Lego #7166, Imperial^TM Shuttle

Permanent black marker or coloured nail polish

Two Plastic Ziploc Bags

Engineering Team Handouts - 1 for each team member

Research and Development Team Handouts - 1 for each team member

If Solar Explorer and Imperial^TM Shuttle are not available in your area, try Ebay. Or find two other different Lego articles of approximately 250 pieces each and look similar to each other.

Remove two vital pieces from both sets of Lego. The Lego pieces from one set should not have a “twin” Lego piece in the other - and vice versa. These parts should be distinctive in that they play a key role in the design of the project; however, the teams should not be able to tell right away that they have a wrong part. If possible, these pieces should be used approximately half way through the building process (check Lego instruction sheet). Switch pieces.

Place the Solar Explorer pieces + two Imperial Shuttle parts in a Ziploc bag. Do not include the astronauts or two accessory vehicles in the Ziploc bag.

Place the Imperial Shuttle + two Solar Explorer parts in the other Ziploc bag.

Cut the Solar Explorer picture from the Lego box and place inside the correct Ziploc bag. Do the same with the Imperial Shuttle. Do NOT include any instructions.

Before the activity begins, place two tables at least twenty feet distance from each other (the two groups should be able to see each other but not be able to hear the other team). Place chairs around each table. Make sure that each table has notepads and pencils.

Place the Engineering Team instructions on one table and the Research and Development Team instructions on the other table.

Place the Solar Explorer Ziploc bag in the center of the Engineering team’s table.

Place the Imperial Shuttle Ziploc bag in the center of the Research and Development team’s table.

At the start of the activity, divide participants into two groups, each with four to seven members.

Advise participants that both groups work for the same company, Ansii AreoSpace Corp. Assign one group to be the Research and Development team. Assign the other group to be the Engineering team. Sit at tables.

Tell them that they are competing against each other and the clock to finish a prototype project (hold up Lego bag).

Advise them that they have all the materials and information needed to complete the assignment. And that they have 40 minutes to complete the task “starting now.”

Start timing. If the teams get stuck, do not answer questions.
Advise them that they have the instructions and all the parts shipped to them by manufacturing.

Optional: Have one observer score the Engineering team and another observer score the Research and Development team. The observers are to note how the team respond towards the other team – what sort of comments (if any) they make towards them. If using as a problem solving activity, the observer may note team member behaviors.

At 40 minutes, shout, “Time!”

If they were able to solve the problem, ask participants how they felt when they realized that they couldn’t complete the puzzle. Ask how they felt towards the other department.

If using observers, have them report back.

In this activity, both teams were unable to complete their tasks without help from the other department. Ask participants how this activity relates to what happens at most organizations.

In business, no one group has all the information or materials needed to best complete projects 100% of the time. However, departmental infighting (usually over resource allocations) creates an organizational climate where departments are at war with each other - in extreme cases sabotaging another department’s projects and/or hiding information. Departmental warfare, while it may appear logical from a narrow departmental viewpoint, is almost always counterproductive, hindering the organization from achieving its goals, and compromising organizational creativity and innovation.

This activity could lead into other activities ranging from dealing with difficult people to brainstorming ways to change departmental war to departmental cooperation.