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Exercises/Reflection and Learning/Draw a Cup
Team Reflection ยท Reflection and Learning

Draw a Cup

Draw a Cup is a team reflection exercise for reflection and learning: it helps participants reflect on experience and turn observations into learning.

5 to 15 minutesTIME
Medium group (9-25), Small group (4-8)GROUP SIZE
ActiveENERGY
In personSETTING
Medium cognitive loadCOGNITIVE LOAD
Strengthens Learning Transfer This reflection and learning exercise strengthens Learning Transfer, one of the eight Gathering Effectiveness pillars.

How to run it

  1. Have participants draw a cup
  2. Share the pictures and note similarities and differences
  3. Have participants try again and this time "be creative"
  4. Draw a Cup Timing 5 15 minutes Purpose/Objectives Quick Description Using the simplicity of a coffee cup, engage participants in understanding the role of perspectives Process Have participants draw a cup.
  5. Debrief the learnings with the group Most people draw their coffee cup from the side.
  6. To unleash our creativity, we simply have to work to see our problem like the coffee from a different vantage point.
  7. 15 minutes, exercise, front of the room, perspective, small groups 138
Live facilitator

Run this exercise live

The facilitator console stays in this browser. Its QR handoff is a short-lived participant snapshot containing only public exercise instructions, phase, prompt, and timer state.

Prompts to use +

Have participants draw a cup

Share the pictures and note similarities and differences

Have participants try again and this time "be creative"

Draw a Cup Timing 5 15 minutes Purpose/Objectives Quick Description Using the simplicity of a coffee cup, engage participants in understanding the role of perspectives Process Have participants draw a cup.

Debrief the learnings with the group Most people draw their coffee cup from the side.

To unleash our creativity, we simply have to work to see our problem like the coffee from a different vantage point.

Run this with your AI assistant +

Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or your own local model: paste this prompt and your AI will co-facilitate this exercise with you.

Adapt this exercise for my exact room. Exercise: Draw a Cup. Readiness: Publishable Draft. Core moves: Have participants draw a cup; Share the pictures and note similarities and differences; Have participants try again and this time "be creative"; Draw a Cup Timing 5 15 minutes Purpose/Objectives Quick Description Using the simplicity of a coffee cup, engage participants in understanding the role of perspectives Process Have participants draw a cup.. Return a concise facilitator script with timing, wording, safety notes, and remote/in-person adjustments.

Origin unverified

  • Where we observed it: The strongest current observations come from Relationship Makers Handbook; aggregators are listed as additional observations, not origin proof. (1 source observed, including Relationship Makers Handbook.)
  • What that means: we track where an exercise has been observed in public sources. We do not claim to know who created it, or how popular it is.
  • No efficacy claims: appearing in this library is not a claim that the exercise is proven effective. Facilitator judgment and context decide whether it works for a given room.
  • Corrections: if you have evidence of an earlier or more accurate source, read our methodology and trust boundary and tell us.

Pairs well with