Method Category: Exercises

  • Nippon!

    Nippon!

    Quick introduction

    A fast energizer to get your team’s energy back.

    Instructions

    Stand in a circle. One person starts off by shouting ‘NIPPON!!’ while making an angry face, a downwards O with both arms and bends the knees. After this, the others in the circle copy this. Then, the NIPPON-initiator starts air-punching someone next to him using a ‘Huh’ sound. The receiver copies this.

    The receivers neighbour can do the same or choose to throw a spell across the circle. This happens by raising the hands above the head and throwing an imaginary item to that person while shouting “ATA- NAMA!’. The receiver has to defend ‘his house’ by raising his hands above the head and make a roof shape while shouting “SINSEI KINOMO!” and bend the knees.

    If the receiver hesitates or uses the wrong words, he is out of the game. Before leaving, he needs to dance a humiliating dance. After a person is kicked out, anyone can start the game again.

  • The Machine

    The Machine

    Quick introduction

    The Machine is an exercise to get the creativity flowing.

    Purpose

    A short break in work creates energy.

    Instructions

    One person starts making a sound and a move- ment, eg a “woop”-sound, flapping one arm.

    The next person connects to the first part in our machine, also making a sound and a movement.

    You keep repeating the sound/movement until everyone in the group is connected, making it a giant moving noisy machine! Works best with big groups.

  • C.I.A. (Crazy Idea Brainstorm)

    C.I.A. (Crazy Idea Brainstorm)

    Purpose

    Create new ideas that you never thought about before. Bonus: Bigger understanding among cuisine du monde and music.

    Instructions

    Before starting, all participants have prepared a dish or a drink from another country, which they are bringing to the potluck and a song to go with theme. The taste has to be a culture-specific taste. For example: brie cheese could represent France and chicken masala would represent India, etc.

    1. Everyone in the group writes down 3 problems on a note and then put the note into a hat.
    2. Get inspired by the music and the color, taste and form of the -food and find associations to solve your problem. Write down your ideas on notes and say them loud for everyone to hear. Choose a new problem after 5 minutes or when you get stuck. Think big with no limits and remember to use Say yes! And…
    3. Choosing your idea:
      – Collect the notes that you want to keep.
      – Choose your favorite solution and write it down on a new note.
      – Select your final idea by using the Idea voting
    4. When you you have your final idea ready, the group should divide into groups of two.
      Each group will then open up the final idea and brainstorm for another 10 minutes. And the present it for the rest of the group. Each group have 1 minute present their solution.Optional: Tweet your idea – Use your network to share you’re idea in order to keep others building own it and to get some feedback. 
    5. Make a prototype of your idea.

    Facilitator role:

    Take time and to signal when it’s time for a new problem or task.

    Timeframe:

    2 hours, preferably doing an extra long lunch.

    Reflection questions:

    • How was it?
    • Did you feel that this was valuable for your work? In what way?
  • Visualize it!

    Visualize it!

    Purpose

    One important step in the process of producing a theatre performance is to create a poster. Most often you make the poster long before you even know how the show will look like. To be forced to make something that concrete in such an early stage, to see it before it happens, to fantasize, to make it representative for what you want to do – is something that is very hard – but very important for the remaining process. To visualize the core of an idea early on is something that benefits all projects. It pushes you to take some decisions and give you a direction of where to go next.

    Instructions

    • Place a large paper on a big table!
    • Participants should grab equipment (such as images, texts, colors, photos, objects) that they feel represent the core of your project (30 min)
    • Put all the material on the big table. Make a collage of the material you find that describe the mood or feel of your concept. (20 min)
    • Have a look at your moodboard and pick three things that stands out. (30 min)
    • Analyze these 3 main things and combine them into 1 idea. Visualize this 1 idea in a new way. Be creative! (60 min)

    Facilitator role

    • Keep track on time! The time frames are there to push the creativity.
    • Find some theatre posters that can inspire the work!

    Whenever you might feel off track later during the process, you have a compass to pick up and guide you.

  • Idea Speed Dating

    Idea Speed Dating

    Purpose

    This is a great way for a group to quickly come up with many ideas and to have people build on other’s ideas. The end result is a beautiful mural of thoughts that can be used as inspiration throughout events now and in the future.

    Instructions

    • Find a table (or series of tables) that is big enough for everyone in the group to sit around. People should fit tightly, and be shoulder to shoulder along all sides.
    • Place a large roll of paper that covers the entire table.
    • Make sure that everyone has something to draw with. Try having lots of colours.
    • Have the facilitator start playing music. Each person must start writing down an idea about the topic at hand.
    • After about 2 minutes, the music should stop. Everyone should take a step to their left so they are in the position that their neighbour was previously in.
    • The music starts again, and people must now build off of their neighbour’s idea.
    • Repeat steps 5 & 6 until the whole roll of paper is covered in ideas!

    Do

    • Stay open and positive during idea generation sessions.
    • Be creative with how you represent your ideas. Drawings & prototypes are encouraged. The bigger the better.

    Don’t

    • Judge ideas during idea generation sessions.
    • Write negative comments, or cross things out.

    Facilitator role:

    The facilitator’s role is in starting & stopping the music, and making sure that people are properly moving in the right direction. The facilitator also decides when the session is over.

