Psychology

Objectives:

• To understand team dynamics and how teams come together to achieve a goal
• To explore and establish methods of production for a simple products
• To understand the power and necessity for review and reflection of a task or situation
• Understanding processes and procedures
• Replicating methods

Overview

This task focuses a group of people to organise themselves to set up a production line to exactly replicate an existing product as many times as possible in set amount of time. They are giveqaan the opportunity to reflect on and improve their approach twice to increase efficiency, quality and productivity. This gives participants and others the opportunity to see how their own and other behaviour, ideas, approach affects the development and outcome of the task and how by working together and reflecting and analysing a situation it can be adapted and improved going forward.

Activity:

This activity could take from 30 minutes to a couple of hours depending on how much review, reflection and analysis takes place at the end of the session.

Group gathers around a table with all the resources on it. There is a sample product : a booklet with 13 squares of paper 10cm x 10cm, secured with 2 staples in a x shape in the top left hand corner of the booklet.

The group is asked to put together a production line replicating this booklet. They will have 2 minutes to discuss how they think they could best do thisand to allocate roles. Then 3 minutes to put this into practice and produce as many booklets as possible. When the time is up the facilitator then countsand inspects the finished products, looking for quality and accuracy ie:

• Correct number of sheets
• Correct size
• Cut lines are straight
• There are 2 staples
• Staples are in the right place
• Staples are crossed correctly

The group then gets 2 minutes to discuss and review their methods, systems and procedures and come up with improvements or a different approach. They then get another 3 minutes on the production line to best their last score.

The above process is then repeated for a third time.

This could be done with any size group as long as there are sufficient facilitators to split into smaller groups. The optimum numbers in each group wouldbe between 6 and 10, however multiple groups could be working at the same time. They would have to work at the same time so as not to hear the discussion of other groups.

Skill Development:

• Imagination and creativity
• Communication and Strategy
• Problem solving
• Teamwork and organisation
• Leadership/Persuasion
• Decision making
• Logistics/Systems
• Efficiency/Productivity
• Quality Control
• Speed/Precision/Efficiency
• Reflection/Review/Analysis
• Feedback

As has been described this task involves many different skills and objectives on all different levels and can be assessed and analysed either briefly or in great depth across some or all of the objectives. For example, if this is an exercise for managers or recruiters to assess staff skills and abilities it can be finished there at the end of the last count. However it can be extended further, so each team then breaks off with a facilitator to analyse what happened at each stage and why.

• How the initial discussions went, did someone take the lead, was it a bit of a shouting match, was it chaos, was there a lack of ideas/too many ideas
• Whose ideas were listened to the most and why
• Who was ignored and why
• Whose ideas were taken on board and why, was a consensus achieved
• Who allocated roles
• Who put themselves forward for roles
• How did the actual production go, smooth, chaotic, who took the lead, who organised, how did it progress, how was the mood of the team?
• Was everyone involved? Did everyone need to be involved?
• How did the review and analysis go, who took the lead, someone different? How were news ideas taken on board.
• What changed the next time, was there an improvement, if so why
• How did the dynamics between the members of the group change as they went through the different stages
• Were more people involved, less people involved How did people participants feel at each stage, did confidence grow or recede
• What skills were employed by the task
• How are these important to a task/team

For example : the focus could just be on the outcomes, ie the quality and quantity of the finished products. Often the first time, people are rushing and slapdash and may do quite a few but get a lot rejected, so need to slow down. Or get them all passed but do a small number, so need to speed up. So it's finding that balance between speed and quality/accuracy.

Or the focus can be on the review and reflection, how the method was changed or improved each time to give better results.

Or the focus can be on the team dynamics how they evolved through each stage, or on the leadership and management of the task and how that changed and fluctuated at each stage, how the balance of power shifted as the task went along.

Or it could very much focus on the individual, the role they played, how this evolved, how they felt, how they were affected by the different characters,how they affected other members in the group, positively or negatively what they would do differently next time.

Depending on whether the focus is on 1 or 2 of the objectives and skills or all of them, all of these and more angles can be identified and explored after the task.

Resources:

Large sheets of paper (A3 or larger, could use old newspapers) minimum of 60 sheets per team, pens, pencils, markers, rulers, scissors, staplers.

Objective:

• Practice and learn the concepts of effectual versus causal logic.
• Illustrate when planning is appropriate versus action.
• Employ experimentation techniques.

Overview:

Groups of students compete to see who can build the tallest freestanding structure supporting a marshmallow on top out of 20 pieces of spaghetti, three feet of tape and three feet of string. This exercise is used to illustrate that under conditions of uncertainty, entrepreneurs rely on experimentation and iterative learning as a means to discover information about their environment.

Students are often taught and are familiar with traditional methods of planning and analysis, which work well in stable environments where the future is likely to be similar to the present. In these cases the future is fairly well known and understood. While some uncertainty exists, it can be categorized as risk.

However, if the future is unknowable, the only way to learn what may work is through experimentation. Typically many of the students spend a large portion of their time designing and planning the structure and only start to build it at the end to find out at the last moment that it cannot support the weight of the marshmallow, and they then go into “crisis” mode. The teams that perform the best are usually those that just start experimenting, learning what works and then modifying their tower based on what they learn. If you are using lean start-up concepts it is also a good way to illustrate the value of market tests.

Usage Suggestions

This exercise works for all audiences, undergraduate, graduate, executive, or practitioner. It is appropriate for new venture creation courses, entrepreneurship boot-camps, or workshops. The session is best positioned early in the course for discussions around planning versus action.

