The train
Featured in the The Team Working Activity Pack training manual
By Rod Storey
Category: Team Building
Credit price: 3 download credits (Single user)
Teams are often quite good at planning and assuming that their plans will work, but what if unforeseen things happen to thwart the execution of their plans or putting them into practice at the end? Successful teams not only organise how to do things but also plan for potential problems or mishaps and how to work round them. This training activity provides a lively way of planning a task. The participants ‘buy’ the materials to build the object they have designed and then see if it will work and overcome problems. If they are successful they make a ‘profit’, but if not they make a considerable ‘loss’. The exercise is designed for two teams which can be formed from one working team. The timings are based upon two teams taking part in the training activity.
The participants refer back to previous exercises they have already completed and think about the learning points received from them. You introduce them to the benefits to be gained from the present training activity: an exercise in planning and executing plans. Two separate teams each design, make and run a train to carry certain goods to try to make a profit. The participants debrief the exercise and discuss how they can apply the learning points from this training activity in their workplace.
Who is it for: This training resource is intended for use by trainers to introduce participants to basic costing and encourages team members to plan before taking action, all aimed at making a profit! The exercise is also useful if a team is becoming over-confident.
| Resource Type: | Activity |
| Min Group Size: | 4 |
| Max Group Size: | 8 |
| Typical Duration: | 01:30:00 |
| No of Pages: | 13 |
Resources: View standard resources for Fenman training activities
Additional resources: Sets of Lego, Various other materials (see activity for full details)
Purpose: This training resource is intended for use by trainers, part way through a team building course or programme, when the team members already have some experience of carrying out group tasks. It is particularly suitable where a team is becoming a little complacent and/or has been finding things quite easy. Whilst the task itself is not particularly difficult, if the team considers the task and its plans before ‘jumping in’, it is easy for a team not to succeed in this task, or to finish up with a result that is worse than they had anticipated if they do not plan carefully and effectively.
Download the training activity, The train as featured in the Fenman training manual; The Team Working Activity Pack