Warm-ups in Design Thinking — More than just a Game

I am writing this article because I have recently observed that very often through the arbitrary use of warm-ups in design thinking workshops, the participants sometimes get the wrong message that design thinking is just a childish game. With this article I’m advocating a more conscious and goal-oriented handling of warm-ups, so that they are supportive and not irritating.

So what are warm-ups?

Warm-ups can be described as exercises one normally runs right before the main proceedings to help participants relax and ease people into a group activity or learning situation. Warm-ups go very well with design thinking because they support many of its attributes, such as being curious and having an open mindset as well as being mindful of and collaborating with other people.

Consequently, a well-chosen warm-up can add real value to a design thinking workshop or project, but then, a poorly chosen warm-up can also have the opposite effect, making people feel nervous, uncomfortable and confused. So, when choosing your warm-up, choose it purposefully! Here are some pointers to bare in mind:

• Firstly, warm-ups are not per se part of design thinking, they just have proven to be a useful way of promoting team work and supporting certain work attitudes.
• Warm-ups as well as other methods and exercises should generally be selected to suit the team, so you should know your audience and the people you are working with.
• While it’s important to be mindful of the people, it is also vital to read the current mood and situation and select the warm-up accordingly — it should fit to the given circumstances.
• Let the participants understand that you don’t just want to do a ‘warm-up’ with them now. Communicate the goal and reflect on it afterwards if necessary. Especially when using an ‘educative’ warm-up, e.g. ‘Marshmallow Challenge’ before prototyping, you should debrief it — active reflection increases the likelihood of understanding and learning.
• For the conduct of the warm-up, give clear instructions and know when a short demo might be necessary for your audience to better understand the activity.
• Lastly, I would like to add that you as a facilitator should love and understand the warm-up you’re choosing and get excited when using it. Only then will the spark be transmitted to the participants.

Below, you find some examples of what for and when you can use a warm-up:

• Create a positive group atmosphere

• Help people to get to know one another (better)

• Break down social barriers

• Reduce pressure

• Energize

• Distract the group temporarily to better focus afterwards

• Prepare the team for a certain mode of working / phase / mindset

Based on my experience, here are some warm-ups that always work pretty well:

Create a positive group atmosphere

Help people to get to know one another (better)

Break down social barriers

Reduce pressure

Energize

Distract the group temporarily to better focus afterwards

Prepare the team for a certain mode of working / phase / mindset

Good luck and have fun! Feedback is always appreciated. And feel free to share your favorite warm-up! :)