Build a tower, build a team | Tom Wujec

譯者: Bill Hsiung 審譯者: Jeannie Cheng

Several years ago here at TED, Peter Skillman

數年前，Peter Skillman 在 TED 這邊

introduced a design challenge

介紹了一個設計競賽，

called the marshmallow challenge.

稱之為「棉花糖挑戰」。

And the idea's pretty simple:

它的概念非常的簡單，

Teams of four have to build the tallest free-standing structure

一組四人的團隊，必須建造出最高的、能自我支撐的結構，

out of 20 sticks of spaghetti,

只能使用廿根義大利麵、

one yard of tape, one yard of string

一碼長的膠帶、一碼長的細繩、

and a marshmallow.

跟一顆棉花糖。

The marshmallow has to be on top.

棉花糖必須在頂端。

And, though it seems really simple, it's actually pretty hard

然而，雖然看起來非常的簡單，實際上它的難度非常高，

because it forces people

因為它強迫人們

to collaborate very quickly.

非常迅速的合作。

And so, I thought this was an interesting idea,

因此我認為這是個非常有趣的主意，

and I incorporated it into a design workshop.

並將之包含在一個設計研習活動中，

And it was a huge success.

活動非常的成功。

And since then, I've conducted

從那時開始，我已經在全世界

about 70 design workshops across the world

舉辦了大約七十場的設計研討會，

with students and designers and architects,

研討會參與成員包括學生、設計師與建築師，

even the CTOs of the Fortune 50,

甚至名列財富雜誌前五十大企業的首席技術長。

and there's something about this exercise

關於這個活動的一些事物

that reveals very deep lessons

揭露了關於合作本質上的

about the nature of collaboration,

一些非常深層的課題，

and I'd like to share some of them with you.

而我希望能夠與你們分享其中的一部分。

So, normally, most people begin

所以，一般來說，多數人從

by orienting themselves to the task.

引導他們進入任務目標開始著手。

They talk about it, they figure out what it's going to look like,

他們談論它，嘗試弄清最後的結構將會看起來是什麼樣子，

they jockey for power.

他們嘗試掌握權力，

Then they spend some time planning, organizing,

然後他們花部份時間在計劃、組織上。

they sketch and they lay out spaghetti.

他們快速描繪出結構，將義大利麵攤開，

They spend the majority of their time

他們絕大多數的時間花在

assembling the sticks into ever-growing structures.

將義大利麵條組合在一個不斷擴張的結構上，

And then finally, just as they're running out of time,

直到最後，就在他們快要來不及的時候，

someone takes out the marshmallow,

某人將棉花糖拿了出來，

and then they gingerly put it on top,

然後他們小心翼翼將它放在頂端，

and then they stand back, and -- ta-da! --

然後他們退後一步，嗒啦！

they admire their work.

他們仰望著他們的成果。

But what really happens, most of the time,

但事實上所發生的是，大多數時候，

is that the "ta-da" turns into an "uh-oh,"

那個「嗒啦」變成了「啊哦」，

because the weight of the marshmallow causes the entire structure

因為棉花糖的重量導致整個結構

to buckle and to collapse.

彎曲然後崩潰。

So there are a number of people

然而有些人，

who have a lot more "uh-oh" moments than others,

他們發出「啊哦」的次數遠比其他人要來的多，

and among the worst are recent graduates of business school.

其中最糟糕的是剛從商學院畢業的社會新鮮人。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

They lie, they cheat, they get distracted

他們不誠實、作弊、容易分心，

and they produce really lame structures.

他們所建造的結構不堪入目。

And of course there are teams

當然有些隊伍，

that have a lot more "ta-da" structures,

他們擁有「嗒啦」結構的機率高得多，

and among the best are recent graduates of kindergarten.

其中最棒的是，剛剛從幼稚園畢業的小朋友。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And it's pretty amazing.

這相當不可思議。

As Peter tells us,

就像彼得告訴我們的一樣，

not only do they produce the tallest structures,

他們不但可以做出最高的結構，

but they're the most interesting structures of them all.

