Do you want to conduct the plane crash activity with your teams?
The Plane Crash is a classic survival game that tests problem-solving skills under pressure. The exercise is based on consensus decision-making models. It forces participants to prioritize items for survival after a hypothetical crash. This scenario reveals team dynamics and leadership qualities.
In this article, let’s see how to run this engaging activity with your teams.
Here is an overview of the sections in this article:
- The primary objectives of the plane crash exercise
- Five different variations of the activity
- Helpful tips for ensuring a successful facilitation process
- Frequently asked questions about the game
Objective of the Activity
The plane crash activity is a powerful tool for team development. It simulates a high-stakes scenario to reveal how a team functions under stress.
Here are the key objectives of this exercise.
Enhance Communication Skills
Effective communication is the cornerstone of this activity. Team members must articulate their reasoning for prioritizing certain items. They need to listen to others’ perspectives to reach a group consensus. The pressure of the survival scenario forces clear and concise communication. It discourages vague statements and encourages active listening. Participants learn to express their ideas persuasively while respecting differing opinions.
Develop Problem-Solving Abilities
At its core, the plane crash game is a complex problem. The team is presented with a limited set of resources and a challenging goal: survival. They must analyze the situation, evaluate the usefulness of each item, and devise a strategy. This requires critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Participants must consider multiple factors, such as the environment, potential dangers, and the immediate needs of the group.
Foster Collaborative Decision-Making
This activity is a practical lesson in collaborative decision-making. Individuals first rank the items on their own, reflecting their personal priorities. Then, they must work as a group to create a single, unified list. This transition from individual to collective thinking is crucial. It teaches negotiation, compromise, and the importance of building consensus. The goal is for the team to make the best possible decision together.
Identify Emergent Leadership
In leaderless group activities, leadership qualities often emerge naturally. The plane crash scenario provides a platform for individuals to step up. Some may guide the discussion. Others might excel at organizing information or mediating conflicts. The activity allows facilitators to observe different leadership styles in action. It shows who can influence the group positively.
Improve Team Cohesion
Facing a shared challenge can significantly strengthen team bonds. The simulated crisis creates a sense of interdependence. Participants realize they must rely on one another to succeed. The intense discussion and problem-solving process builds mutual respect. It deepens understanding among team members. By working together to “survive,” they form a stronger, more cohesive unit.
5 Variations of the Plane Crash Activity
Here are 5 variations of the plane crash exercise you can use with your teams.
#1. The Classic Survival Scenario
This is the original version that places a team in a remote, harsh environment after a plane crash. The team must rank a list of salvaged items based on their importance for survival.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: List of 15 survival items, paper, and pen
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Provide each participant with the scenario and the list of 15 salvaged items. Ask them to individually pick and rank their top 5 items based on the importance for survival (1 = most important to 5 = least important).
- After everyone completes their individual ranking, instruct the team to work together. They must discuss their choices and create a single, final ranking for the team.
- Set a time limit for the group discussion to simulate pressure. For instance, give the team 5 minutes to come to a consensus.
- Once the time is up, ask each team to present their final list and the reasoning behind their top choices.
Sample Scenario and List of Items You Can Use
Scenario: You’re part of a group that survived a plane crash in a remote, cold mountain area with limited supplies. You need to prioritize items to survive.
Survival Items:
- Water bottle
- First aid kit
- Matches
- Map
- Flashlight
- Food packets
- Rope
- Extra clothes
- Compass
- Solar blanket
- Whistle
- Multitool
- Fire starter
- Radio
- Sleeping bag
(Modify the list to fit your scenario; a mix of necessities and less essential items for critical thinking.)
Debrief
- How did your individual ranking compare to the group’s final ranking?
- What was the most challenging part of reaching a consensus as a team?
- Which communication behaviors helped your group make decisions effectively?
You can also read:
50 Easy Team Building Activities (Workplace)
The Six Thinking Hats Exercise (With Debrief)
#2. The Business Crisis Simulation
This variation adapts the survival theme to a corporate setting, such as a sudden market crash or project failure. Teams must prioritize actions or resources to save a failing business project.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: A business crisis scenario, a list of 10-15 business actions, markers, and whiteboards
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Present the team with a scenario where their key project is facing an unexpected crisis. Provide a list of potential actions, like “reallocate budget,” “inform stakeholders,” or “pivot product features.”
- Ask each person to privately rank these actions based on urgency and impact.
- Facilitate a group discussion where the team must agree on a prioritized action plan.
- Tell each team to write their final action plan on a whiteboard. For example, they might decide that communicating with stakeholders is the top priority, followed by a budget review.
Debrief
- What criteria did your team use to prioritize actions?
- How did you handle disagreements about the best course of action?
- What does this exercise reveal about how your team responds to pressure?
#3. Ocean Drift Survival
In this variation, participants imagine they have evacuated a plane into a life raft in the middle of the ocean. The priority shifts to fresh water conservation and shark protection.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: A list of maritime items
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Tell the teams their plane has sunk, leaving them with a rubber life raft and specific salvageable goods.
- Provide a list with items like a fishing kit, shark repellent, ocean charts, and a floating seat cushion.
- Challenge each team to select only the top 5 items they can keep in the small raft. For example, the team must discuss if “ocean charts” are useful without navigation tools.
Debrief
- How did the group decide which items to discard?
- Did the group prioritize immediate survival needs over long-term rescue hopes? If so, why?
- Have you ensured that the discussion stays focused on the goal? If so, why?