Activity:

Pre-Work Required by Students

• None.

Time Plan (45 minutes)

Step 1 0:00–0:05 (5 minutes)

Hand out the kits (see resources) to each of the teams. Introduce the challenge. Be clear about the goals and rules of the Marshmallow Challenge. It is also helpful to tell them that this has been done by tens of thousands of people around the world from children to CEOs. The rules and goals are as follows.

Goal

Build the tallest freestanding structure: The winning team is the one that has the tallest structure measured from the table top surface to the top of the marshmallow. That means the structure cannot be suspended from a higher structure, like a chair, ceiling, or chandelier.

Rules

• The entire marshmallow must be on top: The entire marshmallow needs to be on the top of the structure. Cutting or eating part of the marshmallow disqualifies the team.
• Use as much or as little of the kit as you choose: The team can use as many or as few of the 20 spaghetti sticks, and as much or as little of the string or tape, as they choose. The team cannot use the paper bag as part of their structure.
• Break up the spaghetti, string, or tape if you choose: Teams are free to break the spaghetti or cut up the tape and string to create new structures.
• The challenge lasts 18 minutes: Teams cannot hold on to the structure when the time runs out. Those touching or supporting the structure at the end of the exercise will be disqualified.
• Ensure everyone understands the rules: Don’t worry about repeating the rules too many times. Repeat them at least three times. Ask if anyone has any questions before starting; a good idea is to provide a handout with the instructions in the kit.

Step 2 0:05–0:25 (20 minutes)

• Begin the challenge by starting the clock.
• Walk around the room and note the process that different teams are using.
• Remind the teams of the time: Increase the reminders as time gets shorter (for example, you might remind them at 9 minutes, 5 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds and then a 10- second countdown.
• Call out how the teams are doing: Let the entire group know how teams are progressing. Build a friendly rivalry and encourage people to look around.
• Remind the teams that holders will be disqualified: Several teams will have the powerful desire to hold on to their structure at the end, usually because the marshmallow, which they just placed on to their structure moments before, is causing the structure to buckle. The winning structure needs to be stable.

Step 3 0:25–0:30 (5 minutes)

• After the clock runs out, ask everyone in the room to sit down so everyone can see the structures. Usually only about half the teams will have a standing structure.
• Measure the structures: From the shortest standing structure to the tallest, measure and call out the heights. If you’re documenting the challenge, have someone record the heights.
• Identify the winning team: Ensure they get a standing ovation and a prize (if you’ve offered one).

Step 4 0:30–0:45 (15 minutes)

Start by asking some of the teams about the process they used to go about building their structures. You can choose based on what you observed during the challenge. You will generally notice as you go around the room that teams that spend most of their time planning will fail to have a standing structure in the end. Those who experiment and learn through trial and error tend to do much better. It is usually best to start with some of the teams whose structures collapsed.

What process did you use in building your structure?

Focus on whether they spent a lot of time planning and drawing their structure or trial and error.

What went wrong?

• This often highlights issues around unknown factors such as how much weight the spaghetti could support or how much the marshmallow weighed relative to the structure.
• How did you deal with that?
• This will often point out the fact that extensive planning leaves little time for adjusting and learning from experience and results in a “crisis.”

Repeat this with one or more of the more successful groups and try to capture differences and commonalities between them.
You can draw comparisons to various other groups who have done this challenge. The creator of the challenge, Tom Wujec, has
performed this challenge numerous times with a variety of different groups and has found the following:

• The best performers tend to be engineers (good thing). They understand structures and stresses, so this is a more certain environment for them.
• The worst performers tend to be recent business school graduates. They are in a very uncertain environment given limited knowledge about structures. However, they have typically been taught to plan, plan, plan. They spend most of their time planning and then try to build the structure at the last minute. When they put the marshmallow on top it weighs much more than they anticipated and the structure collapses, creating a crisis.
• After engineers, the best performers are recent kindergarten graduates. They are also in an uncertain environment, but they tend to experiment to see what works, learn from that, and build off it to create much more interesting structures.

Emphasize the importance of market tests and experimentation when entering a new, unknown environment. If your students are already working on business ideas, this can be a good place to have them try to think about low- cost ways they could experiment with their concept before making large investments. As an alternative debrief, you can show the TED talk by the creator of this exercise by going to http://www.marshmallowchallenge.com.

Teaching Tips

Be very clear about the goals and rules of the challenge. Generally, you’ll want to repeat them three times and reinforce them visually. In almost every challenge, there is at least one team who will want to cheat or bend the rules in their favour. The clearer you are about the rules the better the results.

Skill Development:

Key Takeaways

• In an unknown environment, it is better to take action than to plan.
• Learning from small experiments and trials can produce more unique solutions – particularly if the future cannot be predicted.
• Failure can provide important insights to improving products or services.

Resources:

Materials List

• Create a kit for each team (about four people per team), with each kit containing 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of masking tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. These ingredients should be placed into a paper lunch bag or manila envelope (excluding the masking tape), which simplifies distribution and hides the contents, maximizing the element of surprise. The masking tape should be hung on the desks or on the wall for distribution, as putting it in the bags generally causes problems.
• Ensure that you use uncooked spaghetti. Avoid spaghettini, as it is too thin and breaks easily. Fettuccine is too thick.
• Include string that can be easily broken by hand. If the string is thick, include scissors in your kit.
• Use standard- size marshmallows that measure about 1.5 inches across. Avoid mini or jumbo marshmallows. Also avoid stale marshmallows – you want squishy marshmallows that give the impression of lightness.
• You will also need a measuring tape and a stopwatch or countdown application.
• Having a countdown application projected on the screen where they can see the time counting down is preferred (use an online stopwatch on your computer if convenient).

