This is my latest instructions deck for playing the facilitated paper airplane game as a means for introducing Lean and Agile concepts.

2. Paper Airplane Simulation
• In tables of 4-5, we’ll be building paper airplanes.
• Value = Delivered Aircraft = 1 that Took Flight
• The sooner we deliver, the better we are.
• We’ll be doing a comparison of 2 approaches;
each has 4 Work Centers.
• The 1st work center (or a 5th person) will also
serve as a recorder of times I will call out.

3. Round 1 Manufacturing Instructions
• 1st work center folds corners
to make noses for all 4
airplanes, pass to WC 2
• 2nd work center folds each
down these down to form
fuselage skins for all 4
airplanes, pass to WC 3
• 3rd work center folds each in
half to make the fuselage and
adds your company’s
corporate logo on each side of
the aircraft for all 4 airplanes,
pass to WC 4
• 4th work center folds to make
the wings for all 4 airplanes,
then flies the 4 airplane off
• Recorder captures the times of
the FIRST and LAST flights
Work Center 1 Work Center 2
Work Center 3 Work Center 4
Add Logos

4. Round 1 Set-up
• Take one sheet of paper, set aside (this sheet may
be used for a practice round).
• Identify your recorder: 1st work center or 5th
person.
• Decide on your work centers and manufacturing
flow for the 4 airplanes as they are built.
• Decide what your logo will look like.
• Take the next sheet, pass it through the work
centers; work center 3 will add the corporate logo
to the top left corner. After WC 4, pass it to your
recorder.
Each Work Center completes their assigned work
on all 4 aircraft before passing it along.
REMEMBER

5. Do you need to practice?
(nice landing…)

6. Take off!

7. Round 2 Set-up
• Airplane specifications remain the same.
• Keep your recorder, work centers, and manufacturing
flow for the airplanes as they are built.
• Take the sheet, pass it through the work centers; work
center 3 will add the corporate logo to the top left
corner. After WC 4, pass it to your recorder.
• There Is Only 1 Change To The Process:
As soon as you finish ONE airplane, you may now pass
it to the next work center.
WC 4 may fly a plane as soon as they finish it.

8. Time to launch!

9. Time to RTB and Debrief!