Mystery Object

This is a three stage exercise that develops a broad range of skills that are relevant to those involved in innovation, sales, influencing others and making presentations. It is versatile & flexible and appropriate for a broad range of learners and learning objectives.
The facilitator can add to the ideas in this activity to build a more extended module around product development, selling skills or influencing skills.

These materials are based on our experience of delivering a series of highly successful in-house and open programmes across the world for a variety of organisations, and is an extended version of the activity originally found in the Breakthrough Thinking Workshop. 

Learners work in two groups using the SPARK-IT model to ‘push’ and extend creative idea generation.

They then work in pairs to use the stimulus of a ‘Mystery Object’ to develop an innovative product idea. They adopt two different roles - of designer and coach - and prepare to make a short sales presentation which is delivered at the end of Stage 2.

It is possible to use only Stage 1 if time is limited but there is additional value in completing both stages of the task.

Read more about developing Innovation here.