The full text ‘Teaching Entrepreneurship: A Practice-Based Approach’ can be purchased here > http://www.amazon.co.uk/Teaching-Entrepreneurship-A-Practice-Based-Approach/dp/1782540695

References:

This exercise is taken from;

• Heidi M. Neck, Patricia G. Greene and Candida G. Brush, 2014. Teaching Entrepreneurship: A Practice-Based Approach (pp.125 - 130). Edition. Edward Elgar Pub.

Attribution

• This exercise was originally developed by Tom Wujec for teaching collaborative design. His website containing the instructions, a TED talk about the exercise, and other supporting material can be found at http:// marshmallowchallenge.com

Theoretical Foundations

• Kiefer, C.F., and Schlesinger, L.A. 2010. Action Trumps Everything: Creating What You Want in an Uncertain World. Duxbury, MA: Black Ink Press.
• Ries, E. 2011. The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. New York: Crown Business.
• Sarasvathy, S.D. 2001. Causation and effectuation: Towards a theoretical shift from economic inevitability to entrepreneurial contingency. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 243–88.

Author:

• This exercise is taken from, Heidi M. Neck, Patricia G. Greene and Candida G. Brush, 2014. Teaching Entrepreneurship: A Practice-Based Approach (pp.125 - 130). Edition. Edward Elgar Pub, and is reprinted with the kind permission of the authors. 

Objective:

Idea generation
Understanding processes and procedure
With opportunities to:

1. Review the session, understand the concept or steps covered in an interactive way.
2. Evidence the power of group work as more ideas are created through team work
3. Understand team dynamics and how teams come together to achieve a goal
4. Understand the power and necessity for review and reflection of a task or situation.

Overview:

There are times when people’s energy is low during workshops, particular after a long lecture or after a break. After lunch time workshop participants tend to be tired while they are still digesting. It’s fast and fun ways to get participants refocused on the workshop (and topic).  This task can help the group bond or develop their subject knowledge through a “truth and lies” approach to multiple choice statements (right or wrong).

Activity:

1. Participants write on cards / note pads two truths about themselves and one lie.
2. The participants then walk around sharing with one another their three statements – during this participants should reveal which of the statement is a lie. During this sharing it is the goal of the participants to:
           a)    Convince others that your lie is true
           b)    Guess the correct lie of the other participants
3. The participants gather back together in a circle and the first person read aloud their statement to remind everyone.
4. The group then tries to guess which of the three statements is not true – at the end of each statement ask for a vote through a show of hands. ‘Who thinks this statement is true?’ Raise your hands.
5. The participant then reveals says which of the statements is untrue.
   
   Notes:
   •    For large groups (30+), it is best to split into smaller group sizes.
   •    Give example of statements and remind people that they should use short statements.
   
   This task can be undertaken as a lively energiser, or as a subject based/ discipline focused activity.  By providing a slightly longer time for the students to prepare, the statements can be about a revision topic, or a new topic that is being studied.  It is also possible to pre-prepare a set of two piles of statements and invite the students to take them, research them (this can be for the following week if more complex subject related topics) and convince others of their position.  This could be delivered as a panel in front of the group, who are acting as audience. Inspiration for this type of extension can come from the BBC TV format “Would I lie to you?” but requires subject knowledge to make the truths and lies work and therefore the individual panellists can benefit from working in advance as a team to prepare their statements and answers.  By creating teams, with a panel spokespeople, audience engagement is high.

Skill Development:

It is important to ensure that the student groups recognise that the potential of subtle communication skills deployed in this task (such as empathy; humour; rapport).  Discussing the challenge, and what elements were memorable and effective, can highlight how individuals create effective communication.  Whilst they are opportunities to develop a range of communication skills through practice, it is important to look for “future lessons” from this task to build an understanding of the transferable skills that are being developed.  This might include discussion of Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation; Interpersonal Skills; Communication; Reflection and Action; Team Building and creative thinking skills.  It could be helpful to write up these titles and invite comments on post-its under each title to draw out experiences and feelings. Explore these comments collectively to draw together themes and learning from the whole group.

Resources:

Each participant needs a note pad/card and pen/pencil
If you wish to use this approach to introduce a new topic, or topic extension, then you may wish to pre-prepare the statements for the students in advance for the session – or to issue in the session in advance for learners to research and prepare for the next week panel task.

References:

• Permaculture Facilitator’s Resource Book for Training and Assessment http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/Permaculture/Permaculture_Facilitators_Resource_Book-Training_Assessment.pdf
• See examples of panel ‘rounds’ for inspiration (TV Format) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Would_I_Lie_to_You%3F_(TV_series)

Objective:

• To provide students with an opportunity to reflect upon and identify their own skills.
• To provide students with an opportunity to identify how each of these skills presents opportunities.
• To improve student’s knowledge, understanding and implementation of effective problem solving strategies.
• To encourage students to apply theoretical problem solving strategies within a real world context.

Overview:

The ability to identify solutions to problems, the creativity to identify the skills and resources needed to achieve these solutions, and the insight to identify the new opportunities these skills and resources can present are essential for the enterprising student.

Breaking Problems Down and Putting Solutions Together is a workshop designed to nurture these skills in students: presenting them with opportunities to reflect on their own skills, and think creatively about their applications, to explore and implement problem solving strategies in a variety of contexts, and to apply the above to real-world contexts, in their own lives and their own enterprises.

