Cataclops

Cataclops is an innovative corporate training exercise designed to challenge participants' ability to work effectively as an independent team in an interdependent environment.

The Scenario
There is a brand new candy company that would like to build a state of the art manufacturing plant. They are looking for the right team to undertake the project. Their plans are aggressive, so the team they choose must be able to work interdependently, create approaches that get the job done, with zero defects and deliver in very tight timelines. To help them with the selection process, they've put together a little test where each team will have to successfully build their own "Cataclops," a fictitious machine that must be perfectly assembled in a very limited amount of time.

The Details
Independent teams are given pieces to a unique machine called a "Cataclops," and have to develop a system to build their own Cataclops without defect in less than 2.5 minutes. They are given twenty minutes to make sure they have the resources they need, develop a process to build their Cataclops and practice that process to refine it and prepare for the final challenge. Teams may not deal directly with one another. There is, however, a table designated "Central Communication Area," where the supervisor of each team can visit and hope to meet with the supervisors of the other teams to coordinate effort, share strategies or trade pieces. After the twenty minutes, all teams bring their unassembled Cataclops to the competition table (a large table in the center of the room), where they compete to see which team can complete their Cataclops in the least amount of time. If all teams complete the task with zero defects in less than 2.5 minutes, the group will be declared successful and the team with the fastest time will be recognized for their outstanding performance. If even one team does not complete the task with zero defects in less than 2.5 minutes, the group will not be declared successful. The team with the fastest time will still be recognized for their outstanding performance.

Learning Outcomes
Cataclops is a highly involving "team of teams" exercise. Although each team will be held accountable for their ability to perform the task, the involvement of other teams is critical for their success. All communication between teams may occur only through their team "supervisors" and must occur at the "Central Communication Area." As a result, communication is possible but constrained by very narrow parameters. In the end, the group will be successful only if all teams can complete the task in the allotted time. To do this, they will have to communicate frequently, share ideas and approaches, trade resources and coordinate their final effort.

Through this exercise participants will:

• Explore how to work independently to be effective in an interdependent environment.
  
• Experience the impact of being limited by other teams' lack of sensitivity to your needs. (They're too busy or too focused on their task!)
  
• Develop strategies within their team that enable the necessary efficiencies between teams.
  
• Explore what it takes to work effectively through limited communication channels.
  
• Learn to identify and make their specific needs known to other teams.
  
• Share resources.
  
• Discover the value of sharing "soft resources" (ideas, approaches, etc.)
  
• Discuss what it takes to work effectively when timelines are tight.
  
• Create a common platform on which to hold each other accountable to practice the learning.
  
• Create "living language," language that is simple, that captures the essence of the learning, and is safe to use when "calling others to account" back on the job.
  

Logistics
Cataclops is a 1.5-2 hour, highly interactive process that can be customized to meet the specific needs of your group. Cataclops can be used with groups as small as nine people. There is no maximum group size. The format is engaging and fast moving, combining dialogue, experiential exercise and debriefing. One main facilitator is required. Large groups may require support staff.

More Information
For more information on this simulation, click here to access our “request for information” form. Fill out the form and click submit. It’s that simple.