It’s not that I didn’t want to learn about geography and history in school, but the presentation of material was just… well… dull! William “Bill” Higgins of Kenmore has the answer to my childhood attention span, or lack thereof.

Bill, through his company, Mind Ware, has created a board game called Footsteps, which takes the player to the countries of Brazil, Russia, India or China. The player becomes a member of a family, or employee in the work place, of a particular socioeconomic class in that country. He walks in the daily footsteps of the countryman experiencing joys, hardships and opportunities.

“The thinking process is for each player to assume the role of a resident of the country living at one of three economic levels: the wealthy businessman, the middle class or the poor,” says Bill, and adds, “The player makes decisions and takes advantage of opportunities to try to increase his wealth, happiness and fulfillment.”

Bill says, “Footsteps is so much more than an opportunity to gain intellectual understanding of life in other countries; it is a chance to relate emotionally with people who live in those countries.”

Bill came up with the idea for the board game when he created a workshop for managers and directors of a software development company about the importance of Brazil, Russia, India and China as emerging markets. He notes some pertinent facts about the countries highlighted in Footsteps.

In Brazil, the largest country in South America, 32 percent of the population lives in poverty and earns less than $2,000 per year.

Russia has one of the largest varieties of ethnic groups in the world. It spans across 11 time zones, covering 6.5 million square miles. The average income in Russia is equivalent to 2,600 U.S. dollars per year.

India is noted for its large talent of scientific and technical experts, and entrepreneurs. The country is noted for exporting software services and workers.

China, fourth largest and the most populous country in the world, has an average per capita income of 2,940 U.S. dollars, with 10 percent of the people living in poverty.

“I felt that it was important for my clients to understand something about life in those countries before they discussed how they were doing business, or how to expand their influence there,” says Bill.

He points to two goals of the game.

“The first goal is for players to gain some understanding of life in these countries by identifying with decisions, choices, situations and other events country residents encounter,” says Bill.

“The second goal is to move players beyond just understanding to considering and investigating how they might become involved with the poor in these countries to assist them in moving beyond their poverty.”

Since his successful workshop presentation, Bill has been selling Footsteps across the United States and foresees adding more countries to the game in the future.

Bill feels his game serves as a learning tool from junior high school students through adulthood. Boy and Girl Scout troops, families, classrooms, church youth groups, mission groups traveling overseas and businesses could greatly benefit from playing Footsteps.

The game is based on factual accounts of news events and personal experience in each country. Learning comes alive for the participant, as they begin to appreciate the uniqueness of how others live.

Bill can be reached at bhiggins@mindwareincorporated.com.

For Footsteps and other products information, go to his Web site, www.mindwarepublishing.com. For corporate information, go to www.mindwareincorporated.com.

Suzanne G. Beyer is a Bothell resident.