Silent post

silent-post_01.jpg

How to play

  • All participant should to have in front of them a white A4 paper in portrait mode and a pen
  • Ask everyone to write down at the top of the page a simple sentence, no more than one line
  • Ask everyone to pass their sheet of paper to their left neighbor
  • Ask everyone to draw the meaning of the sentence, right underneath it
  • Ask everyone to fold the sentence on the back of the paper, so only the drawing is visible
  • Ask everyone to pass their sheet of paper to their left neighbor
  • Ask everyone to write down a sentence that corresponds to the drawing they see on the paper
  • Ask everyone to fold the drawing on the back of the paper, so only the sentence is visible
  • Ask everyone to pass their sheet of paper to their left neighbor

… and so forth and so on, until there is no space on the sheet of paper, or until someone thinks they found their sentence back.
You should always end the game with a sentence.

At the end, everyone can read their sheet of paper, reading all of the sentences, from the first to the last.

Debrief

Ask questions to the aucdience. People should come up with things like

  • Loss of meaning goes very fast
  • Simple physical things are easier to draw
  • Complex feelings are better expressed in writing than in drawing

In conclusion, say

  • When expressing specifications, use both as many means of communication as necessary
  • Some things are better expressed in writing
    • Abstract
    • Feelings
  • Some things are better expressed in drawing
    • Architectures
    • Concrete
  • Metaphors are a good way to express complex things

Images