Problem Solving For World 2.0?
Are you sure you’re setting out to solve your problems the right way? The 4Box Problem solving Model suggests you need to analyse the type of problem you’ve got before you can even begin to solve it.
FOR PROVIDERS OF LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT
Unique, exciting group activities for your programmes and workshops.Powerful, experiential, complex problem solving tasks for developing: COLLABORATION, AGILE THINKING, RESILIENCE, SKILLS for VUCA world
WHAT A BRAINTOFFEE ACTIVITY OFFERS
For Participants
- engaging, unique and awesomely exciting scenario to resolve.
- powerful, memorable individual and group learning.
- authentic feel, so participants are drawn in quickly.
- challenging, cerebral stretch through complex scenarios.
- inclusive (for English speakers)
- safe non work related to learn, experiment and enjoy.
“loved it - best problem solving activity I’ve ever done”
For Facilitators
- large amount of powerful learning generated for debrief.
- groups engage quickly.
- straightforward to deliver.
- no role-playing or intervention required.
- can be run as single group of 6-10 people or multiples, to share learning as part of the debrief.
- debrief ideas available in our blog.
“ always delivers a great result… gets highest scores in our feedback”
For Programme Designers
- can be dropped in timetable place holder to support many concepts including managing complexity, collaboration, VUCA, emotional intelligence, leadership, 2.0 working, adaptive leadership.
- suitable for any training room with a table and space to write e.g. flipchart or white board.
- simple to run for experienced facilitators (no additional training required).
- available for single use for one off events, or multiple use for repeat programmes.
- supports many concepts etc
“the complexity in each exercise provides a deep learning experience…that is hard to replicate in any other way”
WHAT IS A BRAINTOFFEE PROBLEM SOLVING ACTIVITY?
All Braintoffee activities :
- consist of an intriguing story embedded in documents (maps, itineraries, photographs, reports, receipts, brochures, emails, menus, directories, newsletters).
- are paper based, and so ideal for an indoor training environment with tables and board space.
- have a clear deliverable, and a correct/incorrect answer, so that debriefs can focus on process without the potential distraction of an ambiguous task ending.
- for small groups of 6 -10 people, one activity is for a double group of 12 - 20 people.
- are complex and cerebrally challenging with several threads to manage and apply different thinking styles.
- are non linear, and require a high level of collaboration.
WHAT IS THE GROUP'S EXPERIENCE?
Overwhelmed
Braintoffee activities are designed to immerse a group in uncertainty and ambiguity. The need to collaborate and work through discomfort is highlighted as the group experience feeling over whelmed by apparently shapeless data.
Confused
From the outset, the activity is completely unstructured – there is no “your objective is…..”. The group’s tasks are embedded, either as a job to be done or from data to be woven together to create a clear objective. Most activities contain both forms of task as this highlights the different skills and behaviours required in the different situations.
Frustrated
The first part of an activity involves the gathering together and management of data, requiring the group to communicate with each other in seeking connections and relationships. The majority of time is then spent working through ideas, evidence seeking, proposing, synthesising, accepting challenges to viewpoints and supporting others in their opinions, letting go of hypotheses that don’t have legs, and getting critically, but fully, behind those ideas that seem worth pursuing.
Braintoffee activities are designed to immerse a group in uncertainty and ambiguity. The need to collaborate and work through discomfort is highlighted as the group experience feeling over whelmed by apparently shapeless data.
Confused
From the outset, the activity is completely unstructured – there is no “your objective is…..”. The group’s tasks are embedded, either as a job to be done or from data to be woven together to create a clear objective. Most activities contain both forms of task as this highlights the different skills and behaviours required in the different situations.
Frustrated
The first part of an activity involves the gathering together and management of data, requiring the group to communicate with each other in seeking connections and relationships. The majority of time is then spent working through ideas, evidence seeking, proposing, synthesising, accepting challenges to viewpoints and supporting others in their opinions, letting go of hypotheses that don’t have legs, and getting critically, but fully, behind those ideas that seem worth pursuing.
