RollaBall!™ | Roller Coaster Teamwork Training Activity

Are you looking to improve collaboration and communication within your organisation? RollaBall! is a multi-functional team development activity.

Each team has to build one third of a runway to carry a ball from one end to the other.

But first teams need to answer a set of multiple choice questions to get the resources they require. While teams could share the answers with other teams, they often fail to do so, highlighting the importance of establishing good communication and sharing information readily. Each team needs resources or the complete structure will not be built. So why not share answers?

Once teams have their resources, they can begin building their runway parts. The three parts are:

• a tower and starting block plus the first section of the runway
• a longer piece of runway to include two curves
• an uphill section with a basket for the finish

During this process, there is a meeting area where teams can discuss how the separate sections can fit together, stressing the importance of inter-team collaboration. Different parts of an organisation are not rivals - they need to collaborate for success.

Use RollaBall! to demonstrate the value of collaboration, communication, and teamwork.

• Practise working effectively within a team
• See the advantages of collaboration with other teams
• Learn to give as well as demand required information
• Communicate effectively
• Listen to others

1. Introduce the activity.
2. Divide the group into three teams.
3. Set up a neutral area for inter-team meetings.
4. Issue Briefing Sheets and construction materials when teams answer multiple choice questions correctly.
5. Observe the teams in action, noting behaviours. Often teams begin by trying to compete and by withholding information, whereas the whole point is to share information freely and work as one big team.
6. Bring teams together and test the completed structure.
7. Issue review forms and conduct a Debrief, rounding off with Action Plans for performance improvement.

Full guidance supplied in the Trainer’s Notes.

Hard & Digital Copy

• ☑️ Hard copy pack supplied
• ☑️ PDFs supplied

Digital Copy

• ☑️ PDFs supplied
• ❌ You will need to source: A4 White Card x50 sheets, Ping-Pong Balls x3, Sticky-Tape x3, Scissors x3, Rulers x3, Bag of Paperclips (approx. 90) & Rubber Bands (approx. 100)

Full Contents

• Trainer’s Notes
• Team Briefs A, B & C
• 20 Questions Forms
• Team Review Form
• Resources: A4 White Card x50 sheets, Ping-Pong Balls x3, Sticky-Tape x3, Scissors x3, Rulers x3, Bag of Paperclips (approx. 90) & Rubber Bands (approx. 100)

This activity is for face-to-face classroom use. The digital files are supplied via the Northgate Trainerhub.

This Northgate Training activity comes with a five-year licence for repeat use with up to 21 participants at a time, for use by Trainers based at one licence-holding site.

All Trainers physically based at the same office location can access the Northgate resources during the five-year term, including the digital resources supplied on the Trainerhub via your own site-specific Trainer Dashboard. If you have Trainers based at other locations, and/or remote workers, who would like to access and use the Northgate resources, we can advise further depending on your requirements.

For further information on our licence terms please view the Northgate Licence Agreement.