Highly generative and informal bouts of idea development involving two or three persons. Steady ‘ping pong pairs’ are commonly found at the heart of innovation.
Idea Worker: ‘It is really about something I call a ping pong effect. It starts when someone hits a ball and then it comes back a little bit faster than you expected, and you have to react spontaneously, you try to figure out something smart. It could be something stupid. Then there is someone on the other side that corrects it immediately and says that ‘no, that could not work’, so you have to start imagining how you can move around that in a way.’
Ping pong in practice
… is an act of joint improvisation. It presupposes a duality of receiving and returning:
# Invite: pick someone at your location – ping pong demands physical presence – and offer an invitation: ‘could we discuss this thing here for some minutes …?’
# Bring the gear: use simple sketches, maps, models, metaphors or physical prototypes that you can center on.
# Serve: tell and elaborate on your idea/project/puzzle for a couple of minutes; provide as much relevant details as you can, try to include possible implications.
# Receive: try saying, ‘yes, and…’ a couple of times, look for sparks of genius in the other, use active listening skills.
# Return: challenge with invitation, build on, associate: ‘can you say more about…’, ‘the solution we seek then is to….’, ‘how about we try …’
# Repeat, then end with a positive sentiment!
To install ping pong habits – try a twist
Use the giving of a Twist chocolate (or a comparable goodie) as a marker of a need to engage in informal dialogue about some work related concern of the giver. Giving a twist buys up to 20 minutes of time, use at least one bag per person each month!