{"id":2265,"date":"2022-12-30T07:38:14","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T07:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mondaikaiketsu.net\/?p=2265"},"modified":"2025-05-03T03:10:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-03T03:10:00","slug":"easy-icebreaker-part2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mondaikaiketsu.net\/en\/easy-icebreaker-part2\/","title":{"rendered":"Icebreaker games – Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello everyone. Last time<\/a>, I wrote about “Ice Breaker \u2013 Part 1 (General ones)” as one of the soft skills required of problem solvers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would like to write about “ice breaker” this time as well, but this time I would like to write “Part 2 (Lean Six Sigma related ones)”. Although they are derived from Lean Six Sigma, they are not limited to Lean Six Sigma projects\/practitioners in particular, but can be enjoyed in any meeting and by all participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Six Sigma Game<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of Six Sigma<\/a> was to “reduce variation”, right? This game also aims to reduce “variation”, so it is called like this. But you don’t have to think too hard about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all, the flow of the game is 2 rounds: Round 1 (1 minute) -> Improvement time (10 minutes) -> Round 2 (1 minute).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here’s what Round 1<\/strong> looks like;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a) Facilitator displays the stopwatch so that it can be seen by all participants (For face-to-face, the screen of the PC on which the stopwatch is started is projected with a projector. If it is online, it is OK to share the PC screen.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b) Participants close their eyes and count to 60 seconds in their minds as the facilitator signals the start<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c) Participants open their eyes when they think 60 seconds have passed, look at the displayed stopwatch, and check how many seconds it is now (make a note of it so as not to forget)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

d) Confirm everyone’s time in your team and identify maximum and minimum values. The difference is the “variation” of the team<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the improvement time<\/strong> that follows, each team discusses how to reduce variations. Any improvement idea is fine, but the prohibited items are “Open your eyes (this is obviously not allowed)”, “Speak out (because other teams will be impacted)”, “Turn off the camera when online (Because it’s not possible to identify if you cheat or not)”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Round 2<\/strong> that follow is in the same manner as Round 1 above. Just let each team try out the ideas they discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned above, this can be done both face-to-face or online. Also, if there are many people, multiple teams can compete, so it’s fun, but it can be done with at least two people (because there will be variations).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Standard Pig Game<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the title is strange, the original purpose is to experience the effect of work standardization by standardizing how to draw pigs. However, even if you don’t think about it so rigidly, you can enjoy it as an ice breaker game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all, the flow of the game is 3 rounds: Round 1 (40 seconds) -> Sharing time (1 to 2 minutes) -> Round 2 (40 seconds) -> Sharing time (1 to 2 minutes) -> Round 3 (40 seconds) -> Sharing time (1 ~ 2 minutes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a preparation, distribute three sheets of paper like this to each participant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u30b9\u30bf\u30f3\u30c0\u30fc\u30c9\u30d4\u30c3\u30b0\u30b2\u30fc\u30e0\uff1a\u53c2\u52a0\u8005\u306b\u914d\u5e03\u3059\u308b\u7d19\"
Fig1. Standard Pig Game: A paper to distribute to participants<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is better to do this by hand-writing, so even if you do it online, it’s better to ask each participant to keep a piece of paper at hand. It doesn’t have to be so strict, so it is OK to use a piece of paper you don’t need (it’s OK as long as it’s a suitable size), you can draw 9 squares on it like the one above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now for Round 1. Take out a sheet of paper (paper with 9 squares) at hand. With the facilitator’s cue, participants draw a picture of a pig as they wish (!) for 40 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the sharing time after that, everyone’s drawings will be shared. In case of online, you will be asked to bring it closer to the camera, so a thick felt-tip pen or marker is essential! In this round, I think you can enjoy some interesting pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So for round 2, this time share instructions like below and write a pig for 40 seconds as instructed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Instructions
Fig2. Standard Pig Game: Instructions to share in Round 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And share. It should have been more standardized than Round 1, but perhaps there are many people who haven’t finished writing it, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, move on to Round 3. Now share the instructions like this and draw a pig as instructed for 40 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u30b9\u30bf\u30f3\u30c0\u30fc\u30c9\u30d4\u30c3\u30b0\u30b2\u30fc\u30e0\uff1a\u30e9\u30a6\u30f3\u30c93\u3067\u5171\u6709\u3059\u308b\u30a4\u30f3\u30b9\u30c8\u30e9\u30af\u30b7\u30e7\u30f3\"
Fig3. Standard Pig Game: Instructions to shar in Round 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I believe most of the participants were able to draw this time, weren’t they? This game teaches us that standardization is not just a matter of elaborating procedures, but that it is meaningless unless it is in a form that everyone can understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, aside from learning, I think that there are many people who are not used to the task of “drawing”, so I think that it will stimulate abilities that you don\u2019t usually use, and you can have fun while doing it. This game can also be played both face-to-face and online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. 5S Game<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you know about 5S? I think Lean Six Sigma practitioners know it well, but those who are not may not know it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is 5S, which stands for “Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain”. Many people think it’s just “cleaning” (lol), but original aim is by keeping the work site clean, we ensure the safety of the people on the site and improve work efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of this game is to experience the effects of 5S. However, even if you don’t think about it so rigidly, you can enjoy it as an ice breaker game as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The game proceeds like this;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. (See Fig4) Find 1 to 49 in all the numbers in 20 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"5S
Fig4. 5S – Part1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