The workshop is designed to last for approximately 90 minutes, with ample opportunities for extension activities, further research and discussion. The workshop is suitable for a group of any size, through best works where space is available for students to engage in practical activities.

No preparation is required from students, and preparation time for workshop leaders in minimal (ensuring AV presentation is working correctly, ensuring basic materials for practical / extension activities have been sourced etc.).

An AV presentation, and full lesson plan, to accompany the delivery of this workshop is freely available online, and can be downloaded via the links provided in the Resources / References section of this document.

Activity:

(See Resources / References for materials to accompany the delivery of this activity). 

Part 1: Introduction

• Students are introduced to the themes to be covered during the workshop.
• As a warm up / ice breaker activity, a simple, practical challenge may be set to students at this point (For example – challenging students to cut a whole in a piece of A4 paper which is large enough to climb though – something which can be done with some lateral thinking!).
• The group discuss what businesses do, at the most basic level. I.e. provide products and services to meet the needs of customers. It is proposed that we may think of ‘needs’ as ‘problems’ for our purposes, and so can think of businesses as ‘problem solvers’ of various guises.
• Students are instructed that the workshop will be delivered in reverse order, i.e. Putting Solutions Together first, and Breaking Problems Down second (for good reason!).

Part 2: Identifying Skills

• Students are asked to list all the skills they feel that they have. Several examples may be offered to the group to stimulate thought. Students may do this alone, or confer with their colleagues.
• Students are invited to be bold (i.e. not too modest) in this process, and are invited to share their ideas with the whole group.  
• The amount of skills possessed by each individual, and by the group as a whole, is stressed.  

Part 3: Skills to Products

• Students are asked to consider each skill on their list, and for each skill consider what it allows them to do, i.e. a service it allows them to deliver,or a product it allow them to produce. (For example, skills in painting may help me to produce portraits, make prints and postcards, or tutor a person in art).
• Again, students may work as individuals, or confer whilst doing this, and again, students are asked to share their thoughts with the whole group. 
• As students share ideas, a full list of products and solutions can be noted at the front of the class, demonstrating the products and services at the group’s disposal.  
• It is suggested to students that these products and services are the basis of solutions to countless problems, and the basis for countless new opportunities.  

Part 4: Real World Example  

• Students are offered a real world example, where a focus on creativity and solutions (as opposed to problems) has led to a novel and unexpected outcome to a problem.  
• Contained within the AV presentation linked to this workshop, is a short film clip of Physicist Richard Feynman, discussing the story of how he came to win his Nobel Prize, and develop QED, in this very way!

Part 5: Breaking Problems Down

• Students discuss the nature of problems (Are they fundamentals, or can large problems be broken down into smaller problems?).  
• Students are presented with an example of a ‘difficult problem.’  
• Contained within the AV presentation accompanying this workshop, is an example question from a job interview for a position with Google.  
• To be solved, the problem must be broken down into a series of smaller, simpler problems. The group are invited to do this, and an answer to the problem is proposed as a group.
• If time permits, further activities may be offered at this stage (see How To Guides for inspiration on problem solving challenges).

Part 6: Problem Solving in a Real World Context

• Students are asked to reflect on a problem they have encountered (this can be something as basic as needing to meet an upcoming essay deadline, or something more substantial).  
• Students are asked to take this problem, and break it down as far as possible, into a series of smaller problems.
• Students are asked to reflect on the services and products they earlier identified as being at their disposal, and see how each provides a solution to each of these smaller problems, reflecting on any gaps.
• If desired, students may wish to share the examples they produce at this stage.

Part 7: Conclusion

• The group reflect on the merits of breaking problems down, and focussing on the solutions at their disposal, as a problem solving strategy.
• The key themes covered in the session are re-capped.

Skill Development:

Through participating in the workshop, students will be better adept at identifying their own skills, and seeing how these skills can be applied, in a wide variety of contexts, to solve problems and create opportunities. The will be better adept at breaking down and categorizing problems they encounter, and producing strategies to solve them quickly and efficiently. Through reflecting upon, documenting, and sharing their skills, abilities and the solutions at their disposal, they should have greater confidence in their capabilities, and better equipped to identify the specific areas of their skills set which they wish to develop.

Resources:

• Lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations to accompany this activity can be downloaded via > https://moodle.glyndwr.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=37§ion=11
• For activities on a similar theme, see How To Guide 'Creative Problem Solving'
  

References:

Zone Enterprise Hub, Topic: ZONE Resources. 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: https://moodle.glyndwr.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=37§ion=11. [Accessed 30 July 2015].

Author:

• Originally delivered as an ‘Empower’ workshop, for the North East Wales Youth Entrepreneurship (YES) Hub, funded by Welsh Government.

Associated Case Studies

• Workshop: Breaking Problems Down and Putting Solutions Together (QAA 1, 2, 5)

Objective:

The exercise is designed to facilitate networking and enable people to get a basic knowledge of each other in a short period of time. It is usually a fun exercise so it works well in ice-breaking and it ensures that participants talk to a large number of other people.

Overview:

Speed-Networking is an informal exercise designed to create interaction between participants, warm them up (as the name implies) and learn about each other.

Speed-Networking can be used to encourage networking at an event or it can be used in teaching and learning as an ice-breaker. It is most often used during the early stages of a programme to replace the process of participants introducing each other more formally.

Activity:

In speed networking, participants are lined up in two lines facing each other; they are invited to spend 30 seconds to 1 minute each introducing themselves to each other. Usually a whistle or some other loud device is used to indicate that the time is up (as this exercise is quite noisy!).