他們所建出來的也是所有結構當中最有趣的。

So the question you want to ask is:

所以，現在你想要問：

How come? Why? What is it about them?

怎麼可能？為什麼？關於他們是怎麼回事？

And Peter likes to say that

彼得總是喜歡這麼說：

none of the kids spend any time

「這些孩子們中沒有一個花時間在

trying to be CEO of Spaghetti, Inc. Right?

嘗試擔任義大利麵有限公司的執行總裁。」是的，

They don't spend time jockeying for power.

他們不花時間在爭取權利。

But there's another reason as well.

但是除此之外還有另一個原因，

And the reason is that business students are trained

那是因為商學院學生被訓練成

to find the single right plan, right?

找出唯一「正確」的計劃，對吧，

And then they execute on it.

然後他們針對計劃執行。

And then what happens is, when they put the marshmallow on the top,

然後發生的事情是，當他們將棉花糖放到頂端，

they run out of time and what happens?

他們已經沒有時間了，接下來發生什麼事呢？

It's a crisis.

那是個危機。

Sound familiar? Right.

聽起來很耳熟？是的。

What kindergarteners do differently

幼稚園小朋友不同的地方在於，

is that they start with the marshmallow,

他們從棉花糖本身開始著手，

and they build prototypes, successive prototypes,

然後他們建構測試版本的結構，不斷地進行測試，

always keeping the marshmallow on top,

總是保持棉花糖在頂端，

so they have multiple times to fix when they build prototypes along the way.

所以他們一路上有許多機會修正建構不良的測試結構。

Designers recognize this type of collaboration

設計師們認為反覆的過程

as the essence of the iterative process.

是這類型合作所需要的本質。

And with each version, kids get instant feedback

伴隨著每一個版本，孩子們得到即時的回應，

about what works and what doesn't work.

學到了什麼可行，哪些又不可行。

So the capacity to play in prototype is really essential,

因此擁有嘗試原型版本的機會是非常基本且重要的，

but let's look at how different teams perform.

現在讓我們來看看不同隊伍們的表現吧。

So the average for most people is around 20 inches;

大多數人的平均結構高度是大約廿英吋，

business schools students, about half of that;

商學院的學生是大約那個數字的一半，

lawyers, a little better, but not much better than that,

律師，好一點點，但也沒有好到哪裡去，

kindergarteners, better than most adults.

幼稚園小朋友，比絕大多數的成年人要好。

Who does the very best?

誰做得最好？

Architects and engineers, thankfully.

建築師跟工程師，謝天謝地。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Thirty-nine inches is the tallest structure I've seen.

我所親眼見過最高的結構是 39 英吋。

And why is it? Because they understand triangles

為什麼他們可以達到那個高度？因為他們了解

and self-reinforcing geometrical patterns

三角形及其它能夠自我重新強化穩定的幾何構造

are the key to building

是建造穩定結構的

stable structures.

關鍵。

So CEOs, a little bit better than average,

執行總裁們，稍微比平均好一點。

but here's where it gets interesting.

但是有趣的在這邊，

If you put you put an executive admin. on the team,

如果你在他們的團隊中加入行政管理人員，

they get significantly better.

他們的表現顯著進步。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

It's incredible. You know, you look around, you go, "Oh, that team's going to win."

非常不可置信。你知道的，當你環顧四處，你會知道，「喔，那隊伍將會勝利。」

You can just tell beforehand. And why is that?

你可以在事前就看得出來，為什麼？

Because they have special skills

因為他們擁有輔助

of facilitation.

的特殊才能。

They manage the process, they understand the process.

他們管理程序，他們也了解程序。

And any team who manages

而任何一隊，能夠管理

and pays close attention to work

並且專注於工作上的

will significantly improve the team's performance.

將會顯著的提昇團隊的表現。

Specialized skills and facilitation skills

專業的技能與輔助的才華，

are the combination that leads to strong success.

是邁向重大成功的組合。

If you have 10 teams that typically perform,

如果你讓十個隊伍進行這個活動，

you'll get maybe six or so that have standing structures.

