Learning Objective:

  • Understand the benefits of evolutionary design

When to use this game:

  • Play this game to shift away from Big Design Up Front.

Time: 45 minutes

Description:
Teams that balance planning with experiments and learning about the problem domain do a lot better than teams that do a lot of upfront planning and no learning.

Target Audience:

  • This game is designed for all team members and especially important for Product Managers/Owners and Architects/Designers.

Details: Marshmallow Challenge Website.

Marshmallow Challenge (45 min) helps players understand the benefits of evolutionary design. Teams that balance planning with experiments and learning about the problem domain do a lot better than teams that do a lot of upfront planning and no learning. Play this game to shift away from Big Design Up Front. This is suitable for all team members and especially important for Product Managers/Owners and Architects/Designers.

Full details of the game can be found on the Marshmallow Challenge Website.

Marshmallow Challenge (45 min) helps players understand the benefits of evolutionary design. Teams that balance planning with experiments and learning about the problem domain do a lot better than teams that do a lot of upfront planning and no learning. Play this game to shift away from Big Design Up Front. This is suitable for all team members and especially important for Product Managers/Owners and Architects/Designers.

Full details of the game can be found on the Marshmallow Challenge Website.

4 thoughts on “Marshmallow Challenge”

  1. I just played this game in a training class and liked it. I was “auditing” the training for my new company so I could make sure to pick up the terminology and information specific to this company. The whole class found this to be a very useful game.

    I’m now in charge of finding a way to have a virtual training and have a game that is as effective as this game. Any thoughts?

    1. Hi Jeannie, my own personal experience is that virtual training loses most of the value. Suggest playing the game Collaborative Origami to help the people asking you to do this understand the overhead of distributed. – Michael

  2. Great game!

    Make sure to mention the rules at least twice.
    Someone complained that they didn’t know that you can stick the spaghetti to the table. Learning experience: Just ask 😉

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