  • Brain shifter

    Brain shifter

    Purpose

    Create new ideas that you never thought about before. Bonus: Laugh and have fun in your group while you learn more about yourself and the group.

    Instructions

    1. Start by putting up a large paper on a wall (at least A1 size)
    2. Get in to character by changing your mindset and try to think like another person. E.g imagine that you are a child, a lawyer, a salsa dancer or why not a superhero? The ambitious ones can also dress up as their chosen character to give extra effect to their brainstorm.
    3. Start by drawing your thoughts on the paper. Let’s say you have chosen to be a dancer, then you could for example dance salsa while you draw your ideas on the idea-mindmap. Be sure to take turns in the group.
    4. When the time runs out you should kill your darlings and select the best idea by using Idea voting.

    Do:

    • Think and play around as much as you can.
    • Use a lot of colors when you draw the mindmap.
    • Always build on the ideas of others in order to make this a crazy idea-mindmap

    Don’t:

    • Forget to challenge your comfort zone by choosing new characters.

    Timeframe

    Total time for the brainstorm will be 1 hour. A 45 minutes session with a 10 min break, 15 minutes to kill your darlings.

    During the break you need to do 5 handstand pushups times 3. Take a glass of water and start again. The purpose with this energizer is to get blood to your brain as well as helping you stay in shape.

    Facilitator role:

    Take time on actual brainstorm and to signal when it’s time for a break. The Facilitator should also bring props for the people in your group to fully get into their characters.

    Reflection questions

    • How was it?
    • Did you feel that this was valuable for your work? In what way?
  • The Lotus model

    The Lotus model

    Quick introduction

    This model keeps your idea organized by building ideas around 1 subject.

    My advice is to use this method after you have created a creative brief from your debrief, in order to know what your focus are. It can be a digital area, a word or anything else as long it works with the debrief.

    Instructions

    1. Start with an area of focus, e.g. Digital Media in the middle.

    2. Fill the center with your focus of choice.

    • Social Media
    • App
    • Interface
    • Flash mobs
    • etc.

    3. Create ideas around each individual subject. For instance – Social media.

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr
    • etc.

    4. Choose the best areas of focus and create 8 new focus fields around this subject. The focus can become new ideas.
    5. Repeat the step until all areas are covered.

    What is interesting with this process is that you can get a tangible sense of direction from which you can create ideas. Once the lotus is unfolded you can pick out the section that is relevant for your project, and start to create a brainstorm or research session with the different focus areas.

  • Idea voting

    Idea voting

    Instructions


     1. Make the ideas visible!

    First, stick all the ideas to a wall or spread them on a table.

    2. Time to vote!

    Then let each team member mark their favorite ideas.

    3. Take a look!

    Finally, the votes been placed. Do you see a pattern?

    Do

    • Think fast, vote with your heart!

    Don’t

    • Consider other people’s votes when voting.

    Additional

    • Limit the number of votes each person gets, preferably in relation to the number of ideas.
    • Vote again, this time using criterias.
  • 120 rooms

    120 rooms

    Purpose

    When your project needs a twist or action, 120 Rooms is a perfect method. The purpose is to get the group to think about sub-targets for actions in projects or processes.

    Instructions

    Imagine you had a house with 120 rooms to fill with anything, and each room must have it’s purpose. 120 Rooms is an idea generation method using imagination and creativity to enable people to change perspectives and think crazy. But it’s not only about generating new rooms – it also deals with thinking about which actions could fill each room.

    Do:

    • Challenge your perceptions
    • Use your imagination
    • Think crazy

    Don’t:

    • Don’t leave any room empty

    Facilitator role:

    The facilitator gives the instructions to the participants and make sure that they follow the rules. It is the facilitators role to make sure that the reflection will be performed.

    Reflection questions

    • Why did you think we did this?
    • What learnings do you take with you from this exercise?
    • How was it?
    • Do you want to change something before next session?
    • Did you feel that this was valuable for our project? In what way?
  • Apples

    Apples

    Method - Apples

    Purpose

    Apples is a creative exercise used to show how important it is to see things from new perspectives as well as to create a quantity of ideas. The exercise challenges the boundaries of our already established perception and forces us to think in new ways and adopt new perspectives. This exercise could be held in groups or individually. 99% of all ideas are not unique. To find the unique 1%, new perspectives and ideas must be found.

    Use the method when you would like to start a creative session or when you are stuck in idea generation processes.

    Instructions

    This exercise could be held in groups or individually. Basically each group or individual are given the instructions to draw as many pictures of an apple as possible on the blank paper, in complete silence. They are given a time limit of 10 -15 minutes. There are several different variations of the method.

    If you want to be able to see the development of the group or the individual you could draw as many squares as possible on the paper beforehand and instruct the participants to start by drawing the first picture from the top to the bottom.

    Do:

    • Challenge your perceptions

    Don’t:

    • Don’t speak when doing the exercise

    Facilitator role:

    The facilitator gives the instructions to the participants and make sure that they follow the rules. It is important that the facilitator don’t help the participants in any way.

    Follow-up questions

    • Why did you think we did this?
    • What learnings do you take with you from this exercise?
    • How was it?
    • Do you want to change something before next session?
    • Did you feel that this was valuable for our project? In what way?