Team Skill-building Exercises Working with Teams Panel Discussion Jane M. Carey Arizona State University West
4 Team Exercises Warp Speed (Bodwell, 2001) arp.htm Spider Web (Bodwell, 2001) id.htm Designers and Users (Leifler, 1992) Illustrated on the following slides
Designers & Users Exercise (Leifler, 1993) The class is divided into teams of 8-10 people These groups are divided into 2 even sized groups – one group called designers and the other called users The user groups are asked to leave the room and is given a set of user instructions The designers stay in the room and are also given a set of instructions
Users & Designers Team Exercise The designers also receive a set of 16 geometrically shaped pieces and a figure showing what the pieces should look like when put together correctly The task is for the designers to convey to the users how to put the pieces together to complete the figure – the designers may not draw the figure or show the completed figure to the users
Users & Designers Team Exercise Completed Figure
Instructions for Users 1.Your team will have the responsibility of carrying out a task according to the instructions given by the designers. 2.You task will begin when the users tell you to begin. 3.The designers may call you in for instructions at any time. 4.If the designers don’t come in to get you after 30 minutes are up, you must report to them on your own initiative at the end of 30 minutes. 5.You may send notes to the designers and they may send Notes to you in reply. 6.Once you have begun the task, you may not receive further instructions. Finish the task as quickly as possible. 7.While you wait for a call from your designers, do the Following: 1.Individually, write the concerns you feel while waiting for instructions on a piece of paper 2.As a group, think of anything you can the that might help you follow instructions or hinder you. 3.How can you organize as a team to facilitate task completion? 4.Keep your notes with you as you attempt to complete the task and for use during the debriefing.
Prior to starting, the exercise facilitator divides up the sixteen puzzle pieces evenly between the 3 or 4 users and puts then in envelopes and gives 1 envelope to each designer. Also, 1 completed figure is given to the designers. Instructions for Designers Your task is to do the following: 1.Plan how to assemble the sixteen pieces into the completed figure. 2.Decide how to instruct the users to execute the assembly plan. 3.You may call in the users and begin instructions whenever you are ready. 4.The users must begin assembling the puzzle 30 minutes From now. Rules: During Planning Keep the pieces from the envelopes in front of you at all times. Do not touch the pieces or trade with any other persons, now or during the instruction phase. 3.Do NOT assemble the figure; that is the users’ job. 4.Do NOT mark on any of the pieces.
During Instruction: 1.Give all the instructions in words. Do not show the diagram to the users; hide it. Do not draw any diagrams yourselves, either on paper or in the air with gestures. You may convey your verbal instructions as written instructions on paper. 2.The users must not move the pieces until the signal is given to start. 3.Do not show the diagram to the users. 4.After the signal is given for the assembly to begin, you may NOT give any further instructions; stand back and observe.
Observation Suggestions (For debriefing) 1.Watch for a general pattern of communication. Also identify pairs of communicators. 2.During Planning: a.Is there balanced participation among designers? b.What kinds of behavior block or facilitate the process? c.How do the designers divide the time between planning and instructing? d.Do the designers assign themselves particular tasks for each phase? 3.During Instructing: a.Is there an attempt to orient the users? b.Are there assumptions that the designers fail to communicate to the users? c.How effective are the instructions? d.Do the users feel free to ask questions of the designers? 4.During Assembling: a.How well do the users perform? b.Did the users understand the instructions? c.What are some of the users’ nonverbal signals? What do they convey?