When the time is complete one line moves along so that they are facing a new person and the introductions start again. Typically the speed-networking exercise may be conducted for 20-30 minutes.

A longer period of time is not recommended as it can be tiring for participants. The exercise can be constructed to fit any programme or event. For example in student entrepreneurship programmes it can be used to get students to introduce each other before group work or before choosing groups for an experiential exercise (e.g. business planning). The exercise is commonly undertaken under time pressure. The exchange of experience allowed between any two participants is deliberately limited to encourage a focused summary of the person introducing themselves.

Skill Development:

Participants get to know each other more, they break down barriers and it enables the beginning of trust to emerge between participants. Usually they meet somebody who they may not have otherwise met and sometimes these individuals assist their learning on the programme more as a consequence of social barriers being removed. 

Resources:

• A whistle or similar, to alert students as when they need to move.
• A Compendium of Pedagogies for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Professor Alan Gibb and Alison Price (PDF)

References:

N/A

Objective:

• To encourage students to work effectively in teams.
• To develop students' abilities to delegate tasks, make decisions quickly, and deliver results under pressure.
• To develop students creative thinking and problem solving skills.

Overview:

The Egg Challenge is a fun activity, ideal to stimulate effective team working, creativity and effective problem solving with any group.

Split into small groups, learners are each given a real, raw egg, and a simple challenge: to prevent the egg from breaking when dropped from a height of 2 metres!

To assist them, students are given a small number of resources, and set against the clock to complete the challenge.

The activity works well as an ice-breaker, or as the introduction to a larger topic. It takes approximately 20 – 30 minutes to complete.

N.B. This activity uses raw eggs, and will not be suitable for learners will egg allergies.

Activity:

1. Organise the group into small teams (2 – 3 per team is ideal)
2. Provide each team with a raw egg (stress that the egg is raw, and should be handles carefully!)
3. Instruct teams that their eggs will soon be dropped from a height of 2m, and their challenge will be to prevent their egg from breaking. (You may wish to drop eggs from a different height, based on accessibility, and the space available. For example, if safe and appropriate, you may wish to drop eggs from an upstairs window, or in a stair well, to provide a considerable height. The higher the eggs are dropped from, the more exciting the challenge becomes!)
4. Inform teams that to complete the challenge, they will be given a set of materials (2x pieces of A4 paper, 4x drinking straws, 1m of string, 1x balloon and a role of sticky tape).
5. Using these, and only these materials, they must construct something around their egg, to protect it as it as drops.
6. Instruct the group that successful teams will be those whose eggs survive without a crack, and that they have 20 minutes to complete their constructions!
7. As groups work, ensure all stick to the rules that have been set, and provide regular time checks. (You may wish to play fast-paced music in the background as students' work, to add additional energy and tension to the task).
8. To add an element of silliness, you may wish to encourage teams to come up with team names (egg puns always prove popular), or provide felt-tips for teams to draw character faces on their eggs!
9. When time is up, instruct all groups to pass their constructions (eggs included) to the testing area. (In view of the whole class, set up an appropriate area for testing. You may wish to ensure the floor is appropriately covered to cater for any mess if eggs break!)
10. One by one, invite teams to explain to the group the reasoning behind their designs, before dropping their constructions from a height.
11. Retrieve the egg, and announce to the group whether the team have been successful, inviting applause.
12. Finish the session by inviting students to identify the skills they have developed through the activity, and how these apply to their academic and business practice. What was the difference between successful and unsuccessful teams? (Team work? Build Quality? Etc.).

Challenge Solution

There are numerous ways of successfully completing this challenge. Design ideas include;

• Using the paper to make a parachute
• Shedding the paper and using as padding
• Using the balloon as cushioning
• Constructing a basket for the egg using straws.

Successful designs tend to be those where weight is well balanced, where the egg resides near the centre of the construction, and where there is no way of the egg making direct contact with the floor on impact!

Skill Development:

After this activity, students will have a greater appreciation of how they work as teams, and how well they can perform in completing a time-limited challenge as a team under pressure. They will have stimulated their creative and problem solving capacities, and be better equipped for creative thinking, team-working, and problem solving based activities going forward.

Resources:

For each team;

• 2x pieces of A4 paper
• 1m of string
• 4x drinking straws
• 1x balloon
• 1x roll of sticky tape
• (Additional items may be added if desired to make the challenge harder / easier)

For the facilitator;

• A bin bag / floor covering for the testing area (just in case!)
• A step or footstool (if required).

If you would like to have your How to Guide featured, please download the template and email the completed version to hello@etctoolkit.org.uk.

We have produced a guidance sheet which will assist you in completing the How to Guide.

• How to Guide Template
• Template Guidance

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Objective:

Through working on this learning opportunity the students developed; 

• Communication skills 
• Presentation skills 
• Creativity
• Time management skills

Introduction:

The Venture Matrix model has been used across multiple disciplines and across all levels (from first year right up to postgraduate level) to develop enterprise and employability skills within the curriculum at Sheffield Hallam University. 

All Venture Matrix activities are done within curriculum as part of a subject specific module, and students gain academic credits for their activities. This allows the students to put their latest academic theory into practice, in a live but supported setting, allowing them to develop those all-important enterprise and employability skills. 

We are now finding that some of our students are making the leap from doing a Venture Matrix project to setting up their own business. 

Examples of the diversity of the disciplines involve include, but are not limited to; Art, Biomedical Sciences, Business and Enterprise, Business Studies, Computing, Education, Engineering, English, Events Management, Film, Geography , History, Journalism, Law, Marketing ,Mathematics, Media, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Public Relations.

