Employing a role playing game and debriefing approach to validate practices and identify variations in response dynamics.

To supplement data collected via interviews, participant observation and mapping in two communities where three monitoring interventions had been introduced, a Role Playing Game and debriefing were used to identify variations in fishing and landing practices in proximate communities and to validate responses to three interventions to monitor fishing activity in a tuna fishery in Indonesia. The Role Playing Game was used to simulate the daily routines of fishers and the introduction of three interventions. Debriefing was used to reflect on the internal and external validity of the RPG and to speculate on the impact of the interventions with the players. •An application of Role Playing Game and debriefing to validate case study findings about changes in social practices resulting from interventions is described.•Supplementing qualitative research methods with the Role Playing Game and debriefing showcases similarities and variations in social practices and responses to interventions.•Using the Role Playing Game and debriefing to simulate interventions allows for reflection on implications of interventions with those not (yet) targeted by an intervention.