Blind Polygon
The whole group stands blindfolded around a long rope tied into a loop. Their task is to form a perfect square with the rope held taut off the ground, without anyone looking. The group has to agree on how to communicate, who leads and how to check progress. When they think they are done, they look, and then talk about how they got there.
Use when a team needs to look at how it organises itself, who takes the lead and who goes quiet, in a short shared challenge before a planning session.
Solves: In real projects, the same people always lead and nobody notices that others have stopped contributing.
- 1
Step 1: Tie the rope ends into a loop and lay it at people's feet (prep).
- 2
Step 2: Everyone puts on a blindfold or closes their eyes; explain the task and rules (3 min).
- 3
Step 3: The group forms a square with the rope taut and off the ground (15-25 min).
- 4
Step 4: When the group declares it finished, everyone looks at the result (1 min).
- 5
Step 5: Debrief: how did you decide, who spoke, what would you do differently next time? (10-15 min)
- Choose a flat area with no obstacles and stand close by to stop anyone wandering off.
- Offer eyes-closed instead of blindfolds and let anyone who prefers it act as a silent observer for the debrief.
- Give a time limit; frustration without a debrief teaches nothing.
- Ask for a triangle, then a pentagon, or appoint a silent observer who reports back.