TOOLKIT DESIGNED BYJackson Chu, Franklin Gaw, Kelly Lau-Kee, Critter Taylor

The Poncho! Method

Ever realize why the saying “a couple that sweats together, stays together” is just so dang true? Course you have! That’s because fun and playful activities create powerful bonds among friends and strangers alike. Poncho! uses jovial activities to reveal opportunities. While it may just look like fun and games, facilitators can discover important insights about the specific groups of people that will be utilizing a space, be it in an o!ce, studio, plane or train. Follow me as we take a (possibly) sweat-free journey through a game of fun and play!

GOALSThe Poncho Method aims to:

WHAT’S INCLUDEDList of Method Tools Provided

Understand the dynamics among the group of people within a space

Help articulate key qualities that represent the group of people.

Identify potential design opportunities within the space.

Poncho Template (To create numerous ponchos)

Instruction Booklet(What you’re reading right now)

Prompts(Candidness is encouraged)

Activity Stickers(Speech Bubbles and Emoticons)

Get jiggy with it.

Poncho Method Summary

SESSION TIME45+ Minutes

Speak Time5 Minutes

Faciltator Prepration10-15 Minutes

Each participant is given a paper poncho, a set of stickers and prompts.

Participants will respond to the prompt given and attach the prompt to the

poncho that they will wear throughout the session. It will make you look fat. Get

over it. As participants walk around the space, they can then respond to other

people’s responses either in written comment or with emoticon stickers.

Play Time20-30 Minutes

Wonder Time10-15 Minutes

PARTICIPATION

For best results have a minimum of 10 participants.

ENVIRONMENT

No one likes a stubbed toe. Consider using an open space that is

free of furniture, physical obstructions, or potentially fatal

machinery.

FACILITATOR PREPARATIONMaterials: Poncho Template, Butcher Paper, *Sticker Paper

Identify Space

MakePonchos

“Consider using an open space that is free of furniture, physical

obstructions, or potentially fatal machinery.”

Pick a place to hold your poncho party, cause there ain’t no party

like a poncho party. Set up the event ahead of time and finalize the

number of participants.

IdentifySpace

Make Ponchos

To make ponchos for each participant, consider getting a large

roll of butcher paper and a cleaver. Unfold the poncho template

into a large rectangle and trace the large rectangle on the

butcher paper.

(Fig. 1)

Cut out the rectangle, and fold the rectangle in half.

Repeat the previous two steps to make enough ponchos for

each participant.

(Fig. 2) With the folded rectangle, trace a semi-circle on the

center of the folded edge. Cut semi-circle to create neck-hole.

(Fig. 1)

(Fig. 2)

Print Stickers

Print Prompts

NEVER HAVE I EVER

You can access the digital file of the activity stickers via:

www.ponchomethod.cc/stickers.pdf

Be sure to print out 1 set of activity stickers per participant.

If you don’t have sticker paper, feel free to improvise with tape

and normal paper as long as you are able to adhere the sticker

content to the ponchos later on.

You access the digital file of the prompts via:

www.ponchomethod.cc/prompts.pdf

Each participant should have 2 copies of the same prompt, with no

repeating prompts across participants. If possible, choose an even

amount of prompts from each of the categories listed in Appendix

A. Print the prompts on sticker paper as well. Again, feel free to

improvise with tape and normal paper as long as you are able to

adhere the sticker content to the ponchos later on.

FACILITATOR PREPARATIONMaterials Needed: Poncho Template, Butcher Paper, *Sticker Paper

Tip: Feel free to create your own prompts as you see fit if

you have particular questions about the space itself or the

people in the space. Ex. I wish this space ________________. AIN’T NOTHIN WRONG WITH

23 IS JUST THE RIGHT # OF

The Poncho! MethodLETS BEGIN THE SESSION!

Materials Needed: Poncho template, butcher paper, sticker

paper (optional)

SPEAK TIME

PLAY TIME

WONDER TIME

ANALYSIS

00

01

02 Respond to Prompts

Group React/Response

Flip Poncho and Repeat

03

04

Q/A Session05

Facilitator Introduction

Distribute Materials

Video Documentation

Poncho Analysis

SPEAK TIMEStep 00 + 01

A facilitator is required to run the session.

That’s probably you. When all participants

are present, give 1 poncho, 1 set of

stickers, and 2 copies of the same prompt

to each participant.

Consider finding an assistant to help

video record the session.

