9 Tips for Better Bodystorming
Last weekend at Overlap09, the fourth Overlap, we did a Bodystorming exercise. Dave Gray, the organizer of Overlap09 asked me to talk about my work on Bodystorming. Dave Gray characterized Bodystorming perfectly as sketching not with a pencil and paper, but with our bodies. As the Bodystorm teams (of super thinkers/doers) went through the exercise I realized it would have been better to have had a list of tips that you can use for better bodystorming. Here is that list and some observations/learnings as well.
- Bodystorm groups over five people are fine, even up to 8 people worked well.
- Everyone needs to have a role, even if it is a prop.
- Freely use large cards that label who the different people are playing (Barista, CNN news feed, Dr).
- Use thought-bubble cards to show what an actor is thinking versus what they are saying. “Good morning to you, How can I help you?” while someone holds a thought-bubble card above their head that shows they are really thinking “A–hole.”
- Have a narrator, or color commentator that explains things to the crowd. That keeps the meta-talk to a minimum.
- The narrator can pretend it is like watching TV and use a TV controller, to stop action, rewind, or fast forward.
- Your props can have feelings, thoughts, and they can talk.
- When your group is working through its presentation, try to approach it with the spirit of improv’s “Yes, and . . . ” rather than “No, but . . . “
- Bodystorm teams that did two skits showing a before and after were very effective.
Bodystorming References
Bodystorming Resources
Tags: Better Bodystorming, Bodystorming
I have long been a proponent of active learning and brainstorming has always been a favorite. I have conducted many teacher trainings (CRISS) about these and using these. Bodystorming takes it just a little bit further and seems to force or encourage even more learning modalities to kick in for the learner.
Visit my blog at http://www.tinyurl.com/realsmart.
[…] Finally, we used a practice called bodystorming to illustrate both the problem and our proposed solution within a coffee shop setting. Dennis Schleicher introduced us to the bodystorming practice earlier in the weekend. Our bodystorm was really a live demonstration (think: a short play), but we presented it in quite a hurry, had to improvise several scenes, and were subject to audience questioning afterwards. All of these things actually led to a better understanding of the problem and solution space! [Aside: some tips on bodystorming.] […]
[…] Finally, we used a practice called bodystorming to illustrate both the problem and our proposed solution within a coffee shop setting. Dennis Schleicher introduced us to the bodystorming practice earlier in the weekend. Our bodystorm was really a live demonstration (think: a short play), but we presented it in quite a hurry, had to improvise several scenes, and were subject to audience questioning afterwards. All of these things actually led to a better understanding of the problem and solution space! [Aside: some tips on bodystorming.] […]
Hey Dennis, hope you are well. Thanks for the great summary. Btw, check out the latest on my BIF project. http://www.businessinnovationfactory.com/sxl
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