The Ball Factory
Goal
maximizing group efficiency of strategy, practice communication, prepare a common working pattern during the game
Materials
Instructions
Description:
The playing field contains a large square formed by ropes, with two boxes located on the opposite corners. The size of the field depends on the amount of participants. The balls are in the larger box, on the beginning of the production line. Participants stand around the production line in their new factory, their task is to make the production line effective. Everybody takes place in the production, which means they have to touch the balls, but only once, in the producing line.
Rules: Participants are not allowed to cross the production line. They also can’t throw the ball to their neighbors on the right and left side and can’t change their position during the production. If they succeed to get a ball into the smaller box at the end of production line they earn 10 dollars, if the ball falls, they lose 5 dollars and the ball has to stay where it fell. When the box is full, the production stops and someone has to empty the box and go back to the production line. The goal is to produce as many balls as you can in the most effective way.
Ball factory rules: 5 minutes to make the strategy and 7 minutes to produce the balls. After 7 minutes the trainer asks them if they are satisfied with their performance. If not, repeat the process – 5 more minutes for strategy and 7 for producing.
Safety: field without branches, stones, glass etc.
What to observe:
Who is more and less active participant during the strategy planning?
What kind of communication they use to make a decision?
Did the participants talk just about the strategy? Did they decide about the way of choosing and presenting the idea?
Debriefing:
The trainer asks questions, the participants stand on the thermometer in the place, which describes their feelings:
How do you think the strategy worked? Why did choose this number?
If you could change one element of the strategy what would that be? How do you think the communication worked in the group? Why?
Can you give the example of situation when you felt really proud of the group’s communication?
Author
Aga is an experiential education trainer who bases work on simulation games and outdoor exercises. She is a promoter of ideas and methods of experiential education in Poland. Based on her academic background, she is working as an expert in transferring scientific theory into management practice as a trainer and also as a training consultant and experience designer.
More about author