The Breakthrough Manifesto

Make a Mess Method 1: Go Marshmallow!

Tom Wujec's “Spaghetti Marshmallow Challenge,” which we relay in the make a mess chapter, has spread through seminars and science classes to 1,000s of prototyping groups worldwide.¹⁵⁸ One of the key takeaways from analyzing these numerous spaghetti tower challenges is that kids often outperform executives. Although adults spend most of their time concocting a plan and determining who's in charge, kids prototype and play with the materials from the beginning. Each time a last‐minute marshmallow placement causes another “perfectly planned” tower to collapse with no time left to redesign, the prototype‐from‐the‐get‐go kids could notch another tally in the win column.

Trying this challenge yourself is a fun way to get creative juices flowing for your own team to prime the pumps for breakthrough and to demonstrate the power of making a mess.

How to go marshmallow:

• Step 1: Divide your group into teams of four and give them the following supplies:
  • 20 sticks of spaghetti
  • 1 yard of string
  • 1 yard of masking tape
  • 1 standard‐sized marshmallow
  • 1 stopwatch or time‐keeping device

    Be sure to place all these items in a paper bag on the team's table to hide the ingredients and maximize the “surprise and delight.”

• Step 2: Explain the challenge and ...