The case example discussed here is taken from psychology.

Activity:

A group of psychology students were tasked with creating a series of team building and assertiveness workshops for Sheffield high schools, as part of then Big Challenge.

The Big Challenge is a competition delivered by Sheffield City Council open to all Sheffield schools and colleges. The teams receive £25 at the start of the competition and during the period of the Big Challenge all teams seek to increase their investment by as much as possible. There are several prizes to bewon. It was recognised that not all pupil teams participating were going through to the competition stage due to a lack of confidence, where they had to do a Dragon's Den type pitch.

The students met with Sheffield City Council and school staff to ensure that the workshops that they were creating would be suitable for the pupils that they were delivering them to. The students decided to focus the Big Challenge workshops on managing team relations. Many of the Big Challenge teams would be made up of friends, and this would help them manage their team relationships and any problems and disputes that they may encounter. They also discussed the theory for the workshops with their academic tutor - ensuring that the workshops were accurate and that the attendees would benefit from them in a positive way and develop in confidence.

The psychology students delivered a series of interactive workshops to Big Challenge pupils. The workshops consisted of a range of tasks and activities to promote trust and develop teamwork and build confidence. This directly linked to their module learning outcomes. Through working on this learning opportunity the students have developed their communication skills, presentation skills, creativity and time management skills.

Impact:

“Taking part in the Venture Matrix certainly gives our students a head start when it comes to setting up their own business. The experience they gain is invaluable and means that they are much more likely to be successful and to survive in the commercial world.”

Sheila Quairney, Business and Enterprise Manager, Sheffield Hallam University’s Enterprise Centre.

Learner Outcome:

"After completing my Venture Matrix project I graduated with a BSc in Psychology and went onto study an MSc in Occupational Psychology. In 2013, I returned to the Venture Matrix as a Graduate Researcher. My main project was to conduct employability research and I supervised the psychology students with their projects, and I also delivered some staff training. This journey has vastly developed my academic and employability skills, and has inspired me to set up my own business delivering business psychology services, specialising in training and development."

Simon Kilpatrick, Business Psychologist, Intrinsic Links

The examples of curriculum development for enterprise related outcomes were originally outlined by Neil Coles at the International Enterprise Educators Conference under the heading 'From Archaeology to Zoology; an A-Z of enterprise in the curriculum'. For his work in contextualising enterprise for any subject, Neil won the 2013 National Enterprise Educator Award.

Resources:

N/A

References:

• Venture Matrix. Sheffield Hallam University. 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.shu.ac.uk/employability/course/venture-matrix/#. [Accessed 18 August 2015]. 

Author/Contact Details:

• Neil Coles, Senior Enterprise Learning Officer, Cardiff University (enterprise@cardiff.ac.uk)
• With thanks to Charmaine Myers, Project Director, Venture Matrix scheme, Sheffield Hallam University (C.E.Myers@shu.ac.uk)

Objective:

(See Introduction)

Introduction:

Professor James Intriligator, Bangor University;

“In my “Consumer Psychology” module I teach students about advertising, marketing, and things like that. We watch lots of TV adverts and look at many posters, newspapers, websites, etc. We talk about the psychology behind all that.

Activity:

As part of their assessment they have a final project:  to develop a video to help sell “something”.  This something can be either THEMSELVES (to their next job), or a product (something they love), or a service (e.g. Bangor University, a surf guide, etc.).  They can do this either working alone or in a group of fewer than three. 

Impact:

(See learner outcome)

Learner Outcome:

“The students love this assignment and I have had some astonishingly good submissions. In fact, most of the submissions are of far higher calibre than
the written work our students typically develop (this generation seems more adept at video-storytelling)

Many students have used this material to help get them their next job – or at very least to think about their next job. They have learned a variety of enterprise-related skills, including team working, project planning, persuasion & communication, to name but a few.”

The examples of curriculum development for enterprise related outcomes were originally outlined by Neil Coles at the International Enterprise Educators Conference under the heading 'From Archaeology to Zoology; an A-Z of enterprise in the curriculum'. For his work in contextualising enterprise for any subject, Neil won the 2013 National Enterprise Educator Award.

Resources:

N/A

References:

• Bangor University. School of Psychology. 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/psychology/index.php.en. [Accessed 13 August 2015]. 
• Intriligator Selling Assignment Highlights - YouTube. 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: http://tinyurl.com/jamesSellingVideos. [Accessed 13 August 2015].

Author/Contact Details:

• Neil Coles, Senior Enterprise Learning Officer, Cardiff University (enterprise@cardiff.ac.uk)
• With thanks to Professor James Intriligator, School of Psychology, Bangor University (j.intriligator@bangor.ac.uk)

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Objectives:

• To build a profile of (future) customer as a person
• To develop the business offer through a broader understanding of the customer needs
• To  support critical thinking and evaluation of ideas 

Overview: 

This exercise enables students to demonstrate their understanding of their potential customer and deepen that understanding to create a robust offer.

Activity: 

Give each group or individual a sheet of paper with an outline of (non-male or female) person drawn in the middle. 

Ask them to depict on the figure what they might know about their (future) customer.  This requires them to visually-describe their customer, including things like: 

• Where do they live, work, spend time outside of work and home
• How much do they earn
• Where else might they access products/services like yours
• How do they think, feel
• What experience do they expect 
• What concerns do they have
• What life to do they lead

The purpose is to try and establish a real understanding of what is important to a potential customer, rather than drawing out key “facts” about them (disposable income etc).

