Case Studies

Case studiesThe feedback we get from our clients is one reason we’ve been around so long: we enjoy what we do and so do the people who book us. These two Case Studies show how the whole process develops from learning what the client wants to making it happen to understanding the benefits it brings. Talk to us about what you want – and we’ll do the rest.

Case Study 1: Pioneer

The BriefPioneer logo
To come up with some fun team building games for 60 to 120 people onsite at Pioneer UK’s headquarters in Buckinghamshire.
Timings
Afternoon.

Team Building Games we offered:
School Sports Day (for grown-ups!).
Law and Disorder.
Art Attack.
International Rescue.

Negotiation
We had a meeting with the client several months before their team building event and made several site visits to check on what could and couldn’t be done there. There was a big space outside that perfectly suited our School Sports Day (for grown-ups!) and that was the event we agreed to run for them – with an indoor Law and Disorder option, in case of bad weather.

The event
A School Sports Day (for grown-ups!) for 16 teams. We marked out the track the day before and, on the day, set up a Tuck Shop nearby, serving free sweets and drinks. We also had our own Ice Cream van onsite, serving free ice creams. Our ‘Headmaster’ kicked the day off with a school assembly, then divided everyone into teams and got the Gym Mistress to lead them out to the race track. Activities on the track included a Hula Hoop race, three-legged race and sprint relay. We also had several events that weren’t at all strenuous and where levels of fitness wouldn’t matter – e.g. a Stop Smirking challenge and an Egg Throwing contest. This meant that everyone became involved and, even if they weren’t taking part in a race, they would still enthusiastically cheer on their team. Our actors played a collection of hilarious teacher characters who kept everyone thoroughly entertained and amused.

Feedback on School Sports Day (for grown-ups!)
“The best team building day we’ve ever had!”

“It’s completely changed how we all see each other and brought everyone much closer together.”

“Very professionally organised. Never a dull moment!”

“Planning and execution were perfect.”

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Case Study 2: UK Trade and Investment

Logo for UK Trade and Investment
The Brief
To provide training and team building for a government department of 35 people. Subjects to cover: Manning a Stand, Presentation Skills, Giving and Receiving Feedback. The client already knew the venue it wanted to use and would make its own travel, meal and accommodation arrangements.

Timings
Morning.

Choices we offered
Regular Roleplay using “Forum Theatre” in which actors do most of the roleplaying but receive regular feedback, guidance and direction from the group.

Themed Roleplay which takes people out of their usual work situation and investigates training issues in an entirely different context – e.g. as if they are all spies or gangsters.

Planning
We had a meeting with the client two months before the event and another a week before. The client was keen that the training should teach plenty of new skills but also be very enjoyable.

We knew that we were being invited to pack a lot into a relatively small time frame. We discussed with the client how we would organise the schedule to ensure every subject was covered in an effective way.

We agreed to run our Regular Roleplay, with some Themed Roleplay elements thrown in, using Forum Theatre.

The event
We begin with Presentation Skills then tackle Manning a Display Stand and finish with Giving and Receiving Feedback.

The group is divided in three and each section has an actor to brief and direct. For each roleplay, the actors have a well-defined character and a scenario which they explain to their section. People suggest what their actor might do to achieve the best results. The actors apply what they’ve been asked to do and occasionally stop the action to take on board new suggestions. In this way, they are able to shed light on different and more effective ways of dealing with any situation. Near the end, we invite a few people to act out some roleplays themselves, again receiving input from their colleagues.

We conclude with a debrief and make Keynotes available on all the topics discussed.

Feedback
“Very helpful.” “Very useful.” “Excellent – I learned a lot of valuable lessons.” “Lots of useful ways and new ideas on how to give feedback.” “Very interactive and covered areas that can be applied in the workplace.” “Very constructive in a fun learning environment. Allowed people to learn at their own speed and in their own way.” “I always dread these days but it was much better than I anticipated. A good experience and always useful.” “The relaxed learning environment and novel learning style adopted by Initiative Unlimited was refreshing.” “Very involving – no long dull presentations.”

We run many different events in many different ways. If you like how we do things in these Case Studies, Contact us now or phone us on 0208 842 1284 on how we can help you find what you are looking for.