Agile Taboo!

Agile Taboo is a game inspired by the famous board game Taboo, adapted to explore agile concepts. Participants must get their team to guess agile terms without using a list of forbidden words. This game promotes communication, creativity, and enhances understanding of agile concepts in a fun way.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Introduction to the game

   10 min

   The facilitator presents the aim of the game: to get team members to guess agility-related terms without using certain forbidden words. They explain the basic rules and distribute the game cards. Participants are divided into teams of 3 to 5 people.

   Tip — Use concrete examples of cards to clarify the rules and reassure participants.

2. 2

   Explanation of the rules

   5 min

   Each team selects a member to start guessing. This member draws a card and has one minute to get their team to guess the term without using the forbidden words. Other teams monitor compliance with the rules.

   Tip — Encourage participants to be creative in their descriptions to avoid forbidden words.

3. 3

   First round

   15 min

   Each team takes turns. The designated member tries to get as many terms guessed in one minute. Teams earn one point for each correctly guessed term.

   Tip — Be vigilant about keeping to the time limit to maintain the pace of the game.

4. 4

   Role change

   5 min

   After each round, teams switch members to guess the terms. This allows each participant to play an active role and experiment with different strategies.

   Tip — Ensure that each team member has the opportunity to guess at least once.

5. 5

   Final round

   15 min

   Teams continue to play until each member has had a chance to guess. The total score is calculated to determine the winning team.

   Tip — Create a friendly competitive atmosphere to motivate participants.

6. 6

   Conclusion

   5 min

   The facilitator announces the winning team and congratulates all participants for their involvement. They remind everyone of the importance of the agile concepts covered during the game.

   Tip — Use this moment to highlight key learnings and encourage discussion.

Variants

• Add cards with increasing levels of difficulty to tailor the game for more advanced participants.
• Integrate concepts specific to your organisation to personalise the experience.
• Limit the time for each round to 30 seconds to increase the difficulty.