Paper Airplane Game
Run the Paper Airplane agile game to explore lean workflow, waste and continuous improvement. Rules, facilitation steps, debrief questions and variations.
A good game that explores continuous improvement and lean workflow
The Paper Airplane game is a hands-on way to see lean workflow in action. Teams fold as many quality airplanes as they can, but only one person can fold at a time — so bottlenecks, waste and handovers show up fast, and the team improves the process between rounds.
Learning goals
Lean workflow, value stream mapping and continuous improvement.
Time and format
About 60 minutes, in person or virtual.
What you need
4+ players and recycled or scrap paper.
How the game works
The objective is to fold as many airplanes as possible in a given timeframe, with one constraint: only one person can make a fold at a time. The team runs timed iterations with a short retrospective between each one, so they can spot waste and improve the flow round after round.
Paper Airplane game rules
- There are 3 minutes per iteration and 5 iterations.
- In between, there is a 1-minute retrospective.
- Every airplane must meet the same design and quality standard.
- Only one person can fold at any one time; the rest of the team supports as needed.
- The team agrees on the airplane design before they start, simple enough to fly about a metre.
- After each round, count only the airplanes that meet the quality standard.
How to facilitate
- Gather the team and agree on a single airplane design and quality standard.
- Start the timer and run the iteration, with one fold at a time.
- Count the airplanes that meet the standard and record the score.
- Hold a 1-minute retrospective so the team can adjust its approach and re-estimate.
- Repeat for all five iterations.
Debrief questions
Run the debrief as a retrospective in TeamRetro so everyone can add their own perspective before you discuss as a group.
- Where did you notice you were waiting (waste)?
- How often was everyone engaged?
- What changes were made, and how did they affect the production process?
- What design aspects could make the flow slower or faster?
- How would this game differ if played virtually versus in person?
- How did quality controls play a part in this process?
- Did you experience the concept of flow?
- Which iteration stood out?
- How did you feel working as a team?
- Did leadership change during the iterations?
- What did you learn from playing this game?
Variations
- Measure the time required to produce a set number of airplanes, rather than counting output in a fixed time.
- Adjust the complexity of the airplane design up or down.
- Introduce a quality check midway through, rather than only at the end.
- Raise the difficulty — for example, require each plane to fly at least two metres.