ESP Game
The extrasensory perception game is a very simple and yet very effective game to highlight the importance of teamwork.
The ESP game is played after the team has gone through a Scrum planning exercise and is familiar with sprints. The game illustrates the key point of importance of investments in teamwork and communication, and how the team and the project benefit from it. The game can also be played during the retrospective meeting by teams that have already implemented Scrum to discuss the importance of teamwork and communication in Agile.
The ESP game is played as follows:
The participants are divided into pairs. Each person is given a set of five to fifteen cards. All sets of cards should be the same. These cards can be standard playing cards, planning poker cards, or index cards created especially for this game. Each person in each pair selects one card and slides it into the middle. Once both cards are in the middle they are turned over. The players can only show one card at a time and if the two cards match then each player gets a point. The game continues until all cards are matched; if any cards did not match, then the game is repeated.
Verbal or non-verbal communication is not allowed during the game. The players can only communicate through the cards. The players are not allowed to write on the cards or mark them. Once the cards match for the entire deck, then the pairs can be grouped together to form sets of four people and the ESP game can be repeated. The players receive a point only if all four cards match.
Resort Brochure is a great mini-simulation of Scrum. It provides each participant with a sense of control and visibility. The timing for the game is 30-60 minutes.
Recommended Further Reading
The following materials may assist you in order to get the most out of this course: