Interactive workshop: Lego4Scrum

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Agile methods, especially Scrum, thrive on continuous learning and practice. Recently, our team that handles the creation of template documents took this to the next level by being the first team in our IT division to integrate serious games into their learning process.

Why serious games?

• Enhanced Learning Retention: Games make complex concepts easier to grasp and remember.
• Team Building: Collaborative play strengthens team dynamics and communication.
• Immediate Application: Participants can directly apply Scrum principles in a simulated, risk-free environment.
• Engagement and Motivation: Fun and interactive methods keep everyone motivated and eager to learn.

Who:

This team is a vital application, and it is interconnected with many other departments of the bank and it is responsible for the composition of the documents for retail, private banking and insurance.

How:

We had a 4 hour on site workshop where the participants were divided into three teams to play the Lego4Scrum game, transforming abstract Agile concepts into tangible, engaging experiences.

The team was in charge of building a new city using Lego bricks for buildings and shaping the landscape by drawing.

The Product Backlog shared by the Product Owner was refined, estimated using Poker estimations in a Magic Estimates format and then the city starting taking shape sprint by sprint by including the topmost priorities in the sprint backlogs of each team.

The retrospectives (using Starfish retro for this exercise) allowed the team to look for and implement improvement opportunities to better execute the sprints and deliver value.

The 5 Scrum Values (Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect and Courage) were taken into consideration throughout the workshop in order to enhance the team spirit and collaboration.

The exercise laid the foundation for a following 2 hours session on Product Ownership, tackling subjects like value, prioritization/backlog ordering techniques, Cynefin sense making framework for understanding the ways of acting in various domains (Simple, Complicated, Complex and Chaos), intrinsic motivation etc.

The atmosphere was vibrant and fun, filled with the hum of teamwork and creativity. Through the hands-on nature of Lego4Scrum, participants not only had a blast but also refreshed their understanding of essential Scrum roles, ceremonies, artifacts, and values. By the end of the workshop, everyone left with a renewed clarity on Agile practices, ready to implement these insights in their real-world projects.

Serious games like Lego4Scrum are powerful tools for keeping Agile learning both effective and enjoyable.

Ready to build a stronger Agile team? Let’s play our way to success!