Excited
The activity scenarios are contemporary, often with global reach and participants become excited and completely caught up in activity itself. With emotions and thinking fully engaged, groups experience a compelling sense of urgency to resolve the situation, despite both the scenario and the way ahead being unclear.
Challenged
Participants find themselves drawing deep on their resources to do what it takes to successfully identify and resolve a scenario. The task has to be gripped and wrestled with in a demanding context that can be characterised as uncertain, complex and ambiguous, and needing the full commitment of a group working well together.
Stretched
The group is given a complex problem solving activity with an unclear objective and path. The learning is often around the recognition of what happens at an individual and group level in these situations.
The activity scenarios are contemporary, often with global reach and participants become excited and completely caught up in activity itself. With emotions and thinking fully engaged, groups experience a compelling sense of urgency to resolve the situation, despite both the scenario and the way ahead being unclear.
Challenged
Participants find themselves drawing deep on their resources to do what it takes to successfully identify and resolve a scenario. The task has to be gripped and wrestled with in a demanding context that can be characterised as uncertain, complex and ambiguous, and needing the full commitment of a group working well together.
Stretched
The group is given a complex problem solving activity with an unclear objective and path. The learning is often around the recognition of what happens at an individual and group level in these situations.
TYPICAL ACTIVITY FORMAT
Instructions in the activity pack will indicate that the facilitator should leave a clue envelope at a reception desk or similar, and place another clue in a similar easy to identify location. The start envelope is handed over to the group.
The group then spend the duration of the activity time (50 mins - 3 hours depending on the activity) managing themselves, including retrieving any envelopes placed by the facilitator, and will work best if they can share a table and are able to write up ideas and data for everyone to see, e.g. on flip charts or white boards.
At the end of the activity, the group submit their answer on a form. The facilitator has instructions explaining which one of two endings, in the form of a ‘what happened next’ news article for example, to hand to the group as task feedback. This can be followed by a debrief.
The group then spend the duration of the activity time (50 mins - 3 hours depending on the activity) managing themselves, including retrieving any envelopes placed by the facilitator, and will work best if they can share a table and are able to write up ideas and data for everyone to see, e.g. on flip charts or white boards.
At the end of the activity, the group submit their answer on a form. The facilitator has instructions explaining which one of two endings, in the form of a ‘what happened next’ news article for example, to hand to the group as task feedback. This can be followed by a debrief.
WHO IS BEHIND THE BRAINTOFFEE ACTIVITIES?
The person behind the design of these tasks is Judith Cantrell. She has extensive experience in a wide range of training and development organisations both in the UK and overseas and is known for her creativity and ability to handle complicated ideas.
Throughout her career she has taken a passionate interest in designing training activities and the structuring of programmes. She now specialises in designing complex problem solving activities that are used successfully by other facilitators in a wide range of learning settings. Typically the activities are used to develop collaboration, adaptive leadership, critical thinking and enhanced performance in uncertainty & ambiguity.
If you think a Braintoffee activity could contribute to your programmes, please get in touch.
Read More
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The ‘Wicked’ Problem challenge that will define future successful Leaders and Managers
Performing in Conditions of Uncertainty and Ambiguity: Remain or Leave? Austerity or Investment? New or Old? Expand or Consolidate?
Braintoffee Terms and Conditions
Full terms and conditions are attached to the booking form that is used to order an activity, must be agreed by the purchaser as part of the ordering process, and include the following:
“Braintoffee has created a copyright Work. Braintoffee is the owner of the Work and is also the proprietor and the beneficial owner of the copyright and the intellectual Property of the Work.”
When a purchase of single use or multiple use is made, intellectual property of the Work remains with Braintoffee.
Terms & Conditions
STAY IN TOUCH FOR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE:
- Exciting for participants.
- Easy and cost effective to set up.
- Supported by experienced design and used in many types of programme.
- For groups of 6-10 around a table.
- Ideal for lasting and powerful learning memories.
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