If you are familiar with the classic Key Punch group initiative, then you’re going to enjoy this wonderful variation.
To prepare, lay a long length of rope (at least 7 metres or 24′) on the floor/ground and randomly place an equal number of numbered spot markers as you have people in your group, eg if you have 12 people, the spot markers will be labelled 1 through 12.
When ready, explain to your group that they are about to enter an invisible maze and that the route of the maze is marked by the set of numbered spots which lay before them.
Announce that your group’s objective is to pass through the maze in the fastest possible time.
To begin timing the task, each team member must enter the maze (from standing outside it) and stand on any one of the numbered spots. Only after all the spots are covered, may each team member begin to move completely through the maze, from spot to spot in ascending order.
For example, presuming a group of 12 people, explain that a person standing on spot marker #8 must first move to #9, then 10, 11 and 12, and then 1, 2, 3, etc before returning to their own spot.
This task is fun enough on its own, but there’s more – add two further parameters to ramp up the challenge:
- No person is entitled to touch any other team member while negotiating the maze; and
- No one may step outside the circle while passing through the maze.
Provided these two parameters are met, an individual is permitted to stand anywhere else inside the (roped) circle in an effort to solve the problem.
Only after everyone has returned to their original spot may all team members exit the maze.
To be clear, the time will be measured from the moment the first team member enters the maze (rope circle) until the moment the last team member exits it.
Provide ample opportunities for your group to identify the various problems and time to plan and solve them.
Normally, I allow up to 20 minutes, inviting my group to have at least 3 or 4 ‘official’ attempts during this period, aiming to achieve their fastest time possible.
If possible, find time to invite your group to reflect on their process of solving problems and working together. Refer to the Reflection Tips tab for some useful starting points.
Given the objective to record a fast time, beware that people may purposefully or inadvertently collide with others. For purposes of safety or to simply slow things down, instruct everyone to perform the task using ‘pigeon steps’ – heel (of one foot) touching toe (of other foot) on every step. This parameter will definitely slow things down and create a different dynamic.
Feel free to issue your own brand of penalties for particular infringements. For example, you may add 5 seconds for every instance in which a person steps outside of the circle while they are negotiating the maze.
Clearly, the ‘honour system’ is heavily relied upon here. It would be very difficult for you, or any facilitator, to police the exact path of every person in the group to know with precision if the several parameters were met, or not. Ideally, invite your group to monitor its own quality control, but naturally, you will make your own observations, too. Manage appropriately.
It is not necessary to jump between spots. Not only would this become a little dangerous, but the distance between certain spots would prohibit this even being possible (on most occasions.)
The set-up of Pressure Cooker visually resembles the famous Key Punch group initiative. You can use the same resources.
I used Pressure Cooker with a corporate group and got great results. A creative answer (if they come up with it) is to move the spots. They were a medical team and I was able to compare the rules (which can be interpreted) to the law (which cannot be interpreted.) just as it is in real life. they got very creative while staying within the few “laws” that they had to follow. great process and learning opportunity. It was a large group (36.) It went very smoothly. Being a medical group, they had their “patients” tested. lol
Susan, this is awesome, thanks for sharing. And wow – a group of 36 people, you must be a talented facilitator because that is way bigger than I would feel comfortable leading 🙂
I recently had the opportunity to try this out after carrying it around with me for a while. I had a large group of educators, so set up 5 of these and gave each group a stopwatch. I explained the directions to the large group altogether, then gave them 20 minutes to work out their best processes. I love the energy created when small groups are tasked with a problem to solve independently.
The fascinating thing was that each of the 5 groups had a very different approach. One team looked like they were in a blender – crazy chaos, another was very systematic – almost like the metronome variation, you suggested. They didn’t really compete; they were so internally focused. Each group was satisfied with their results and improved their performance. And they noted that school is much the same, each grade level doing their own thing. So, trusting each other to do the job and possibly missing shared learning.
Will use this again.
Great stuff Jen. Such an interesting outcome for you and the groups. Thanks for sharing, it helps elevate everyone’s understanding of how powerful well-sequenced group games & activities can be to help people grow, learn & develop.
I’ve adapted this a little since I contributed it: I split the time the group has into two sets of 10 minutes. In the first ten minutes, the group has a free hand to plan, practice and perform. They are free to do as they wish.
The second ten minutes are “Money Time”. Here, they have 10 minutes or 3 timed attempts – whatever comes first. If they get to the end of 10 minutes and they have not tried any attempt, it’s over. If they use up their 3 attempts in 5 minutes, the same thing – the exercise is over. During the second ten minutes, the group must stand around the perimeter of the circle. The moment anyone enters the circle, by accident or on purpose, the attempt begins.
Rules:
1. Once an attempt begins, all participants must enter the circle and stand on a disc. No one may move until all discs are covered.
2. Once all the discs are covered, all participants move through the discs as described in the instructions.
3. The group gets 5 seconds added to the time whenever anyone exits the circle during the execution of the task.
4. Upon completion of touching all the discs, the group may only exit the circle when all the discs are being stood upon by all the participants.
5. I stop the clock when the last participant exits the circle.
I’ve done away with the rule about not touching anyone else – it over-complicates the task. I don’t allow people to move the numbers.
Debriefing issues include:
– Trust and truthfulness: the facilitator cannot check whether all the numbers have been touched in order. Is every participant performing according to the rules? What’s the cost or benefit to bending the rules or cutting corners?
– Perspective: Generally, during the first ten minutes, all the participants stay inside the circle. Only in the second ten minutes do they get a chance to look at the spread of numbers properly for the first time. Are there patterns that we can follow that we did not see before?
– Impulsiveness: More often than not, someone will step into the circle in the second ten minutes before everyone is ready to perform. Once they enter, they commit the whole group to performing.
Awesome stuff, and I like your adaptations, Neil. Thank you for sharing so generously, it makes a difference to everyone.