Playing and playing games is a good way to achieve your goal in a non-threatening and non-directing way. To provide insights in a fun way. Do you tell a manager how agile works or do you let him experience it ? On this page some games.
Agile mindset
Methods and games to experience (aspects of) the agile mindset.
- Flow simulation | ‘how work works’ by the Flemish Okaloa is a well thought-out game format to provide insight into the benefits of agile, lean, scrum and kanban. More information and ordering .
- Marshmallow challenge | This method is also called the spaghetti challenge and is a fun active method that shows that iterative work works better than waterfalls according to a plan. You can find the instruction by Googling.
- Building Agile Structures with LEGO | A colorful simulation game to illustrate that organizational culture follows organizational structure (as Greg Larman has been calling for years). And it shows the difference between component teams and feature teams. View the full instruction to provide this workshop yourself.
- Penny Game | Let your team experience the power of finishing work (think of the WIP of lean) and work together on a task (such as with an agile development team). Here you will find an instructional video .
- Lean ball game | A fun interactive method created by Boris Gloger. A good way to illustrate self-organization. I have dedicated a separate page to this.
- Resource Utilization Trap | One from Henrik Kniberg’s case illustrates that flo is more important than the use of resources. I have elaborated the working method in a separate blog post.
- Agile Chair game | Nice active (but somewhat abstract) game around the self-organizing capacity of teams. It provides insight into how (traditional) management works. Or not working. And shows that people grow on trust. Here you can watch (a) video .
- Kanban Pizza game | of Agile42 is a fun method to get an idea of lean and kanban. So self-organization in practice. View a work instruction here .
Team building
Games and methods for building a team
- The Mind | A super simple card game that is all about collaboration and communication. For sale in the better games store such as Subcultures in Utrecht (also offline).
- Spaceteam | A dynamic, simple card game where you man a spacecraft as a group. You win or lose together. Card game in the better games store, playing instructions can be found here .
- Crashed | The single-engine plane with your team on board crashes into the jungle of Chile. Everyone can choose ten items to survive. What do you choose? Download the instruction here (MS Word).
- Building bridges | The group faces a difficult task. In front of them a very dangerous river flows full of rapids and crocodiles. Use the planes to build a bridge and reach the other side intact. Download the instruction .
Creation
For brainstorming and creative session
- The book Gamestorming by Dave Gray and comrades brings games and games to organizations. Serious gaming in other words. With the necessary humor. Buy >>
Click here for fun energizers / warm-up exercises.