#4. The Arctic Expedition Emergency
This difficult variation places the teams in an extremely cold and unforgiving arctic environment. The choice of items is critical, as a wrong decision has immediate and severe consequences.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: A list of arctic-specific survival items, paper, and pens
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Describe a scenario where the team’s expedition vehicle has broken down in the arctic, miles from base camp.
- Provide a list of items like thermal blankets, a small stove, a compass, or extra food. Ask for individual rankings.
- Challenge the team to reach a consensus on their item ranking within a strict time limit.
- Emphasize the harshness of the environment. For instance, ask each team to explain why they prioritized an item like the stove over another, such as the compass, based on the immediate threat of hypothermia.
Debrief
- How did the extreme environment influence your team’s decisions?
- Were there moments when the group felt stuck or unable to agree? If so, why?
- What did you learn about your team’s ability to make logical decisions under stress?
#5. The Space Mission Failure
This futuristic take on the activity imagines the team as astronauts whose spacecraft has crash-landed on a moon or alien planet. The items are high-tech, and the environment is unknown.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: A list of futuristic or technical items, and scenario description
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Set the scene: the team has crash-landed on the moon, 200 miles from the rendezvous point.
- Provide a list of 15 items left intact, such as oxygen tanks, stellar maps, or a solar-powered transmitter. Ask individuals to rank them.
- Instruct the team to collaboratively rank the items for their journey back to the rendezvous point.
- Ask each team to justify their top three choices. For example, they might argue that oxygen tanks are number one because without them, no other item matters.
Debrief
- How did the unfamiliar setting affect your group’s problem-solving process?
- Did anyone’s specialized knowledge (real or imagined) influence the group’s choices? If so, why?
- How did your team handle uncertainty when the function of some items was unclear?
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Tips for Successful Facilitation
A well-facilitated session can turn a simple game into a profound learning experience. The facilitator’s role is to guide the process without interfering in the team’s decisions.
Here are some key tips to ensure your plane crash activity is successful.
Set the Scene Effectively
The power of this activity lies in its immersive nature. Do not just read the instructions. Use storytelling to paint a vivid picture of the scenario. Describe the sights, sounds, and feelings associated with the crash. For example, you could say, “You feel a sudden jolt, followed by a loud scraping sound. Your plane has crash-landed in a dense, unfamiliar forest.” A compelling narrative helps participants suspend their disbelief. It encourages them to engage with the exercise on an emotional level.
Clarify the Rules and Objectives
Before the activity begins, ensure everyone understands the rules and goals. Explain that there is no single “right” answer. The primary objective is to practice collaboration and consensus-building. Clearly state the time limits for both individual ranking and group discussion. Let the team know how they will share their final results. Clarity prevents confusion during the exercise. It allows participants to focus their energy on the task itself rather than on procedural questions.
Encourage Active Participation
Some individuals may be more vocal than others. As a facilitator, your job is to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing. Pay attention to group dynamics. If you notice someone is quiet, gently invite their opinion. You could say, “Sarah, we haven’t heard from you yet. What are your thoughts on the water purifier?” Avoid putting anyone on the spot. Instead, create openings for quieter members to join the conversation. The goal is to leverage the entire team’s collective intelligence.
Manage Time Effectively
The pressure of a time limit is a key element of the simulation. It forces the team to be efficient and decisive. As a facilitator, you must be a firm but fair timekeeper. Announce when the group has five minutes remaining, then one minute. This helps them manage their discussion and move toward a final decision. Sticking to the schedule maintains the activity’s momentum. It reinforces the idea that in a real crisis, decisions must be made quickly. Resisting the urge to grant extensions will make the exercise more realistic.
Lead a Thorough Debrief
The activity itself is only half the experience; the real learning happens during the debrief. A structured debriefing session helps participants reflect on their experience. It allows them to connect the game to their real-world work dynamics. Use open-ended questions to guide the conversation. Ask about their decision-making process, communication challenges, and leadership moments. Focus the discussion on behaviors, not on whether their survival ranking was “correct.” This is where insights are generated.
Final Words
The plane crash activity is more than just a game. It is a dynamic and insightful exercise in teamwork. By simulating a high-stakes scenario, it reveals how teams communicate, solve problems, and make decisions under pressure. The true value comes from the post-activity debrief, where teams can reflect on their behaviors and identify areas for growth. Facilitating this exercise can help your team build stronger bonds. It can lead to improved collaboration in your workplace.
FAQ: Plane Crash Activity
You might have these questions in mind.
Is there a “correct” answer to the plane crash activity?
No, there is no single correct answer. While some rankings are logically better for survival, the activity’s main purpose is to observe and improve team processes. The focus should be on how the team collaborates to reach a consensus, not on achieving a perfect score.
How long does the entire exercise usually take?
The exercise can be tailored to fit your schedule. The group discussion itself typically lasts 5-10 minutes. You should also budget 5 minutes for individual ranking and at least 10 minutes for a thorough debrief session. In total, plan for about 20-30 minutes.
What if the team cannot reach a consensus?
This is a valuable learning opportunity. If a team cannot agree, it highlights challenges in their negotiation or decision-making processes. During the debrief, you can explore why they got stuck. This can lead to a productive conversation about handling disagreements more effectively in the future.
Can this activity be done virtually?
Yes, the plane crash activity works very well in a virtual setting. You can use breakout rooms for group discussions and digital whiteboards or shared documents for collaborative ranking. Ensure the instructions are clear and that each group has a way to communicate and record their decisions easily.
What is the ideal group size for this exercise?
The ideal size is between 3 and 8 people per group. This is large enough to generate diverse opinions but small enough to allow everyone a chance to participate. If you have a larger team, you can split them into multiple smaller groups to run the activity simultaneously.