SKYWALK - A Cartoon based learning method

SKY WALK  :  Using Cartoon as a training tool for Teamwork

1. Introduction

Cartoons are used as training tools.  Stephen Covey (     )  used in his book 'Seven Habits of highly effective people a cartoon of  old lady and young lady so as to  enlighten people regarding the concept of 'Paradigms'. More such tools will help the trainers in carrying out their job.


An attempt is made in the present article by the author  to interpret a cartoon related to team work.

2. The Cartoon - SKY WALK by three people

Here is a cartoon where in three members working as a team are crossing a high raised building tops  from left side to right side . The cartoon depicts  SKY WALK' of three people ' . The author sourced the cartoon from internet  and no specific source  is established hence, mentioned as anonymous.

 

 Source of the cartoon: Anonymous. Author of this article found it as internet resource. 

Author would like to thank the original cartoonist who had drawn it.

 
Following are the limitations that are imputed from the give cartoon. In all, there are three members. They are given a pole which is strong enough to carry the load of people as given in the cartoon. They have no access to resources other than mentioned in the cartoon.

It is cautioned that the roof top gap is so much that any attempts by the group members trying to jump to the other side will lead to FATAL consequences.

The challenge is - Three members have to cross the roof top left side to right side safely as a  SKY WALK. 

Effective Solution involves :  Solution need to be designed in such a way that

- Able to perform within given constraints
-  All human deficiencies are defied and made irrelevant.

- Resource constraints if any, are  also irrelevant
- The situation as given is made use.... MOST

Key points in the cartoon :


A systematic analysis of the cartoon reveals the following: There are two key issues in the cartoon.

1. Length of the 'Walkable Gap'
2. Minimum Number of people needed for safe walkover

The cartoon has STANDARD size of WALKABLE GAP between the roof top edges as depicted in the cartoon. The  gap is  neither too big  nor too small. Expert estimate of  the Walkable Gap will be in the range of ; i) larger than  one step ii) But smaller than two steps.

There is sound logic for this estimate. For example if the walkable gap is less than one step, then  the members could have easily walked on  the gap with no fatal consequences. Further, if the gap is wider then members cannot  walk over the gap safely as shown in the cartoon. 

It is also to be noted  that there is MINIMUM NUMBER  of PEOPLE  required for a safe walkover.  Unless otherwise  it id not possible to have safe walkover the rooftops  as depicted in the cartoon.  The minimum number of people that are required  is at least THREE. In case, there are only one or two members  then they cannot walk over the gap safely.

This standard WALKABLE GAP coupled with  MINIMUM REQUIRED NUMBER OF PEOPLE  is the unique feature of the cartoon. These unique feature made the cartoon an interesting pedagogical tool for the trainers to impart management related lessons to many a learners. 

3. TEAMWORK - Concepts

Team - High performance teams - Self managed teams - Leadership in team - Team formation stages - Team norms - Cohesiveness - Independent tasks - interdependent tasks - Outcome interdependence - Team members' roles - Competition and Coopetition - Authority in teamwork situations - Participative management- Flat teams

4. Execution is the Key : 

As the gap between roof tops is in the range of  > one step but < two steps it is possible to design the walk in a systematic way so that crossing becomes a WALK. 

1. Members set a  Vision, Mission, Objectives, and Goals for crossing the valley.This part plays an important role inspiring the members to raise to meet the given challenge.
2. To motivate the  group members there will be slogans,  punch words are used. 
3. Members evolve as a team on the lines of  team development stages  'Forming - Storming- Norming - Performing'.
4. Members are aware of the strategy and trained for the execution of the strategy. 
5. Develop  stage ( 9 Stages ) wise  Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)  for completing the  task in the cartoon. Analise the cartoon and prepare a  step by step ....TASK SHEET...
6. Agreed upon norms are arrived at and shared by the members 
7.  

8. 
   

