Innovation Workshop

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Produce developed solution concepts and tangible prototypes for a shared organizational or community problem.

Use it when: Use when a group needs to move from an abstract challenge statement to concrete, testable ideas within a structured working session.

Skip it when: Skip when the core problem is undefined, when participants lack domain context, or when the team already has a selected plan that simply needs implementation.

Group arrangement: Teams of 4 to 6 participants (maximum 4 teams total). At minimum group size, form 2 teams of 3. At 24, form 4 teams of 6. Split odd group counts evenly across 2 to 4 tables (for example, 7 splits into 3 and 4; 13 splits into 4, 4, and 5; 19 splits into 4, 5, 5, and 5).

Timing: The source specifies 2 to 4 hours. This run sheet specifies a 120-minute compact delivery.

Materials and tools

• 1 flip chart pad per team
• 3 pads of sticky notes per team
• 2 medium markers per person
• Dot stickers (2 per person) for concept selection
• Prototyping kit per team: 5 sheets heavy cardboard, 1 roll masking tape, 2 pairs blunt scissors, 1 pack colored index cards
• 1 labeled folder per team for documentation
• 1 digital countdown timer visible to the room
• Printed problem brief for each participant using the supplied template

Before participants arrive

1. Draft and print a one-page problem brief using the provided Challenge Brief and Selection Criteria Template, ensuring specific challenge text is entered.
2. Arrange the room into separate team tables accommodating 4 to 6 people each (maximum 4 tables).
3. Place sticky notes, markers, dot stickers, flip chart paper, labeled folders, and a prototyping kit at every table.

Say this to open

Welcome. Today we are tackling one shared problem: how to make our service intake easier for first-time visitors. Our goal is not just to talk, but to generate options, choose one concept per table, build a rough visual model of it, and test it with each other. Everything stays collaborative and rough. Let us review the challenge brief together.

How to run it

1. Introduce challenge and set ground rules 15 minutes

   Distribute the printed brief. Read the challenge statement, background context, and fixed constraints aloud. Set working rules: suspend judgment during idea generation, build on peer ideas, keep work visible, and stick to the time limits. Allow five minutes for clarifying questions about the constraints.

2. Silent idea generation and clustering 25 minutes

   Direct participants to work silently for eight minutes, writing one idea per sticky note. Prompt for quantity and variety. After eight minutes, team members take turns posting and reading their notes aloud on their table flip chart without debating merits. Group similar concepts into clusters.

3. Select and refine one concept 20 minutes

   Teams evaluate clusters against feasibility, originality, and impact. Members place their two dot stickers on their preferred ideas. The team discusses the highest-voted options and selects exactly one concept to develop. They complete section 4 of the printed template, writing a two-sentence summary stating what the solution is, who it helps, and how.

4. Build a rapid prototype 30 minutes

   Teams use their prototyping supplies (cardboard, index cards, tape, markers) to build a tangible representation of their chosen concept. The prototype can be a physical model, a paper storyboard, or a sample user interface. Models must show how a user experiences the solution from start to finish.

5. Present prototypes and collect feedback 20 minutes

   Each team presents their prototype for 3 minutes, with 4 teams maximum. Observers spend 1 minute writing feedback on sticky notes responding to two prompts: What works and What questions remain. Observers give notes to the presenters to post on their flip chart. All teams present within 16 minutes, leaving 4 minutes for handoffs.

6. Debrief and capture next steps 10 minutes

   Lead a structured whole-room review focusing on feasibility and next steps. Each team designates one member to photograph their prototype, collect sticky note clusters and written feedback notes, and store them in the team folder for documentation.

Debrief questions

• Facilitator chooses 1 or 2 questions to guide whole-room discussion: Which ideas addressed the stated constraints most realistically?
• What assumptions did your team uncover while building the physical prototype?
• What is one concrete next step required to test the strongest idea with real users?

Finished output: Each team produces a labeled concept sheet, a physical or paper prototype, and documented peer feedback notes stored in a team folder.

Remote

Use breakout rooms of 4 to 6 people. Replace physical kits with an online whiteboard containing pre-built boards with problem briefs, digital sticky note areas, and wireframe or diagramming templates. Presentations occur in the main plenary via screen share, keeping the exact timing of 3 minutes for demonstration and 1 minute for peer feedback. Observers add digital sticky notes directly onto the presenting team's dedicated board area.

Hybrid

Form in-person teams and fully remote teams separately rather than mixing members within a single table. In-person tables use physical craft materials and photograph their prototypes to post on the shared digital board. Remote teams build on the shared digital board. Remote observers add digital sticky notes to presenting teams' boards; in-person observers hand physical notes to presenting in-person teams, while designated buddies post physical notes digitally for remote presenting teams.

Access and participation choices

• Participants can contribute by writing sticky notes, sketching diagrams, building physical elements, or presenting verbally.
• Any participant may opt out of whole-group presenting and instead take team notes or manage table materials without disclosure.

If the session gets stuck

A team debates one idea endlessly and runs out of time to build a prototype.

Remind them to use the dot stickers immediately. The idea with the most dots becomes the prototype build without further debate.

Participants try to create a finished slide deck instead of a rough prototype.

Remind teams that slides are banned. Direct them to craft an artifact, diagram, or 3D cardboard mock-up that demonstrates user experience.

Terms used here

• Prototype: A rough, low-cost physical or visual model used to communicate an idea and test how it works.