Objective: Five or more teams of 10 must design and construct five independent, sturdy cardboard bridges. The finale requires all five bridges to be linked, creating a continuous track for a Remote Control (RC) vehicle to travel from the start of Bridge 1 to the end of Bridge 5.
The Metaphor: Each team represents a department. While their internal “bridge” must be strong, the organization only succeeds if the “interfaces” (the connections between teams) are seamless.
Each group of 10 is provided with identical kits of reusable/recyclable materials.
Materials examples: Heavy-duty corrugated cardboard sheets, construction papers, news papers, tapes etc
The Constraint: No additional materials will be given throughout the building phase. This means that Material planning is of utmost importance during the entire construction phase.
Engineering Goal: The bridge must span a 1.2-meter or X- Metre gap between tables and support the weight of the RC car plus a “safety factor” (e.g., a 2kg weight).
Halfway through the build, the “Chief Engineers” from each team must meet at a central “Summit.”
The Challenge: Teams realize they haven’t discussed the height, width, or coupling mechanism of their bridge ends.
The Solution: They must standardize the “entry” and “exit” points so the RC car doesn’t fall into the “chasm” between different teams’ work. This phase highlights the importance of cross-functional communication.
The five tables are aligned. The teams lock their bridges together to form one long, 6-meter-plus track.
The Test: A designated driver (or a representative from each team in a relay) navigates the RC car across the entire span and end up on the Stage within a stipulated timeframe!
Success Criteria:
Structural Integrity: No bridge collapses under the car.
Continuity: The car transitions smoothly between bridges.
Collaborative Win: The car reaches the final destination.