Once all the drawings are done, everyone looks collectively at the different customer outlines and tries to add further understanding from what they can see.  The owner of the drawing need not accept these, but can include anything relevant onto their picture.

Once every drawing has been explored, each team/individual needs to articulate one message that they have learnt from this exercise that they can take forward into their planning.  So if offering fast-food to a student customer base, they may have identified price as critical.  However the wider discussion might have identified that students may also select to eat somewhere that is offering free wifi to allow them to connect with others or make plans with each other.  Or if the customer base was a family, then other elements that are important to them such as child-friendly parking, might indicate 1 premises to be more attractive than another.  This “linked” thinking allows the student to draw out the wider benefits of their product or service and explore it in order to create an effective offer.

Skill Development: 

Whilst this task can be based on initial research undertaken by the student, the critical thinking comes from the assumptions that the wider group offer to develop their thinking.  This shows the power of group work and allows the students to deepen their own thinking through the examples of others.

It is useful to explore this task at the end of the session to see how the groups found sharing and testing their assumptions in a group environment.

Resources: 

Paper, pens, flipchart (outline of a person)

Objective:

• The learner will understand the importance of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial behaviour in the context of their subject area
• Will engage with subjects outside their discipline to pitch for and explore ideas and concepts
• To reflect and draw personal conclusions about their capacities and capabilities for entrepreneurial behaviour
• To research and persuade others of the feasibility and viability of their ideas
• To conclude with a ‘live’ opportunity which they can research and develop further through a research project/dissertation, employment or a new business venture

Overview: 

This type of module is appropriate on applied courses, or courses ‘with enterprise’. It is especially valuable where students from a range of disciplines are taught together, invited to ‘bring their discipline and interests with them’ (of course, discipline and interests are not always/often synonymous, and this approach helps with that!)

Activity: 

Students engage in a shared first lecture, setting the context for the module, discussing, and responding to individual learner expectations, and an introduction to innovation, delivered by an inventor, which asks the students to invest in one of a series of inventions, based on a case study of each in practice. They are encouraged to reflect on their choice, and in particular the reasons why they feel that their chosen option represents most value.

In week 2 students return to their own discipline (or choose an area of interest based on the available disciplines) and a session is led by academics and industry guests/entrepreneurs focussing on ‘the current and future trends in the XYZ industry’. This tends to be ‘products for users in Science and Engineering’ subjects (e.g. pets and children), and ‘approaches’ in other subjects (e.g. social and online media). 

Week 3 is a facilitated session in which students join interdisciplinary groups (formulated with as wide a variety of disciplines as possible (e.g. 1xcomputing science, 1xbiology, 1xmarketing and management) and share their findings from the previous week to identify areas of shared interest and the skills each member can contribute.

The remainder of the sessions are built around convincing the module assessors, and industry/entrepreneurs that your emerging idea is worth spending more time, money and effort on developing, and that individual students have the appropriate skills and motivations to deliver on the opportunity. The design of the remaining sessions is aimed at students achieving this objective. Remaining module content and tools can be designed together with the students, using flipped classroom, online resources, and update meetings alongside taught lecture material.

Skill Development: 

The confidence gained by the students is seen as they engage with each other and with externals (industry experts).  They are exposed to entrepreneurship through opportunity spotting and evaluation, and through building their reflective and persuasive/selling skills.  By working in teams they are building collaborative approaches to problem solving and task completion.

Resources: 

Planned engagement – including engagement of academics, entrepreneurs and industry partners in each discipline where a student originates.

Time to coach groups individually, access to mentors or online interaction.

Objective:

• Know about a range of ideas and concepts about enterprising mind-set and entrepreneurship
• Reconnecting with your creativity 
• Introduction to design thinking and exploring a challenge 
• Apply design thinking to addressing a challenge 
• Developing a chosen idea (including proto-typing if possible) 
• Introduction to engaging others in your ideas (moving beyond a ‘Pitch’) 
• Introduction to crowd funding and funding the idea from within the student and stakeholder audience (external if possible)

Introduction: 

This session suits larger groups of learners being introduced to the concept of enterprise, creative thinking and solving complex challenges. Working with interdisciplinary groups works best to encourage maximum creativity and adds depth to the chosen solution. An introduction to effective engagement with audiences which moves beyond a pitch is introduced and the session closes with the audience crowd funding the idea using specially designed local currency. 

Activity:

This is best run over a 4-6 hour period and can be split between 2-3 sessions to allow for further research into the challenge. Session starts with some team building activities set firmly within the context of the challenge. This can help students to better appreciate the challenge area and develop empathy with various perspectives/realities in relation to the challenge.  

Then follows some creativity exercises with an introduction to design thinking. Teams then apply this process (as time allows) through to completion with ideally prototypes being developed (if not posters/electronic adverts etc). 

Then the large group is introduced to the need for effective and authentic engagement of themselves and their ideas (moving beyond the ‘pitch’). Individual or group presentations are developed and practiced. Depending on timing and group size, there can then follow a couple of rounds of presentations with a final selection presenting to the whole group. Ideally this should include at least one external stakeholder/s linked to the challenge context (clinical/engineering/finance etc) able to provide authentic feedback. 

It can be fun then to introduce/revisit the concept of crowd funding and provide everyone in the audience with some currency (we have developed some university notes) and get them to fund their favourite proposal. Of course it could be that there will be some real funding available…

Impact:

This works best with some facilitators to help support the various groups as they progress through each activity and often can make a significantly positive impact where groups from different curriculum areas meet for the first time. Utilising external stakeholders to share their challenges can also help to add real value and excitement for learners. Learners tend to enjoy the active nature of the workshop and the rigours of presenting to an external stakeholder with potential solutions to the challenges set. 