最後大約會有六個左右的隊伍，他們的成果能夠穩定的站立。

And I tried something interesting.

然後我嘗試了某件有趣的事，

I thought, let's up the ante, once.

我想著，讓我們提高賭注一次看看。

So I offered a 10,000 dollar prize of software to the winning team.

因此我懸賞等同市值一萬美元的軟體給第一名的隊伍。

So what do you think happened to these design students?

你認為這些設計學生們最後怎麼了？

What was the result?

結果如何？

Here's what happened:

結果就是這樣。

Not one team had a standing structure.

沒有一個隊伍的成果是站著的。

If anyone had built, say, a one inch structure,

如果有任何一個隊伍建出，不管，一英吋的高度也好，

they would have taken home the prize.

他們就能夠將獎品帶回家的。

So, isn't that interesting? That high stakes

所以，看到高賭注所帶來的

have a strong impact.

強大影響力很有趣吧？

We did the exercise again with the same students.

當我們對同樣一群學生再進行一次這個活動的時候，

What do you think happened then?

你認為會發生什麼事？

So now they understand the value of prototyping.

現在他們知道了建造測試結構的重要性，

So the same team went from being the very worst

因此原本是表現最差的那個隊伍，

to being among the very best.

成為了領先群之一。

They produced the tallest structures in the least amount of time.

他們在最短的時間內，建造出了最高的結構之一。

So there's deep lessons for us

因此，這裡有個值得我們大家學習的深度課題，

about the nature of incentives and success.

那就是關於獎勵與成功的本質。

So, you might ask: Why would anyone

因此，你也許想問：

actually spend time writing a marshmallow challenge?

為什麼會有人真的花時間設計這個「棉花糖挑戰」？

And the reason is, I help create

理由是，我幫忙創造

digital tools and processes

數位工具和程序，

to help teams build cars and video games

以用來幫助團隊們建造汽車、電玩與

and visual effects.

視覺特效。

And what the marshmallow challenge does

而「棉花糖挑戰」所做的是，

is it helps them identify the hidden assumptions.

它幫助了他們找出那些「隱藏的假設」。

Because, frankly,

因為，坦白說，

every project has its own marshmallow, doesn't it?

每一個計劃都有屬於它們自己的「棉花糖」，難道不是嗎？

The challenge provides a shared experience,

這個挑戰提供了一個共享的經驗，

a common language,

一個共通的語言，

a common stance to build the right prototype.

同樣的立場去建造出正確的原型版本。

And so, this is the value of the experience,

因此，這就是體驗的價值，

of this so simple exercise.

藉由一個如此簡單的活動。

And those of you who are interested

在眾的各位如果有興趣的，

may want to go to MarshmallowChallenge.com.

可能會想去 marshmallowchallenge.com 網站看看。

It's a blog that you can look at

那是個部落格，在那邊你可以讀到

how to build the marshmallows.

如何建造「棉花糖挑戰」。

There's step-by-step instructions on this.

那邊有關於這方面的詳細步驟指引，

There are crazy examples from around the world

還有來自世界各地的瘋狂例子，

of how people tweak and adjust the system.

你可以看到人們是如何最這個系統進行調整與細部修正，

There's world records that are on this as well.

那邊也有這個活動的世界紀錄。

And the fundamental lesson, I believe,

我認為，最基本的一課是，

is that design truly is

設計事實上是

a contact sport.

一種接觸性的運動。

It demands that we bring all of our senses to the task,

它要求我們用上我們所有的感官來進行任務，

and that we apply the very best of our thinking,

還要我們用上我們最高度的思考，

our feeling and our doing

我們的感覺與我們的行動，

to the challenge that we have at hand.

來挑戰我們手中所有的東西。

And sometimes, a little prototype of this experience

而且，有時，關於這個體驗的一個小小原型，

is all that it takes to turn us

就足夠轉變

from an "uh-oh" moment to a "ta-da" moment.

我們的「啊哦」時刻變成「嗒啦」的一刻。

And that can make a big difference.

那可以造成非常大的不同。

Thank you very much.

非常謝謝各位。

(Applause)

（掌聲）