Challenge Cards

Identify and think through challenges, problems, and potential pitfalls in a product, service, or strategy, then match them with solutions. 

👥 4 – 10 person | ⏰ between 30 and 60 minutes

Objectives

The goal of this exercise is to improve a product or strategy by thinking through various scenarios and alternatives. By brainstorming features and strengths of the product or solution, along with potential problems or challenges, teams match up challenges with solutions to tell a collaborative story. 

Instructions

1. Divide each group into two teams:
   The “solution team” silently brainstorms features and strengths of the product or solution.
   The “challenge team” silently brainstorms potential problems or challenges and writes them on index cards, one problem or challenge per card. 
2. When play commences, the two teams work together to tell a collaborative story:
   The challenge team picks a card from the deck and plays it on the table, describing a scene or event where the issue might realistically arise.
   The solution team must then pick a card from their deck that addresses the challenge. 
3. If the solution team has a solution, they get a point, and if they don’t, the challenge team gets a point. 
4. The teams then work together to design a card that addresses that challenge. 
5. Play continues in this fashion, challenge followed by solution followed by challenge, and so on, until the story or scenario reaches a conclusion. 
6. Optional: By turning the exercise into a competition as well as a storytelling game, players are more likely to get engaged and immerse themselves in the scenarios. Keeping it lighthearted and fun will increase the energy. It shouldn’t feel like work. 

Source: 

http://www.gamestorming.com/games-for-design/challenge-cards/

https://www.slideshare.net/almingwork/nyt-product-discovery-activity-guide