Welcome to the gallery! This page includes images and videos from various Inventive Problem Solving activities and workshops. The descriptions are provided for each activity and workshop. There are additional videos of different activities available on the Inventive Problem Solving YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_y6ubNxWtWdqsKx6A0C8wA
IMPROVISATIONAL WORKSHOP: This workshop, led by Steel City Improv, includes different improv games and group exercises. All exercises have an engineering twist to them and are explained in detail below.
WARMUPS: Our improv leader, Justin (from Steel City Improv), leads the class in multiple warmup exercises including stretches, vocal warmups, and quick games.
SLIDESHOW: In this exercise, a group of 5-6 students goes to the front of the classroom. One student from this group is selected to be the presenter. The presenter looks away while the rest of the students form different poses to create a scene. Once the poses are set, the presenter turns around and then describes the scene to the rest of the classroom. Each student in the group takes turns being the presenter. This activity encourages the presenter to think on their feet, having to describe a situation without having seen it before in a matter of seconds (see videos posted below photos).
DESCRIBE THE MACHINE: In this improvisational game, a group of 7-8 students walks to the front of the classroom. One person is chosen as the presenter (who is facing away from the rest of the group) while the rest of the students start making different movements with their bodies. The students making the movements also come together to create a machine (see video). The presenter now has to turn around and describe the machine to the class.
EXPERT WITNESS: In the expert witness game, the prosecutor (wearing the white wig) asks the judge to name seven different ways to complete a process or seven different ways to make an object. Each process or object has an engineering theme.
OBJECTIVE TREE INTERVIEW: The objective tree interview game is designed to understand user needs. Two students (pretending to be engineers) interview two other students (pretending to be users) and try to understand what the issues are that are plaguing the user. A fifth student writes down all the feedback in the form of an objective tree on the board.
INVENTIVE PRINCIPLE GAME: In this game, two students interact and talk about a problem they have encountered. A third student comes up and says “Wait! Using [INVENTIVE PRINCIPLE], change this object into this!”. All students take turns playing each of the roles.
STORY TIME: In this game, groups of students stand in a line at the front of the classroom. Justin (our improv leader) requests a setting and a name from the audience. The students standing at the front of the classroom will now tell a story about the setting and using the name provided. Justin points to a person in line and they begin the story. Without warning, he will change the person he is pointing to; that person now has to take over the story and add onto it. The game continues in that format until everyone has participated multiple times or the story comes to an end.