Begin by introducing the purpose of the

activity. The facilitator can say something

along the lines of:

Step 0

Step 1

The activity we are about do will help

us understand more about you & the

people that are using this space.

SPEAK TIMEStep 02

Have the participants look at their prompts. Even though each participant gets

two copies of the same prompt, write their responses only on one of the prompt

sticker. Once they answer it, have them stick it onto their poncho. Put on their

ponchos when they are done. Allow roughly 5 minutes for this segment.

Step 2

PLAY TIMEStep 03

When all participants have their ponchos on them,

begin the interaction segment by getting them to walk

around the space and look at other people’s responses.

With their sticker set, participants can choose to

respond to the responses on each other’s ponchos,

either with a written comment or simply an emoticon

sticker. Restrict the responses to using only the front

side of the poncho. Let interactions occur naturally

amongst the participants. Minimal interference from

the facilitator is recommended. Be sure to avoid telling

participants how ridiculous they look in their ponchos.

Allow roughly 10-15 minutes for this segment.

Step 3

INTERACTIONStep 04

When interaction begins to dwindle, have the

participants pause and gather together. This

time, each participant will give the second copy

of their prompt to another person of their

choice. With the new prompts, repeat Step 2

and Step 3 by flipping over the poncho using

the blank back side as the new front.

PLAY TIMEStep 04

Step 4

WONDER TIMEStep 05

At the end of the session, gather the participants around. Each participant will

be given the chance to ask one question to another participant about their

response to the prompts. Some possible questions could include:

What do you mean by _______________________ ?

Why did you say ______________________ ?

Can you tell me the story behind ____________ ?

Step 5

Poncho! AnalysisLETS ANALYZE THE FINDINGS!

It’s time to take a look at what you’ve learned! The analysis will be divided

into two parts: the video analysis and the artifact (poncho) analysis.

SPEAK TIME

PLAY TIME

WONDER TIME

ANALYSIS

00

01

02 Respond to Prompts

Group React/Response

Flip Poncho and Repeat

03

04

Q/A Session05

Video Documentation

Poncho Analysis

Facilitator Introduction

Distribute Materials

Video DocumentationFilming the session will be helpful for studying the

interactions after the event. Keep the following questions in

mind as you study the video:

How engaged are the participants?

Are the participants communicative? Quiet? Loud? Expressive?

How did participants’ responses reflect on how they acted?

What are some of the common personalities/qualities of this group?

Did participants engage in verbal conversations? How much?

What are some of the unique personalities/qualities within this group?

CONTENT:

How comfortable were participants with the responses? Were they personal?

Generic? How frequent do participants use emoticons? Comments? (Direct

comments is an indication of more intimacy in relationships between

participants??)

DICTION:

What kinds of words were used? Formal? Informal? Colloquial?

TONE:

What kind of tone were the responses and comments in? Were people

encouraging? Positive or negative?

PonchoThe poncho is an e!ective artefact in helping the facilitator learn

more about the individual personalities of the group. Keep the

following questions in mind as you study the ponchos:

By following these guiding questions, you should be able to build a list of vocabulary that will help you define the group of people. Try to build a list of at least 10 words that describes the group. Using this list of vocabulary, you can then begin to make decisions that best caters to the group of people.

For example, say you had surveyed a group of coworkers in an o!ce space. After conducting the session you discover the session was somewhat impersonal and not as humorous as you would have hoped (bummer). In this case it may be worthwhile to focus on opportunities that will encourage people to get to know one another and interact more on a personal level in the workplace, such as setting up social spaces, or even organizing company outings.

The End!

APPENDIXPrompt Organization

PLAYFUL:

Never have I ever _______.

I would never _______ in the _______.

23 is just the right number of _______.

Nothing is more awkward than _______.

Aint nothing wrong being a little _______ because _______.

For a million dollars, I would _______.

I get turned on most by _______.

The craziest secret I’ve heard was _______.

I will never _______ again.

My first crush was _______ and I _______.

REAL TALK:

Someday I want to visit _______ because _______.

When I was younger, I use to _______.

I am deathly afraid of _______.

If I could only do one thing for the rest of my life, I would _______.

I know my life changed when _______.

I have a weak spot for _______.

When I retire I will _______.

I’m compelled most by _______.

I enjoy my life because _______.

Poncho Method

TOOLKIT DESIGNED BYJackson Chu, Franklin Gaw, Kelly Lau-Kee, Critter Taylor