Sequencer: Tabletop

30 - 60 min. + review

4 - 15 players

Tabletop Sequencer is a performance improvement activity, where participants need to work together to replicate a diagram by constructing pieces of plywood. The Tabletop version is ideal for typical Conference or Cafe Style room layouts where a large round table allows up to 10 people to work directly on the challenge.

 Description:

Sequencer is an exercise that focuses on performance improvement. It requires close cooperation, strong leadership and excellent communication skills between members, as well as a clear delegation of team roles.

Members of the team are required to work out how to assemble a set of different wooden plywood components to make a structure which is identical to the design pattern which they have been supplied with. Following the initial construction period the group then have to reassemble the pieces against the clock - can they produce sufficient process improvement from construction to achieve the challenging time trial?

There is only one way in which the pieces will fit correctly. Pieces should not be forced. Correct positioning allows the joints to fit without distortion of the shape. As there is only one answer to the problem, this has to be established through a process of trial and error. Detailed planning at this stage is ineffective as the theories must be tested in practice at an early stage.

Once the assembly is complete, the team must develop and rehearse a strategy for taking the structure to pieces and re-building it accurately against the clock. As the pieces cannot be marked or pre-sorted they need to have a well-developed plan for identifying components and using manpower efficiently if they are to succeed.

 Application:

• Effective communication
• Performance improvement
• Setting and delegating tasks
• Planning and monitoring
• Problem solving

 Benefits for the players:

• Planning and implementation process by planning an initial process for gathering detailed information to construct the structure
• Using trial and error as well as a detailed recording system to identify and sort plywood components
• Time management for completing the structure under a strict time pressure
• Problem solving skills
• Effective instruction and delegation of responsibilities between team members
• Being able to improve performance by finding effective systems and procedures for constructing the structure in a shorter time frame
• Supervisory leadership

Activity contents:

• 15x Individual Plywood components - largest piece is 91cm (3 feet)
• 1x Shipping bag - 109cm x 15cm polypropylene bag with internal cardboard tube
• Facilitator manual
• Sequencer is supplied with a permanent, portable carry case, containing an internal cardboard tube for added support & protection

When fully assembled, the structure takes up space of 105 cm x 109 cm. Usually, two smaller rectangular tables, pushed together, are enough to arrange the structure, which can be used as one space - or one large round table or even the floor!