This is one of the brainstorming (brainstorming) options, where the crowd both generates and evaluates ideas during the game.
Suitable for communities with a minimum of 5 members, but works best with at least 10 players. It is possible to play with more players, but 100 players may be too much.
The principle of the game is as follows:
- All players are given small blank sheets of paper (say the size of a business card) and a writing instrument. You won't need to write much.
- A question is asked by the players. Say "what do you think would be the boldest solution to problem X?" or a similar question that wouldn't be too difficult to answer. Write on one side of the card only and remind players to try to write legibly.
- When all the players write down their idea, the players stand up, because here - it will be necessary to move, "mingle in the crowd". Technically, you could stand up before - that is, write while standing - but it can be awkward to write like that 🙂
- Players are given a signal: walk randomly, give your card to random people, take a card from them. Do not read what is written on them! The more cards you exchange like this, the better. Alternate the cards like this for 20-30 seconds.
- The signal to stop is given. All players must have 1 non-own card each. No more, no less. If he accidentally got his card back, let him exchange it with a neighbor.
- Players read the idea from the card and write a score on the back of the card from 1 to 5. How do they rate the idea they received?
- Repeat the exchanges-evaluations like this 4 more times.
- At the back, players should each have 1 random card with 5 ratings on the back.
- Ask out loud - which of the players has a card with 25 by scoring? That is, 5 ratings out of 5? Have the player read this idea out loud. Repeat the question and the readings with the ideas that scored 24, 23… until you hear the top 10 ideas.
- At the end, you can ask the players what they noticed about these top 10 rated ideas. Do they have anything in common?
As you can see, if there will be a lot of players, then there can be a lot of these good ideas as well. Maybe even more than 10 ideas can get perfect scores. Therefore, it is optimal if there are at least 10 players and at most 50. More or less is possible, but it would not be so optimal.
There may also be situations where the ideas will be too repetitive or abstract. That's why it's so important to come up with a good question at the beginning! The boldest, most audacious solution to the problem. Not necessarily the best or the most optimal, as such can lead to boring, predictable ideas that are of little use in the end, as they will not generate exceptional thoughts.
Here's what the game looks like:
#LliberatingLean in action using "25/10" structure from https://t.co/TXcpW2bQYC Way more fun than ordinary #Lean activity. #LocalGov @GPCwa pic.twitter.com/NcMDHwMvqo
— Deborah Needham CEM (@CrisisOptimist) April 25, 2017
By the way, if you are wondering why this method is called 25/10 - it's from being selected 10 the best ideas that have collected after 25 scores 🙂
