--- title: "Cover Story" description: "Small groups imagine a best-case future where their project lands on a magazine cover, then draft the headlines, sidebars, quotes, and imagery on a poster." last_updated: "2026-09-07" canonical: "https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/cover-story/" --- # Cover Story Small groups imagine a best-case future where their project lands on a magazine cover, then draft the headlines, sidebars, quotes, and imagery on a poster. **Time:** 60 minutes. SessionLab lists 30 to 90 minutes. UWT standardizes on 60 minutes for a complete draft, group shareouts, and thematic debrief. **People:** 4 to 24. Small groups of 4 to 6 people. If numbers do not divide evenly (such as 7 or 13), form groups of 3 to 7 or assign spare participants to an existing group of their choice. ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Articulate an expansive, shared vision of future success using standard magazine layout elements. **Use it when:** Use during visioning or strategic planning sessions to encourage teams to look beyond short-term constraints. **Skip it when:** Skip when the immediate task requires near-term tactical planning, operational troubleshooting, or hard budget balancing. ## Materials and tools - One large poster or flipchart sheet pre-drawn with the Cover Story template per group - Thick marking pens in multiple colors (3 to 4 per group) - Sticky notes (one pad per group) - Scratch paper (one sheet per participant) - Printed Cover Story Poster Guide (one copy per table or displayed on screen) - Wall-safe masking tape to mount posters ## Before participants arrive 1. Draw the template sections on flipchart paper for each table: Cover, Headlines, Sidebars, Quotes, Brainstorm, and Images. 2. Distribute markers, sticky notes, scratch paper, and the poster guide to each table. ## Say this to open Imagine our organization achieved an outcome so remarkable that we landed on the front cover of a major magazine. We are going to capture that story. Take a look at the poster: the Cover is the big narrative; Headlines convey key achievements; Sidebars share interesting facets; Quotes show what users or partners say; Images illustrate the scene; and Brainstorm is where you draft your rough notes. You will first spend five quiet minutes imagining your ideal scenario, then combine your ideas into one front-page story. ## How to run it ### 1. Introduce layout and template (5 minutes) Explain the goal and review the template zones: Cover, Headlines, Sidebars, Quotes, Brainstorm, and Images. Point out the printed poster guide on tables. Answer clarifying questions. ### 2. Individual silent reflection (5 minutes) Participants work silently, jotting personal ideas for headlines, quotes, or milestones on scratch paper or sticky notes. Everyone works independently without group critique. ### 3. Small group story creation (30 minutes) Groups share individual notes and decide on a unified storyline. They choose whether to assign a scribe or draw collaboratively. They fill out each section of their poster with text and simple sketches. Stop when the timer reaches 30 minutes. ### 4. Group vision presentations (12 minutes) Reconvene the full room. Each group presents their cover title, primary headline, one quote, and their central image. Allocate 2 minutes per group (allowing up to 6 groups to present within the window). A group may pass or choose one volunteer to speak. ### 5. Thematic debrief (8 minutes) Facilitate a short whole-room discussion noting recurring themes, boldest assumptions, and shared priorities across the covers. ## Debrief questions - What common themes or aspirations appeared across all the covers? - Which imagined milestone surprised you the most? - What underlying strengths in our current work make parts of these stories plausible? **Finished output:** One completed Cover Story poster per group illustrating an ambitious future state. ## Remote Use a digital whiteboard with pre-built Cover Story frames for each breakout room. Split participants into breakout rooms of 4 to 6. Give groups 30 minutes to populate stickies, text boxes, and digital images. Return to the main room for 2-minute screen-share presentations. ## Hybrid Keep remote attendees in their own dedicated virtual breakout group using an online whiteboard canvas. Give them an assigned presenter to screen-share their board to the room during the presentation phase. In-person tables build physical posters. ## Access and participation choices - Visual drawing is optional; groups may describe imagery with text or bullet lists instead of sketching. - Participants may contribute ideas via written sticky notes instead of speaking aloud during group drafting, or pass on presenting. ## If the session gets stuck **Groups get stuck debating realistic budgets or technical feasibility.** Remind participants that this exercise deliberately suspends current disbelief to capture long-term intent, not immediate implementation plans. **One dominant voice takes over the poster design.** Prompt the team to give each member a dedicated section (for example, one person drafts quotes, another drafts sidebars). ## Terms used here - Sidebar: A short, secondary news box accompanying the main article to highlight a specific detail, milestone, or human-interest aspect. ## Participant material: Cover Story Poster Guide COVER STORY TEMPLATE SECTIONS 1. COVER: The publication name and overall headline capturing our biggest success. 2. HEADLINES: Key statements summarizing major achievements and impact. 3. SIDEBARS: Short companion pieces detailing unique facts, background, or milestones. 4. QUOTES: Statements from customers, partners, community members, or team members. 5. BRAINSTORM: Scratch area for raw ideas, keywords, and preliminary concepts. 6. IMAGES: Simple sketches, diagrams, or visual descriptions illustrating the story. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in Gamestorming, which notes the game is based on The Grove Consultants International's Leaders Guide to Accompany the Cover Story Vision Graphic Guide (copyright 1996-2010 The Grove). Retained the six core template categories (Cover, Headlines, Sidebars, Quotes, Brainstorm, Images), the 5-minute individual reflection, and group drafting from Gamestorming and The Grove. Standardized total time to 60 minutes with 2-minute presentation limits to ensure up to 6 groups (24 participants divided into quartets) can share within the allotted time. [Gamestorming](https://gamestorming.com/cover-story) [Gamestorming](https://gamestorming.com/cover-story/) [SessionLab](https://www.sessionlab.com/methods/cover-story) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/cover-story/