{"id":367,"date":"2020-10-02T16:38:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-02T07:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdg.neuromagic.com\/?p=367"},"modified":"2022-01-27T17:11:21","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T08:11:21","slug":"why-you-need-an-icebreaker-for-your-sprint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sdg.neuromagic.com\/en\/why-you-need-an-icebreaker-for-your-sprint\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Need An Icebreaker for Your Design Sprint or Workshop"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Despite the fun reputation Design Sprints might have, they are tough work\u2014 requiring five to eight consecutive hours of deep thinking and problem solving. We\u2019re not going to lie to you\u2014 morale isn\u2019t always high at the beginning of the day. To run a successful sprint, it\u2019s vital to keep your sprint team engaged, and energized.<\/mark> One of the best ways we\u2019ve found to get everyone moving is by using icebreakers<\/mark> <\/em>at the beginning of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Icebreakers are a fun way to ease your Sprint team into work, while team building and setting up for the challenge ahead. Still not convinced? Here are five reasons why an icebreaker is necessary at the beginning of each day of your Design Sprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 Reasons to Use an Icebreaker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Waking Up <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re likely to be starting your day quite early. Before diving into the main Sprint activities, it is important that every member of your team is fully engaged. Use an icebreaker to bring everyone into the brand new day, and get participants talking, moving, and prepared to work<\/mark>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Team Building <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The composition of your sprint team will vary case-by-case. Some will be clients and service providers, some will be a group of members from the same organization, or even the same department. But, most likely, your team will be composed of experts from a variety of fields. Day One may be the first time the sprint participants actually meet in person. Coaxing these new relationships can help lead to more honest and fruitful dialogues during the <\/mark><\/mark>s<\/mark><\/mark>print<\/mark><\/mark>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Warming Up the Mind <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Participants will spend five to eight hours ideating, thinking deeply, and searching for problems and solutions to complex issues. It is best not to go in cold\u2014 your mind needs time to adjust to this kind of intense ideation, which is most-likely out of the ordinary for your participants.<\/mark> An icebreaker can provide an opportunity to get the brain moving without any pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Opening Up <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Not everyone on your sprint team necessarily wants <\/em>to be there\u2014 despite how excited we may be as facilitators. Some people may even be skeptics, and that\u2019s perfectly alright. However, this is a great opportunity to loosen them up and make them feel welcome regardless of any preconceived doubts about the sprint process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Putting Pen to Paper <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Much of the sprint process will be hands on. You will be working with pens, markers, stickers, and post-its. Some members of your team may actually be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with this kind of activity, not having done anything marker to paper since middle school\u2014 getting them comfortable with the idea of using their hands will help them be more productive once the sprint activities begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now that you know why <\/em>icebreakers are necessary, let\u2019s talk about what icebreakers we like to use. Not all icebreakers are created equal! Some will lead to better discussions, while others can get too corny or too personal\u2014 we want to strike the perfect balance, to keep our participants engaged without making them too <\/em>uncomfortable (although discomfort is <\/em>an important part of the sprint process).<\/mark> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here at Neuromagic, there are a few requirements we follow when selecting an icebreaker. What may work in a Western business setting may actually be offensive or too overbearing for the Japanese work environment, and this is something we always like to keep in mind while preparing Sprint activities and selecting our icebreakers for each day. Below, we\u2019ve listed a few of the icebreakers we don\u2019t <\/em>recommend (in Japan and abroad), and the reasons why they are an ill fit for our process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Icebreakers to Avoid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Human Knot<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Two<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In this icebreaker, your group stands in a circle and links hands with the people standing across from them. Once everyone has linked hands, there will be an entanglement of arms and hands in the center of the circle. Already kind of weird, right? Then, everyone has to try and untangle themselves\u2014 without unlinking hands. Needless to say, this is a bit too much physical touch, especially first thing in the morning. The last thing we want is for things to get awkward between participants before they\u2019ve even had a chance to talk about their ideas or learn each other’s names. There are definitely simpler and less uncomfortable ways to initiate collaboration and relationship-building between your teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guess Who<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Man<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This icebreaker requires some prep work by the facilitation team. Prior to the Sprint, a survey is sent out to gather information about participants\u2019 personal lives. Questions can include \u201cWhere were you born?\u201d \u201cWhat sport did you play in high school?\u201d or something more open-ended, like \u201cList some interesting facts about yourself.\u201d Then, on the day of the Sprint or Workshop, facilitators read the answers aloud and ask the room to guess who wrote them. Not only does this add additional prep time for the facilitators, it can make participants feel alienated when their peers do not pick them, or targeted and uncomfortable if they do. In a room full of people who may be meeting for the first time, this icebreaker can lead participants to make judgements based on physical appearance, which is always inappropriate in a business setting, and can leave participants feeling hurt and uncomfortable before the day has even begun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that we\u2019ve figured out what not <\/em>to do, let\u2019s talk about what icebreakers we really enjoy! For us, it is important that icebreakers work across cultural borders, maintain a certain level of professionalism, and are also fun and energizing<\/mark>. Below are two of our favorites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Favorite Icebreakers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paper Tower<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Two<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As an international company with facilitators and participants often working in both English and Japanese, it is always a benefit for us if we can find an icebreaker that works despite language and cultural barriers. One of our favorites for this is Paper Tower<\/em>. It requires communication, physical movement, and quick thinking. It also encourages a bit of friendly competition. Here is everything you will need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n