"You will be surprised to learn that Improv Teams and Software Teams have many similarities; The same techniques Improv Teams use to turn a group of random individuals into Great Team Players can be used by Software Teams to improve Collaboration, Creativity, Communication & Trust. This unique workshop will have attendees out of their seats and on their feet actively practicing the techniques Improv Teams use to build Collaboration, Creativity, Communication and Trust. This not only shows attendees how they can become a Great Team Player, but also how to train others within their organization. This hands on workshop provides actionable material for participants to use immediately upon returning to work. A flyer with the top 20 games is provided to every participant. Learning Outcomes: * You'll see firsthand how these improv games will help your teams as we play several games. * You'll learn the same techniques Improv teachers use to train people to become Great Team Players. * You'll learn how to bring fun back to your workplace. After attending this workshop you'll be able to start your meetings or retrospectives with any of the 60 different free 3 minute games at: http://www.teamfirstdevelopment.com/warm-ups/. These games all work well over the phone and can be replayed. "

1. 3 Minute Improv Games to
Improve Your Teams
Wayde Stallmann
Asynchrony Labs - WWT
TeamFirstDevelopment.com
Twitter: @teamFirstDev
Email: wayde@wayde.com

8. Collaboration
Creativity
Communication
Trust

9. Workshop Goals
Great Team Player
Qualities:
• Collaboration
• Creativity
• Communication
• Trust
Acceptance
No Judgements
No Mistakes
Follow Your Fear!

11. Last Photo
• Choose a starter.
• Say your first name.
• Why did you take it?
• What do you love about it?
• Business appropriate.
• Walk around the circle to show slowly as you
describe it.

12. Collaboration
Creativity
Communication
Trust

13. Red Ball, part 1
• Starter is holding a very hot imaginary Red Ball.
It’s the size of a tennis ball.
• The goal is to get rid of the ball quickly.
• To get rid of the ball call out a teammates first
name followed by “Red Ball”.
• If a ball gets lost (it happens) anyone can pick it
up and throw it.

14. Red Ball, part 2
• The Red Ball is still in play.
• During play Starter tosses a hot Yellow Ball that is
the size of a basketball.
• To get rid of the ball call out a teammates name
followed by “Yellow Ball”.
• Stretch Goal: Starter adds a Green Ball that is
the size of a beach ball.

16. Alphabet Conversation, list based
• Create a conversation or story one sentence at a
time. Play proceeds clockwise around the circle.
• Each person adds a sentence.
• The first person's sentence must begin with the
letter A. The next person must begin their
sentence with the letter B, and so on.
• No helping.
• Go ahead and just throw out the first word you
think of, and then make it into a sentence.
• Continue to Z.

18. Collaboration
Creativity
Communication
Trust

19. List of 5
• Each player asks the next for a list of 5 things from a
specific category.
• Examples:
• 5 action movies
• 5 dinosaurs
• 5 planets
• 5 types of pasta
• Feel free to make up items if you can’t think of any.

20. Gibberish Dictionary, player based
• Starter makes up a nonsense (not real) word and
points at a person for the definition of the word.
That person repeats the word and then provides a
definition, perhaps using it in a sentence.
• Then they make up a word and point to another
person to define it.

22. Count To 20
• As a team count by 1s from 1 to 20.
• No one can go twice in a row.
• Everyone should get in a couple numbers.
• If two people speak at the same time, we failed.
• When we fail we all say “Awwww” and start at 1.
• Team stares at ground.
• Tip: Become present in this moment.
• Cleansing Breath.
• Anyone can start with 1.

27. I Need 3 Things, part 1
• Starter begins in the center and says to a
particular person “I need: ” X, Y and Z and then
takes the spot of the person they asked.
• Try to keep the 3 things related.
• The last item you are asked for becomes the first
item you ask for.
• Speed is more important than forming a good
connection between 3 items.

28. I Need 3 Things, part 2
• Let’s double our speed.
• We will have 2 people asking for 3 things.
• Remove filter.
• Subconscious is where our best ideas are hidden.

30. Mirroring
• No Starter.
• Shake it out.
• Mirror what you see other people doing.
• No mistakes, follow along but, if someone messes
up you go with it.

31. NO!
• Pair up.
• You and your partner are going to plan a party
together by alternating statements.
• Each response must start with a booming NO!

34. Yes, And...
• Again plan a party.
• Each response must start with Yes, And...

37. Zip, Bonk, Tunnel, Ramp, Splat
• Pass energy to another player as quickly as
possible.
• Starter determines the direction of the energy.
• Zip always moves energy in it's current direction.
• Bonk reverses the energy.
• Ramp skips a person that has to duck under the
energy.
• Tunnel skips a person that has to hop over the
energy.
• Splat fires energy directly to another person.

38. Picture Painting
• As a Team we paint a picture together.
• Starter describes part of a painting.
• Each teammate adds detail to the painting.
• Listen to each other's details to paint a consistent
picture.
• Go around circle multiple times.

39. One Duck, Fell In, The Pond, Kerplunk
• This will always get messed up and when it does we all say
“awwww” and start back at the beginning.

41. TeamFirstDevelopment.com
Email: wayde@wayde.com
Twitter: @teamFirstDev