Flip-a-card
Flip-a-card to experiment how different batch sizes influence the efficiency of a team
Description
Participants practice flipping and moving cards by using different batch sizes. They do this for 4 iterations and thus discover how one can approach the workload in a more efficient way. Think agile!
Flow
Introduction
- Introduce the activity to the participants.
- Split them into teams of at least 7 participants (six players and one observer).
- Encourage the teams to nominate an observer.
- Join each team and provide the activity link.
Work
- Each of the six participants chooses one of the 6 stations available on the board. They drag their name tag on the board next to the station they chose.
- The first player takes 15 cards from the pile and arranges them in the first quadrant on 3 rows of 5 cards each. The player will put them in a vertical position and face up.
- The second player in line has to wait for the first player to finish flipping over all 15 cards. Only then, they can start moving them to the second station and flip them over again (facing down). This workflow applies until the 6th player – then the first round ends.
- In the second round, players move the 15 cards in batches of 5 cards. Players have to wait for the player before them to move and flip over a batch of 5 cards. Only then, the next player in line can start moving and flipping them over to their assigned station. This workflow applies until the 6th player – then the round ends.
- In the third round, players move the 15 cards in batches of 3 cards. Players have to wait for the player before them to move and flip over a batch of 3 cards. Only then, the next one in line can start moving and flipping them over to their assigned station. This workflow applies until the 6th player – then the round ends.
- In the final round, players move the 15 cards one by one. Once the first player has moved one card and flipped it over in the first quadrant, the next in line can already start their job. The round ends when all 15 cards are at the 6th station.
Debrief (suggested)
- The facilitator may ask the following questions:
- How different were the results of each round? How would you explain these differences?
- In which round did you feel the best and why?
- Did you have the chance to try out something similar in your professional activity?
Variations
n/a
Additional info
This activity follows activity type guide from CARTA
Play in Colltrain
