision-making

Abstract

Financial education remains a major challenge for young people, who often possess basic financial knowledge but struggle to apply it effectively in everyday decision-making situations. This study presents Flujo de bolsillo [Pocket Flow], a board-game-based financial simulation designed to expose players to realistic financial scenarios involving income management, compulsory expenditure, saving decisions, consumption choices and unexpected financial events. The research adopted a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach supported by an embedded mixed-methods evaluation. The prototype was developed and tested across three iterative cycles with 62 participants, including university students and professionals. Data collection combined structured observation, gameplay metrics (including turn duration and rule clarification interruptions), and post-session perception surveys. Findings indicate that participants actively engaged with simulated financial decisions, frequently adapted strategies after financial setbacks, and reflected on spending and saving behaviours. Iterative redesign improved gameplay clarity, flow and usability, particularly through refinements to board structure, instructions and financial tracking tools. The study also found that even participants with prior exposure to finance occasionally experienced difficulty applying foundational concepts during dynamic decision-making tasks, highlighting the value of experiential learning approaches. Overall, findings suggest that low-cost analogue games may provide an accessible and engaging complement to financial education, particularly in higher education and resource-constrained contexts.