Aim: Participants identify a single object they would take on a deserted island. Each person discusses why they chose that object. Then the team is asked how they can improve their chances of survival by combining the chosen objects.
Instructions: Provide the context: “Due to a natural disaster, you will be relocated at short notice to a deserted island for an indefinite amount of time. You may only bring one item to the island. What will you bring?"
Allow 3 minutes for decision making and then each person shares what they selected and why.
The team then discusses how they can improve their chances of survival by combining the objects in creative ways. Allow ten to fifteen minutes of brainstorming time.
If this is being done with multiple teams (e.g. in a classroom, or as part of a workshop), each team may be asked to present summarised ideas to the whole cohort.
Why is this useful?: Team members share individual ideas and justifications thus giving insight into their character and experience. The team is then asked to combine these individual ideas for the good of the team thus asking the new team to work together for the first time. If there are multiple teams, the presentation to the entire cohort begins to form team identity.