One of the biggest challenges in any transformation initiative is breaking through silos and getting teams to work together toward a common goal. Need an effective team building exercise? I developed The Chocolate Pizza Simulation Game as a fun and creative way to bring teams together. By simulating real-world business scenarios, the game encourages cross-departmental collaboration and highlights the importance of alignment between teams. Perfect for transformation initiatives, this interactive exercise helps participants bridge gaps between departments while working together for sweet success.
Game Overview: This exercise, which can be done in as few as 30-minutes, offers a realistic and engaging way to explore the dynamics of cross-departmental collaboration. Set within the context of a chocolate company preparing for Valentine’s Day, one of the busiest times of the year, the game places participants in the roles of two critical departments: Marketing and Warehousing. While the game’s scenario is centered on chocolate pizzas, the lessons learned apply to any company where different departments must work together to achieve shared goals.
In this simulation, the Marketing team is responsible for forecasting demand and requesting inventory, while the Warehousing team manages labor and shipping to meet those requests. Both teams must align their strategies to maximize sales and efficiency, earning a bonus if they perform well.
This simulation effectively mirrors real-world business challenges, where departments often have different priorities but must collaborate to succeed. The game highlights the importance of communication, strategic planning, and flexibility—skills that are crucial for breaking down silos and fostering a more unified approach in any organization. We’ve found that the insights gained from this exercise are universally applicable, helping teams better understand how to work cross-functionally and achieve collective success.
How It Works: The game is divided into six rounds, each representing one week of operations.
Planning Phase:
Each team gets six minutes to develop their strategy. The Marketing team creates an allocation plan based on demand forecasts, while the Warehousing team plans their labor to fulfill the expected shipments.
The Marketing team uses this scorecard to allocate units each week.
Meanwhile, the Warehousing team is using this scorecard to plan labor and track shipments.
Execution Phase:
Based on their plans, Marketing requests a specific number of units to be shipped each week, and Warehousing decides how many units to actually ship based on their labor capacity. The teams then review the outcome, including any missed sales or wasted labor.
- Outcome Review:
- After each round, the facilitator reveals the actual demand and calculates the performance of each team, highlighting areas where they excelled or could improve.
Facilitator Tips:
Running the Chocolate Pizza Simulation Game is straightforward, but a few key tips can ensure everything runs smoothly:
- Room Setup: Keep the Marketing and Warehousing teams separate to minimize early communication.
- Time Management: Use a timer to keep the rounds short and focused.
- Encouraging Collaboration: Allow teams to communicate once they realize the need for alignment—usually by the third round.
Learning Outcomes:
The Chocolate Pizza Simulation Game is more than just a fun exercise—it’s a practical tool for understanding the complexities of cross-departmental collaboration. Participants will learn:
- The Importance of Alignment: Teams must align their goals and strategies to achieve overall success.
- Effective Communication: The game highlights the need for open and strategic communication between departments.
- Strategic Decision-Making: Participants are challenged to make quick, informed decisions under pressure, simulating real-world business scenarios.
Conclusion:
Interactive exercises like the Chocolate Pizza Simulation Game provide an impactful way to break down silos and foster collaboration, helping develop essential skills in teamwork, communication, and strategy. It’s perfect for leaders looking to bring departments together in a fun and productive way. Ready to give it a try?
Get all the materials you need to run the Chocolate Pizza Simulation Game by clicking above!
Meet the Author
Lauren Feehrer has over 24 years of experience in Customer Experience (CX) strategy.
She’s worked with clients like Dell, Best Buy, IDEXX Laboratories, and Merck, her work has been recognized with the North American Customer Centricity Award for Best Customer Experience Strategy.
Lauren earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies, Journalism, and Leadership from the University of Rhode Island, graduating summa cum laude.
She works across KG’s two practice areas of Ways of Working and Technology Adoption.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenfeehrer
