HeroClix®: A Multiplayer Chess Game for Teaching the Fundamentals of Human Capital Management

This article describes the adaptation and use of the HeroClix® board game to teach critical real-world principles for effective human capital management within teams. In a HeroClix® game, players pit their team of miniature figurines against other players’ miniatures in combat. This is akin to organizations striving in the business environment today, with well-structured human capital within their teams as a key competitive advantage. In this article, we suggest how the game can be applied in the classroom for undergraduate students to experience, reflect on, and learn more about the prerequisite considerations in proficient people management, the dynamic nature of human capital, and the strategic considerations involved in human capital optimization amid volatility. The HeroClix® game is straightforward to set up, easy to expand for large class sizes, and engages students in experiential learning effectively.