4. Task Analysis Sheet:

 

	S      T       E       P	Back Member	Middle  Member	Front  Member
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Total

 

Persons	Front  Person	Middle  Person	Rear  person
Steps ( 1 to 9)
1	Safe	Safe	Safe
2	Half Risky,	Safe	Safe
3	Full Risky,	Safe	Safe
4	Half Risky,	Half Risky,	Safe
5	Safe	Full Risky,	Safe
6	Safe	Half Risky,	Half Risky,
7	Safe	Safe	Full Risky,
8	Safe	Safe	Half Risky,
9	Safe	Safe	Safe

Explanation for the situations mentioned above:

There are possible three types of  situations members face for the Sky Walk.

1. Safe  -  Situation where both the legs  of the person are  based on the  roof top.  This situation is referred to as ' Safe'.

2. Half Risky – Situation where one leg of the person is  in the air and the other leg has support on the roof top. This situation is referred to as ' Half Risky'. Alternatively this situation may also be called Half Safe  too.

3. Full Risky  -  Situation where both the legs of the person are  in the air without any support. This situation is referred to as ' Fully Risky'.

Challenge in the cartoon is :

You are the MANAGER assumed the task of helping the three people in crossing the valley. You need to come out with a well conceived management plan for this to happen. Try to answer the following questions:

1. 

    SkyWalk - Task Analysis Sheet

	Positions	C	B	A
1	^^^  ___	1C Safe	1B Safe	1A Safe
2	_^^^___	2C Pull Down	2B Fulcrum	2A Half Safe
3		3C Pull Down	3B Fulcrum	3A Hanging - UNSAFE
4		4C	4B Fulcrum & Halfsafe	4A Half Safe Pull down
5		5C Carry	5B Hanging- UNSAFE	5A Carry
6		6C Half safe	6B Fulcrum & Half Safe	6A Pull Down
7		7C Hanging- UNSAFE	7B Fulcrum	7A Pull Down
8		8C Half Safe	8B Fulcrum	8A Pull Down
9		9C	9B	9A
		Safe	Safe	Safe

2. Materials required 

- Cartoon Sheet,  A pole

- Brain Storming points

- Task analysis sheet  

- PPT slides 

- Teamwork concepts sheet 

3. How to use the cartoon as learning method ?

2.       Illustrate the 8 Step work process that is involved in crossing the river. Develop systematic task processes that are involved.

-          8 step crossing process

-          Tasks and roles - Three people take variety of roles as they cross the valley. They change their roles in tandem with given accuracy.

-          Technical arrangements needed - Strength of the pole, creating the markings on the pole to help the persons to know where to catch the pole

-          People Competencies that are needed - Skill and competencies than the will and way to do.

-          Traning inputs that are needed

Physical drill, Cooperation and coordination,

Motivating the people  right kind of slogans

-          Principles that need to be kept in mind :

The factors viz.,  ‘Physical stamina’, 

Need for extra infrastructure  for crossing the valley are made irrelevant.

Three people crossing the valley practice at NITIE Mumbai

3.       Illustrate the task roles for THREE people in crossing the valley 

4.       Compare and contrast the three member roles - Person A Vs.Person  B Vs. Person C .

Job of Person  A:  Jobber A is the first person who undertakes the work. And other two will follow him / her. Being the first person to undertake the job he may be called ‘ DISCOVERER’ who is said to be assuming additional effort in assuming the work.

Job of Person  B: Jobber B follows his fore walker i.e/. Jobber A hence Jobber B  is follower.  Comparatively, Jobber B’s job  is less risky compared to Jobber A and more risky compared to Jobber A.   

Job of Person C:  Similar to Jobber B, Jobber C will  follow his / her  fore walkers in crossing the valley.  Comparatively , Jobber C’s  job  is less risky compared to Jobber B and Jobber A.   

5.       What are the salient features of the above action plan ?

While drawing the above action plan two important principles are kept in mind for the safety of the people crossing the valley in an excellent ( efficient and effective way )  manner.

