Timing
15 – 30 minutes, depending on the ensuing discussion!
Overview
This is a game about setting expectations. That can be setting expectations between a coach and a team, or between a new product owner and a new scrum master. The point is to make getting to know each other and establishing expectations more fun! The ensuing discussion is a great way to establish a coaching agreement between a coach and a new team or to get people aligned on what to expect from fellow team members (IE: what a team expects from their new product owner and vice versa)
Materials
- BIG sticky notes or construction paper
- Markers
- Someone to play Wink Martindale
- The Newlywed Theme Song
Instructions
Given a scenario where a new coach is being parachuted into a team that has no experience with Agile, it’s important to set expectations on both sides. This is a fun way for a coach to communicate to a team what he/she expects from the team.
- Play the Newlywed Theme song
- Enjoy the crazy looks you’ll get from the people in the room
- Explain the rules of the Newlywed Game:
- Each party will need to take 10-15 minutes to write down 3 expectations they have from the other party. IE: the coach will write down 3 things they expect from the team, and vice-versa.
- One party, in this example, the coach, will be sent to the iso-booth to record his/her answers on 3 big sticky notes.
- The coach will come back in the room and try to guess the 3 expectations the team wrote down.
- The team will then try to guess the 3 expectations the coach wrote down.
- Have a discussion (decide on a time box) around where both parties converged and where they diverged.
- The big stickies are then posted on the team wall as a reminder about the working agreement that has been formed.
This game was co-developed with Shawn Button.
