The Frog Factory

The Frog Factory is a serious game that teaches the principles of Kanban through the folding of an origami frog. This dynamic game allows participants to understand workflow management by performing rapid iterations and optimising their process. It highlights key concepts such as bottlenecks, market variability, and the importance of versatility.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Introduction and Training

   20 min

   Start by briefly explaining the principles of Kanban and the objective of the game. Distribute the frog folding manual to each team and allow participants to practice folding a frog. Ensure they understand the four phases of construction. Each participant should be able to create a frog in about 30 seconds.

   Tip — Use a live demonstration to show how to fold a frog to clarify the steps.

2. 2

   Team Formation

   10 min

   Ask participants to line up and identify those with knowledge of Kanban. Distribute these participants evenly into two teams. Ensure that each team has a good balance of skills.

   Tip — Encourage participants to share their levels of expertise to facilitate a balanced distribution.

3. 3

   Iteration 1: Smoothing the Flow

   6 min

   Teams begin folding frogs and placing them in storage locations. As the facilitator, check that each frog adheres to the production process. Count the points and display them on the board.

   Tip — Be vigilant about adhering to the construction steps to ensure the learning of the process.

4. 4

   Retrospective 1

   10 min

   Discuss the bottlenecks observed. Encourage participants to reflect on the importance of limiting work in progress to improve flow. Note suggestions for improvement.

   Tip — Ask open-ended questions to stimulate reflection and exchange among participants.

5. 5

   Iteration 2: Market Variability

   6 min

   Introduce variability by asking teams to produce a different number of frogs or change the colour. Observe how teams manage this new demand and adjust their process.

   Tip — Use a die to introduce variability in a random and engaging way.

6. 6

   Retrospective 2

   10 min

   Analyse how teams managed variability. Discuss the importance of stock and flexibility in a changing environment. Encourage teams to share their strategies.

   Tip — Relate discussions to real situations participants may encounter in their work.

7. 7

   Subsequent Iterations and Retrospectives

   40 min

   Continue with iterations 3 to 5, each with a different focus: expertise, disruptions, and integration of learnings. After each iteration, hold a retrospective to discuss lessons learned and possible improvements.

   Tip — Adapt the challenges of the iterations based on the teams' progress to maintain engagement and learning.

Variants

• Add a stricter time constraint to increase pressure and simulate a faster market environment.
• Allow teams to rearrange their members between iterations to experiment with different team configurations.
• Introduce event cards that impose last-minute changes to simulate unforeseen disruptions.