EGG DROP – GAME INSTRUCTION SHEET

You are a team of Product Development Experts working towards developing a device which can safely
protect certain very delicate items when transported from place to place. You shall design, prepare and
demonstrate a model to your management in a short time. The management will check if your device
can safely protect an EGG when dropped from a height of 25 ft. You have obtained the cost of the
material required; which is as follows.

Material Cost
Drinking Straw Rs. 500/- each, Maximum-10
Piece of Paper Rs. 500/- each, Maximum-5
Balloon Rs. 1,250/- each, Maximum-6
Cello Tape Rs. 500/-, if required – 2nd –Rs.1,000/- (Maximum-2)
Thread Roll Rs. 500/-, if required – 2nd –Rs.1,000/- (Maximum-2)
Paper knife Rs. 200/-, if required– 2nd –Rs. 500/- (Maximum-2)

Game rules:

o Each team gets 30 minutes to prepare and submit its model

o At least some portion of the egg should be clearly visible after the preparation
o An egg will be given for free, if broken; an extra egg would cost Rs. 5,000/- If the second egg is
broken, third would cost Rs. 8,000/-. If the third egg is broken, the team gets disqualified.
o All the material required should initially be purchased at once. If more material is required during
the preparation, it would cost 20% more.
o Teams cannot return/exchange the material once purchased. Teams cannot exchange material with
other teams.
o Teams cannot observe other teams/exchange ideas.
o No outside material should be used. Any team using outside material will be disqualified.
 DEBRIEFING POINTS

1. Team Communication
o What do you think is the importance of communication in teams?
o Could your team members succeed in communicating with each other effectively?
o Has there been a communication gap in your team? If yes, was your team able to detect and
demystify it quickly? Have you suffered any loss in between?
o How would you contribute to improve team communication at work?

2. Planning
o What do you think is the importance of planning in teams?
o Could your team members succeed in planning (designing) a robust device? Were you able to
help your team in each stage of the game?
o If your plan was a total failure, does your team have a contingency?
o What steps would you take for successful planning at work?
o If budgeting in Egg drop game is like gathering/considering all relevant information at work,
how would you benefit from proactive planning; i.e. while working in the interest of your team?

3. Participation & Cooperation

o What do you think is the importance of participation in teams?
o Have all your team members participated actively while preparing the device?
o Have all team members cooperated well for the success of the operation?
o What should we do in order to receive cooperation from everyone in team?
o What should we do to make everyone participate in time of urgency?
o How shall non-cooperation in teams be dealt on the lines of problem solving?

4. Coordination
o What role does coordination play while working in teams?
o Have your team members coordinated well for the success of the game?
o If there are more coordinators and less active players in your team at work, how should it be
balanced?
5. Ethics
o What do you think is the importance of being ethical teams?
o Has your team scored good points on being ethical while playing the game?
o Has your team been penalized for breaking the rules? If yes, why do you think it has happened?
o How would you respond if you face unethical behaviour from anybody in your team at work?

6. Leadership
o Was there confusion at the beginning; with members not clear with game / the other’s ideas?
o Did it take long time before reaching some clarity of ideas and acceptance of thoughts?
o Has a Leader emerged out of your team while playing the game?
o Could you lead the team or help the leader actively?
o At work, do you assume leadership when necessary or is your actual manager always the leader?
o At work, when situations demand, would you like to lead or to be lead?
o What is your understanding about Leadership Behaviour in teams?

7. Time Management
o Has time been a constraint while playing the game?
o If your team could or couldn’t manage within given time, what do you think has affected much?
o If you were to manage the task in lesser time, what all are the changes you shall bring to your
execution?

8. Creativity
o Did you think an egg would survive when dropped from such a height?
o What ideas struck you when the game was explained to you?
o Have your ideas been different from those of others while designing your egg drop device?
o Have you observed the final model of other teams?
o Has there been a transfer of ideas and thoughts after the game; i.e. by looking at the other
models?
o If other teams have come out with better/different ideas; what do you think has blocked your
team from such ideas?
o What is the role of creativity at work? Do you know where your team can bring in a difference
by thinking/working creatively?
9. Quality of the Product
o Has the egg in your model survived the first drop? Has it survived the second drop?
o Did your model win in the competition? If no, where do you think was the problem?
o What was your budget? Have you left any material unused?
o Is your product costly but a failure? Was it economical but moderate in quality? Was it like
cheap and best? What is the comment of experts?
o If quality of product in egg drop game is like ‘performance of your team at work,’ what should
you do to produce the best quality results?

10. Optimum utilization of resources

o Have you purchased all types of material from the shop or worked without some of those?
o Was it necessary to use all the material purchased by your team or was the material purchased
insufficient?
o How many members were there in your team? Was the size of the team right?
o Has there been a non-participant? If yes, have you tried to utilize their service?
o Could you complete your task within the time frame? If no, how could you perform better if you
shall repeat the game?
o Of time, material and man power resources, which do you always, fall short of?
o Would your team require any improvement in the way it is currently utilizing these resources?