Learner outcome:

Tend to see an increased awareness of wider enterprise and boost in confidence in terms of team working, design thinking, negotiation and engagement with audiences. A useful taster for deeper enterprising learning. Skilled reflection is vital throughout and post session/s through on-going programme.  Depending on the nature of the ‘challenge’ this can be extended to a module/programme duration.

Resources: 

• Team building activities based in context – e.g. Clinical setting/Engineering/Creative/Education. 
• Usual flip charts and pens etc. 
• Raw materials for prototyping if possible 
• Electronic devices to film short presentations 
• Bespoke Currency for crowd funding session 
• Prizes 

References:

Brown, T (2008) Design Thinking, Harvard Business Review, June 2008  (pages 85 – 92)
Dweck, C (2006) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, By Dweck, Carol S. ( Author ) Dec-26-2007 Paperback
Krueger, N.F.Jr. (2010) 13 Looking Forward, Looking Backward: From entrepreneurial Cognition to Neuroentrepreneurship in Acs, Z.K and Audretsch, D.B. (eds.), 2nd Edition of the Handbook of Entrepreneurship Research, Springer 
Westfall, C (2012) The New Elevator Pitch: the definitive guide to persuasive communication in the digital age, Marie Street Press  

Objective:

• To stimulate entrepreneurial effectiveness (QAA 2012) cross campus
• To demonstrate entrepreneurial practice across the region
• To promote creative thinking, problem solving and wider entrepreneurial skills

Introduction: 

Each year an institution and region wide Business Idea Competition is run as a broad tool to stimulate and support entrepreneurship in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The competition promotes creative thinking and problem solving for learners at all stages of the learning journey including upon graduation. Our institution comprises a network of tertiary colleges and research centres, spread across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The competition was devised and is organised by Create, an Enterprise and Innovation Learning centre based within Inverness College UHI and delivered across the university and all partner institutions including the surrounding Highlands and Islands community (subject to T&Cs).

Activity: 

The competition is supported across campus to significantly raise ‘Enterprise Awareness’ (via induction, workshops, talks, e-comms), develop ‘Entrepreneurial Mindset’ (through intensive engagement and support to submit entries to the competition with learners from all faculties) and for some students (who progress in the competition and beyond) to start to develop their ‘Entrepreneurial Capabilities’. We have examples of this being delivered as an extra curricula workshop/activity and within the curriculum as a tool to aid experiential learning.

The competition opens in August each year and is promoted widely across the university, all colleges and research centres and in the local community.  Lecture ‘shouts’ and workshops have proven to be the most effective technique to engage the broadest range of staff and learners.  Short films are included on our website to give tips on entering. 

Online entries seek information on an idea, inspiration, resources, next steps rather than a business plan. It was inspired by the culturally popular ‘Dragons Den’ but was dubbed the friendly ‘Highland Dragons Den’. Plenty of support is provided for developing application, pitching and presenting.  Independent and experienced judges are engaged each year and relevant follow-up support and advice is offered to all entrants. For winning entrants, start-up support is offered in addition to cash prizes.

Impact: 

CREATE has worked closely with regional partners and the business community to ensure the competition reaches the maximum potential budding entrepreneurs across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.  The competition was launched in 2006 with 27 entrants and has grown significantly to 150 entrants in 2014 representing all industry sectors and parts of the region.  Subsequent business start-ups in both the commercial and social sector have proved to be a recognised economic benefit to the region.  

In addition to business start-up, it is considered that the competition also has two key impacts: it significantly enhances ‘Enterprise Awareness’ across curricula areas (both academic/careers staff and students); and helps to encourage stronger working relationships with local business and enterprise support organisations.

Learner outcome: 

This activity shows how education ‘for’ enterprise can successfully engage a wide range of students, staff and members of the community both within and outside the curriculum. Over the years, more teaching and career staff are building in this opportunity as an awareness raising and experiential tool for learners at all levels. Those who participate, are extremely positive about the experience and can articulate evidence of creative thinking, opportunity spotting, and business awareness and, for those who proceed in the competition, they are able to develop their presentation, commercial awareness and network building skills. They talk of an increase in confidence and greater awareness of ‘know who’ and ‘be known’. Through CPD sessions, more academic staff now have the confidence to introduce these concepts and encourage learners to try this opportunity ‘to make something happen’ which adds to a student’s experience of how it ‘feels’ to be enterprising, which is very much in tune with the philosophy of enterprise education.

For 2015/6, we are extending the competition to early stage start-ups as we find many entrepreneurs start to test their idea earlier each year and still benefit from this type of engagement and encouragement.

Resources: 

Partnership: A critical success factor for this type of region wide initiative is partnership working.  Within the institution, we engage with Deans, Faculty and Subject Leaders as well as Careers and Student Services areas. 

Externally, this initiative has helped to build strong working partnerships which have grown year on year with local enterprise support organisations (Business Gateway, Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland, HISEZ, FirstPort and SIE) together with an extensive range of regional businesses (large corporates and SMEs) who wish to be associated with helping to build a vibrant entrepreneurial culture.

Funding: The activity has been substantially funded by institutional funding with support in the early years from the local enterprise agency, latterly EU funding sources and local council funds. All prizes (£8,000 in 2015) are sourced via sponsorship from local business and enterprise support organisations which CREATE attracts each year.

References:

http://www.createhighland.com/

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