The Teamwork Web

The Teamwork Web is a large group challenge, designed to replicate working situations in which a functional or project team works on multiple ‘daily’ tasks, moving in and out of changing groups, whilst at the same time working to deliver a major project, to a quality standard and a tight time deadline. The exercise requires efficient use of time and resources and is made much more manageable if individuals are directed to work on tasks that interest and motivate them. There are 29 varied tasks, ranging from individual puzzles to large group physical tasks, presentations, creative thinking challenges and general knowledge quizzes. Each task correctly completed in the first phase earns a valuable resource for the final phase.

The task needs a high degree of co-ordination, as some ‘shared’ resources are needed to solve more than one task. The availability of the trainer/facilitation team is also an issue: the time of the task supervisors needs to be managed within the exercise.

The final phase of the exercise, the assembly of the Webmaster® toolbox, under time pressure, is a challenging climax to the activity: one that can easily be underestimated in the need to complete the many other activities that ‘earn’ the materials and information needed to achieve success. The exercise is an excellent management challenge, in that it requires a focus on effective manpower planning, delegation, matching skills to activities, strategic decision-making and the management of change.

Task Logistics

This task is designed for a group of between 15 and 30 participants, and can be managed with two staff - although ideally 2 staff or 'customers' would be used plus one additional lead facilitator to oversee the activity, and plan the debrief. It requires minimal set-up as most of the tasks are self-contained or are simple to facilitate (but not neccesarily simple to complete!).

With a smaller group, some activities could be excluded to save time and manpower demands. This is at the discretion of the facilitator.

The suggested activity time is 2.5 hours: this does not include de-briefing and learning review.

This exercise does require a reasonably large working space. However, if you have the flexibility to work in a number of small rooms or outdoors, this can add to the scope of the challenge.

Some tasks are ideally set up outdoors if conditions allow.

Task Descriptions Each of the 30 x tasks (29 in Stage 1, and a full Webmaster® toolbox in Stage 2) are proven individual activities that can be used independently of the Teamwork Web. They have been carefully chosen to represent:

    * a balance between numbers of participants required (some individual and some small team)

    * a balance between logic and creative, interpersonal and analytical, process driven and open-ended

    * a balance between physical (requiring some movement but no significant strength or exertion) and cerebral

    * an opportunity for the facilitator/customer to set a level of 'standard' or 'quality' that will determine if each task is successfully completed

    * a challenge to manage scarce resources (time, access to facilitator/customer, budget (to 'buy' answers), physical resources (to complete tasks) and manpower)

For those facilitators using models such as MBTI or HBDI, the Teamwork Web provides ample opportunity to see personality types and thinking styles in action as individuals and groups are challenged by the wide variety of tasks. A key leadership skill to be displayed will be the allocation of tasks to participants according to preference, competence and task requirements. All 29 tasks in Phase 1 need to be successfully completed in order to obtain one of the 30 x pieces necessary to complete the final Webmaster® task in Phase 2.