-> After 20 seconds, the facilitator should ask the participants, “How many did you find?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. “Sort” in 5S done (removed unnecessary 50-99). (See Fig5) Find 1 to 49 in all the numbers in 20 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"5S
Fig5. 5S – Part2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

-> After 20 seconds, the facilitator should ask the participants again, “How many did you find?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. “Set in order” in 5S done (Find numbers as 1~3 from bottom left to top left, 4~6 from bottom center to top center, 7~9 from bottom right to top right, Go back to the bottom for 10~12, etc). (See Fig6) Find 1 to 49 in all the numbers in 20 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"5S
Fig6. 5S – Part3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

-> After 20 seconds, the facilitator should ask the participants again, “How many did you find?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Skipped “Shine” in 5S, “Standardize” done. (See Fig7) Find 1 to 49 in all the numbers in 20 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"5S
Fig7. 5S – Part4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

-> After 20 seconds, the facilitator should ask the participants again, “How many did you find?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time you’ve reached to this point, I think most of you have found almost all the numbers. You can feel the effect of 5S like this, but aside from learning, I think you can have fun by doing this game. This game can be played both face-to-face and online as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. <\/strong>Remove filler words<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Finally, let me share one more bonus, though that is not derived from “Lean Six Sigma”. This is the game I mentioned in the presentation article I posted the other day<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you record your presentation and watch it, you\u2019ll notice that many people say “err~”, “um~” or something. These “err~”, “um~” were called “filler words<\/strong>“, right? If you remove these filler words, your presentation would be much easier to listen to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This game is one small practice method for \u201cfiller words\u201d removal<\/strong>, but you can also enjoy as an ice breaker. This is killing two birds with one stone, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Make a group of some people. Have the group stand around a glass half full of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 One person at a time, take turns talking about \u201ca glass half full of water\u201d for 30 seconds. It doesn\u2019t matter what you talk about (but no filler words!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 If you can speak for 30 seconds without a \u201cfiller word\u201d, you can have a seat. However, if you say even one word of \u201cfiller\u201d, you\u2019re out! Move on to the next person. It\u2019s a game where the last person who were standing loses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do this, you will become conscious of the \u201cfiller words\u201d and you can gradually remove them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not limited to “a glass half full of water”, I think anything is fine. Put something in the center of the group for everyone to see (or if you’re online, share it on your screen) and go for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s all for this time, and I would like to continue from the next time onwards. Thank you for reading until the end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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