ONE  - If one carefully observe the designing of crossing the valley plan, all the time,  TWO full persons equivalent are involved in crossing. Third person does not have role at any given time. Although it seems THREE persons are working.. It is only TWO persons are working..

Further, work process  is  so designed that at max.  ONLY   ONE person  equivalent at any given time was not steadily ( RISKY)  based on. Other TWO persons are invariably SAFE or  at least  LESS RISKY..  

Further,  work process is so designed that at any given time FOUR legs are bearing the load of one person.  Designing such a plan is most efficient and effective given the situation. It is providing enough safety for the people to cross the valley . This is the  CONCEPTUAL skills that managers bring in for achieving excellence.

TWO - Overall, each of the three persons were undertaking equal and similar work . None of the persons are either overburdened or under burdended in doing the work. 

Equal , Equitable work,  Similar work is the NORM that is followed in designing the work process in this case.. This is again conceptual skill that managers bring in..

However, important point to be noted is that all though same and equal work is being done by the three people, the sequence of the same work varies among the same three persons. This variation in distribution of work has its own implications for the individuals. What are they ? Can you imagine.. Bring your answer to the class room and share it among your class mates..

THREE: Making the physical stamina of people  irrelevant in crossing the valley : Focus of the work design used here was to develop a work system where people’s stamina is not important.

6.       Similarity and differences of Roles of three people

Category of tasks	Similar  Cluster of  TASKS	Role Definition
Safe	1A, 1B, 1C 9A, 9B, 9C
Half safe	2A, 6C … 4A,
Hanging & Unsafe	3A, 5B, 7C	-          No Effort; Depends on other members -
Fulcrum & Half safe	4B,6B	-          Effort is needed to maintain fulcrum ; Depends on others
Pull down		-          Others depend on

7.        What is the plan to allocate the tasks among the three people?

Overall, sum total of total tasks, burdens and responsibilities that are shared by the three people is equal. However, there are variations among the roles of A, B and C in assuming the roles. Accordingly roles are assigned.

8.       What kind of training you think is needed to prepare the three people to assume and enact their roles as enunciated in the action plan.  Design a training plan for the same.

-          Understanding the nature of people’s  contributions - Cooperation - for crossing the valley

-          Persons contribute their cooperations for the completion of task

-          Understanding the need for synchronization - Coordination of cooperation  

-          Practicing the  synchronization of their efforts (equi-length steps and eqi-speed steps and steps in tandem ) through physical drill

-          Practicising each of the steps by the three people separately and together  

9.       Illustrate  the importance of  Conceptual - Human - Technical skills  in completing the task.

Conceptual skills - Imagining the ‘ Unimaginable as Imaginable’. Contributes immensely towards EXCELLENCE 

Human skills - Influencing, communicating to people .. Makes it possible to realize what is possible.

Technical skills - Task planning,

10.   Is there any role for the subject called ‘MANAGEMENT’  in completion of this task? What is that role envisage it? 

There involves the Management which brings in the vitality in the present case. Management may include the following

-          Visualizing the  impossible to be possible

-          Make happen the impossible a possible

-          Detailed and meticulous planning of the task and roles

-          Allocating the tasks and training the people

-          Motivating the people to take up the task and achievement of excellence

11.   Describe the MANAGERIAL EXCELLENCE with reference to the task given.

Managerial Excellence = Managerial Efficiency X Managerial Effectiveness

Excellence is  a combination of three words - Effective Grand Surprise. Three people crossing the valley satisfies the three words ‘ Effective Grand Surprise’. 

12.    Identify the limitations a typical MANAGER face in undertaking the task.

·         Fatal nature of the task

·         Resource constraints

·         People limitations

13.   Write an appropriate caption for Crossing the Valley cartoon

SKY WALK - 

People in general walk on a plain and safe land. It is unimaginable to think people can walk in the sky without any grounding. The plan drawn for this cartoon makes the fatal task into a cake walk. Hence it is labeled as  SKY WALK.

14.   Try to suggest suitable alternate methods ( with the given limitations)  for crossing the valley  

15.      ?  ?