Gamestorming: Back to Back

1. Gamestorming Games for Team-Building
GREATER NEW ORLEANS NEW LEADERS: Aspiring Principals Program! Great Leaders = Great Schools
Game: Back to Back
Uses: Team-building | Communication
Number of Players: Any
Duration of Play: 30 minutes to 4 hours
How to Play:
This activity can be run in pairs or in triads.
1. Person A (the “art teacher”) has a drawing in front of them and agrees to
describe it in a manner that the other person can draw the diagram on their
paper so that it looks like the original drawing.
2. Person B (the “art student”) sits with their back to the person who is giving
directions. That person is given a sheet of paper and a pencil.
3. The “art teacher” gives directions. Others observe and are allowed
feedback after directions are given.
4. Another set of volunteers try the same experiment (or the triad rotates) after
the feedback session to see if their drawing will come closer to matching
the original diagram.
Sample Drawing:
GAMESTORMING GAMES FOR TEAM-BUILDING
Object of Play:
Back to Back is a game designed to
develop the communication skills of
leaders. As a result of the activity,
participants will experience communication
without the benefit of non-verbal cues,
Identify and use effective methods to
communicate with others, develop a plan
for improving communication shortcomings
and demonstrate effective communication.
Pre-Work:
Gather the following materials: Copies of
sample drawings for the art teacher” role
player to view while instructing the “art
student’ role players and Pads of paper
and pencils for the “art student” role players
to use in following instructions to draw the
pictures.
Picture from www.freshtracks.co.uk

2. Gamestorming Games for Team-Building
GREATER NEW ORLEANS NEW LEADERS: Aspiring Principals Program! Great Leaders = Great Schools
GAMESTORMING Aplaybook for innovators, rule-breakers and change-makers
Variations:
• Have the group perform the activity twice with two different templates.
• The first time through the exercise the "drawing" person is not allowed to speak to the "direction giver."
• The second time they are allowed to ask only yes/no questions.
• A third time, the drawer can ask any question they like.
• Another variation would be to allow the pairs to sit face-to-face, however, the "direction giver" is not allowed to speak. They must get
the person to draw the shape using only visual cues. Of course you would have to make sure that the direction giver doesn't just hand
over the template.
• In a large group setting, one person could be the direction giver for the rest of the group. No one else is allowed to speak and
everyone must try to draw the shape the direction giver is describing. Afterwards, have everyone compare their drawings.
• Print out a "7 errors" game. Give one illustration to one player and the second to the other player. The goal for the team is to compare
drawings and find the 7 errors while sitting back to back.
Reviews and Conclusions:
• What was it like to give directions? before they could ask questions, then after.
• What was it like to receive directions?
• Was it difficult not being allowed to ask questions?
• Once you could ask questions, did that make the job easier? Why?
• Why are all the pictures different???? Everyone heard the same message.
• Do you think people communicate differently?
• Do you think people receive or perceive the same instructions the same? What should/would you do to clarify? What's stopping you
from simply asking?
• Do you know your teammates enough in order to communicate effectively to get the same results?
• If person x said to the group "ABC" would it be perceived the same if person y said the exact same thing?
Why Games?
Games help teams deal with complexity in many ways. Through the use of game boards, pieces, tokens and so on, games can distribute complex information into the
environment, creating a landscape of information that frees up the players’ minds so they can engage with the situation at hand, without oversimplifying. Cognitive scientists call
this kind of information distribution material intelligence, also known as the extended mind.
View the entire UK TED speech by Dave Gray on why he created Gamestorming and its uses to drive innovation by going to this link: http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=jwcyy4Bv3XI&feature=player_embedded
What Leadership Actions were
addressed during this game?
How can you use this game
with your teacher teams to help
drive dramatic gains?
How can you use this tool to
develop the leadership capacity
of your teacher leaders?
Additional thoughts and
reflections...