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META... what?

We are a young, diverse team in a mature (though not yet fully grown 😉) start-up. We develop, produce and distribute educational games and interactive tasks – our "tools". They are used worldwide, wherever people learn with and from each other.

METALOG was founded in 2002 by Tobias, Daniela and Erwin Voss – based on one key insight from years of training practice: the deepest "aha" moments are always linked to emotions and real experiences.

We are a young and diverse team in a mature (though not yet fully grown 😉) start-up. We develop, produce and distribute a wide range of educational games and interactive tasks, which we refer to as ‘tools’ or ‘learning projects’. METALOG training tools are used worldwide in schools, companies, churches, practices, government agencies, youth groups, kindergartens and anywhere else where people learn with and from each other.
Our company was founded in 2002 by Tobias, Daniela and Erwin Voss, based on their years of training experience. The key factor in the design of our products and workshops was and still is the realisation that the deepest and most lasting learning experiences and ‘aha’ moments are always linked to emotions and concrete experiences.
We explain how the tools work and what else is important below.

A METALOG training tool offers experiences, usually in the form of challenging tasks, tried and tested many times, ready-made for the specified number of participants and all possible subject areas.

Certain mechanisms are particularly important to us:

Our tools can be used in a multi-contextual manner, which means that the ‘game mechanics’ work perfectly with our rules and materials.

However, it is up to the person responsible for learning to arouse the interest of the group with an exciting presentation and naming. We call ‘appropriate failure’ the ‘built-in risk’ that a task will not necessarily be solved by the group the first time around, but will be solved eventually.

The difficulty can be modified through rule variations and interventions so that the group ideally enters a flow state.

We believe that an essential part of using any tool is careful reflection, which provides space for insights and discoveries.

Well, for everyone, but that may not be helpful. Our tools are primarily aimed at people who are responsible for the learning and development of others: teachers, trainers, HR managers, coaches, moderators, facilitators, managers, social workers, priests, youth workers... we could go on forever.
And secondarily to those people whose time is organised and planned by the above-mentioned people. Therefore: everyone. 😉
Which tool is right for whom depends on the goal of the event and the personal requirements of the participants (age, fitness, communication skills, etc.) and can be found in the individual tool descriptions. The same applies to minimum, maximum and, in our experience, optimal group sizes.

We have tools for all these group sizes and various purposes. Take a look and see if our ‘Tool-o-Mat’ can help you, or give us a call.

Of course! You can find a huge collection of articles, case studies and more in our Knowledgebase. The best way to find what you're looking for is to search for keywords that interest you, or contact us by phone or email.

If you prefer to read on paper, we recommend our FieldBook, which contains 58 case studies on our tools.

And you can get to know us, ask questions and brainstorm at our METALOG Workshops and Trainings.

When an experience activates the entire body and thus all the senses, it touches a multitude of connection points in the brain. These connection points help to retain learned knowledge and offer alternatives in the search for creative solutions.

This is because the brain functions like a large network of information, and the connections between the nodes are like trails in the forest. The more often the paths are used, the wider and faster they become. However, this is only a greatly simplified appetiser at the buffet of our neuroscientific foundations.

Many other important aspects can be found in...

  • Gunter Schmidt,
  • Milton Erickson,
  • Gregory Bateson,
  • Heinz von Foerster,
  • Antonio Damasio,
  • Dave Meier,
  • ...

Of course it is possible: one possible approach would be to view METALOG training tools as ‘hypnosystemic interaction metaphors’. As such, they transfer interaction patterns from one context to another (e.g. behaviour in the ‘Tower of Power’ learning project vs. behaviour in the development project in the company).

Gunther Schmidt's hypnosystemic approach includes the consideration of arbitrary conscious and unconscious involuntary behaviours. When deeply involved in a game, people – both young and old – involuntarily fall back on familiar behaviour patterns. This behaviour (of all participants) can then be reflected upon using concrete examples rather than from memory.

Another essential aspect is the consistent focus on resources and solutions that we use as a basis for tool development. In other words, the assumption that people have all the resources they need to make the desired changes, even if these resources may not be readily available to them at the moment.

If you want to know more, take a look at our METALOG Workshops and Trainings to see if it's right for you! You can also find more theory in Tobias' book.

...especially when compared to digital solutions? This brings us back to our basic assumptions at the very beginning: in our experience, nothing beats ‘learning with all the senses’. Multi-channel learning may also be possible digitally, but our speciality (currently) is hands-on tools.

One issue that is particularly close to our hearts is our partnership with ‘our’ workshops. Wherever possible, we have METALOG tools manufactured in workshops for people with disabilities in our region.

This means, on the one hand, that we cannot compete with every discount version of a tool in terms of price and, on the other hand, that in rare cases we deliver ‘creative versions’ of our tools (some would say ‘a faulty product’). If you encounter such a ‘creative version’, please let us know so that we can replace it if necessary or celebrate your unique item with you.

For many years, we have been regularly developing new ideas for the world of training, games and learning. Although we did not invent the six-sided dice, Parmesan cheese or the wheel, we have created many classic tools, such as Wortspiel, FutureCity, HeartSelling, PerspActive, FindMe and several others. In some cases, we have optimised familiar principles to make them quicker to use, more accessible, more reliable or more suitable for travel.
We cannot fully protect all of these inventions and developments from imitators (or we simply refrain from using the relevant processes). However, we attach great importance to making a genuine contribution to the world of learning through what we do.

Our innovative product design also means that we see things through the eyes of those responsible for learning and understand the impact that years of use by training groups and school classes have on a tool. Our wooden products develop an authentic patina; many of our card sets are washable, and the textiles are washable. Transport and storage options go without saying, and should anything ever break, we know how to repair it or will take care of it for you.

Not only when something breaks down in a frequently used tool, but also for all other questions, our team is available to provide advice and assistance. In person at our METALOG Workshops and Trainings, by telephone or by e-mail.

Of course, we hope that our product magazine or our videos will answer many of your questions. But if you still have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can provide quick answers to almost any question about using the tool and can also fulfil many requests.

Of course! However, our tools are most effective in an appreciative, participatory and resource-oriented context. Bringing a METALOG tool and then imposing the ‘right’ solution on the group would certainly not be in the spirit of the inventor and would likely provoke resistance.

The easiest way to place an order as a private individual or on behalf of a company is via our online shop. If you are unsure or cannot find what you are looking for, you can also place your order by e-mail , providing your billing and delivery address. We cannot accept orders by telephone, as experience has shown that dictating delivery and payment details is prone to errors.

The delivery cost depends on the chosen service and shipping method.

We ship with FedEx and DPD, with a typical delivery time of 5-7 days. Saturday and express delivery options are available upon request.

Our laser-engraved LoonyLoops are ideal as food for thought to take away, systemic giveaways or simply ‘advertising’.

Beyond that, our manufacturing processes do not allow for the customisation of individual products. If you would like to equip a larger number of training locations (20 or more) with co-branded tools, please contact us with your ideas and we will see what we can do.