Comment Assin.*2

Instruction: Marshmallow Tower Challenge

1. Read these three discussions below.

2. Write one reply for each discussion. （means write three replies）

3. Each reply should be 80-100 words. (“Agree with you” or some points are good)

Discussion 1

The Marshmallow Challenge was interesting because it shows that there is no exact way to do things. I was surprised to see that kindergarten children did so well in the challenge, and why that is. The fact that their brains work at a different level where failure is not so much an end, but a learning experience and a new beginning. I was also surprised that when money got involved, the results got much worse. 

 

In a business, projects are like this in many ways. They have a set goal, a time to finish and collaboration. If I had a project in a business setting, the first thing I would do is ask around to see how different people would do it. When you gain multiple perspectives of a challenge, your chances of succeeding increase. In the case of the marshmallow challenge, the strategy is to build off of the marshmallow itself and reinforce where needed. I think this is a great idea in a business setting as well. As for human dynamics, it is interesting that a lack of hierarchy actually made it much easier for teams to succeed. The kindergartners aren’t lobbying for power or giving roles, they just do it. A business or organizational strategy can take these notes and see that in team-based projects, collaboration and reinforcement are critical. Instead of trying to get it perfect the first time, they must try and try again, learning from each experience. 

Discussion 2

I found it surprising that the younger kids tend to be more successful with the marshmallow experiment than most adults (aside from architects and engineers). Before Tom Wujec revealed that it was children who typically built higher, more stable structures, I thought it would be a group of seniors instead. I was also surprised by the method that the kids used in order to be successful. It turns out that it’s more beneficial to create prototypes first in order to learn what works and what doesn’t, that way the final product will at least be stable. This concept can be easily applied to organizations or businesses in terms of plan or product development. Creating prototypes reveals potential issues that the plan/product may have. This is important especially if the plan/project has time constraints. Although it will take a bit more time, creating prototypes is worth the effort in the end.

This can also be taken as a primary lesson of the video—that creating prototypes will benefit the production of the final product. Another lesson that can be taken is to start experimenting multiple scenarios as soon as possible instead of contemplating one for a long time. In terms of human dynamics, there are noticeable differences between the children and adults. As Wujec explains, adults try to facilitate roles, discuss options, organize, plan, etc. Children on the other hand go straight to experimentation. Not only is this an interesting dynamic, but it is also a main reason for the children’s success. After watching the video, businesses/organizations may reflect on the procedures they’ve done in the past and make adjustments for the future. One main adjustment may be to spend less time in the planning stage and put more time into creating prototypes.

Discussion 3

After watching the marshmallow challenge, I become quite astounded of how this challenge changes the group's perception of how things should be done. How business majors for example think there is only one way for the structure to be built as to kindergarten students outperforming business students because they think out of the box. Seeing how these younger students outperform the average player is quite unique because the way they think is by making prototypes of their designs. The main understanding that I took from this that can be used in real-life situations is that there is not only one way to create a project. By this I mean that every project has a marshmallow to overcome; this challenge will help you share the experience, common language, prototyping and facilitation. The example the kids showed is that you don’t always need to get something right within the first time; you don’t always need to plan out, have roles in the team nor talk about what option is better. It’s okay to fail however, you must come up with new ideas of how you can decrease your chances of failure; like in this situation making prototypes and improving the structure through experimentation.