Tic-Tac-Toe
From Collaboratory
This is a technique that Jeff Conklin uses in his workshops to demonstrate the importance of Shared Display:
- Pair people up. Give them a sheet of paper. Have them play Tic-Tac-Toe.
- Now ask them to play again without the paper.
- Now ask them to play four-by-four Tic-Tac-Toe without the paper. No one will finish; stop the game after people have a chance to struggle.
- Debrief.
Most people know how to play 3x3 Tic-Tac-Toe correctly (it should always end as a draw). The first game should be straightforward, and if people lose, it will bring some humor to the process.
Playing 3x3 without the paper is harder, but doable. Playing 4x4 without the paper is essentially impossible. That's because of the Rule of Seven. Consider how many ideas are discussed in a small group in a five minute conversation. Now consider how often you carry on those conversations without the aid of a Shared Display.
[edit] Observations
Watching people play 4x4 Tic-Tac-Toe is fascinating, because it often reveals various levels of human ingenuity. We struggle with keeping track of 16 squares, so we invent tricks. For example, we invent and agree on addressing schemes. In some cases, people will ask to draw a grid for reference. Even though they're not allowed to fill it out, having one helps them visualize and remember the game.
An interesting twist on the exercise is to ask people to draw what they think is the current state of their 4x4 game. It's a quick-and-easy way to see if people are on the same page -- a very simple version of the BlueOxen:Squirm Test, if you will.
