A workshop summary sheet of engaging and fun methods to brainstorm "stories" to address business goals and then use those stories to support Lean Startup action planning - what will you build; how will you measure; what are you seeking to learn.

1. New Ideas, Action Plans, Teamwork & FUN using
Extreme Innovation Games
Jason Tice – www.theagilefactor.com - @theagilefactor
Objective
Let’s combine some interactive brainstorming games to discover new ideas, collaboratively decide what
to focus on, then make the ideas real reflecting on how to achieve them using the three stages of the
Lean Startup Methodology:
• What do we need to “BUILD”?
• How will we “MEASURE”?
• And what do we hope to “LEARN”?
Story Time – Brainstorm ideas as a team
Objective - Use story telling to brainstorm a marketing activity and/or product to be created to support
the goal of your organization.
• Roll the story dice, and then as a team try to tell a story using all of the dice that supports the
goal of your organization.
• When the team is able to tell a full story that the team finds acceptable, a member of the team
records the story (story can be written down or recorded on video), and snaps a picture of the
dice that were used to tell the story.
o HINT – you will need to refer back to the dice later in the exercise.
• Repeat rolling story dice, telling stories, and capturing stories until your team has at least 5
stories to choose from.
Dot Vote – Decide as a team where to focus
Objective – Democratically decide which story (recall stories represent a marketing activity or product)
your team should focus on the support the goal of your organization.
• Each team member receives 3 votes.
• Votes can be allocated as team members see fit.
o Team members can put all votes on a single story, or spread them between up to 3
separate stories.
• In the event of a tie, discuss as a team and/or vote again to break the tie.
o If the team isn’t able to resolve the tie themselves, poll others and go with their opinion.
Lean Startup Action Plan – Determine actions to make the story real
Objective – Create an action plan with metrics to get started on your goal and guide progress.
• Reset the story dice to represent the items depicted in the story the team has decided to focus
on.
• Complete a row in the story grid for each die
o Hint: In team and workshop sessions, recommended to make a large story grid using Post-
It notes on a table or wall.
o Hint: Some teams find it helpful to re-order the dice in the story when making the action
plan - perhaps there is something later in the story that it makes sense to do first to learn
more up front.
• In the “STEP” column, draw an item to represent the die and its linkage to something to do or
build to support your organization’s goal.
o Think: what could you draw to represent that part of the story – this could be just the
figure on the die or how the figure in the die links to the story you are telling.

2. New Ideas, Action Plans, Teamwork & FUN using
Extreme Innovation Games
Jason Tice – www.theagilefactor.com - @theagilefactor
• In the “BUILD” column, write the action that your team will complete or item to build inspired by
the die.
• In the “MEASURE” column, discuss and then write how you will measure the impact of what is
done / built.
o Think: what can you measure to know if the action is providing the desired benefit, is it
working?
o Think: what data would be useful for your business sponsor (or yourself) to report
progress is being made, value is being generated, and/or risk is being reduced?
• In the “LEARN” column, discuss and then write down what you hope to learn by completing
and/or building the item listed.
o Think: what do you need to learn to be best prepare to achieve your organization’s goal?
Facilitation Tips:
• Markers - Ask people to write using markers, this forces people to be mindful in the words they
choose to write (more thinking to promote better ideas) and also makes it easier to capture
photos of the ideas created.
• Post-Its - Using Post-It notes to capture ideas is recommended (rather than writing on paper or
whiteboard) – since Post-Its are moveable they allow for ideas to be moved around and arranged
to refine concepts.
Example Story Grid
In workshops and team sessions, build a story grid like this using Post-It notes on a table or wall.
STEP BUILD MEASURE LEARN
Debrief / Notes