Innovator's Space

Describe The marshmallow challenge was attempted a second time as proof of improvement for both teams from the first attempt. Each group had two chances to build the highest structure with the same material restrictions. Despite planning to improve upon the stable structure from the engineering group from last time, I decided to join the second group to experience what I perceived to be some sort of miracle. I needed to understand the process behind their success and obtain further insight. I also reasoned that the clashing personalities of the engineering group was going to hamper progress, so I resolved to take a secondary helper role in the miracle group. My group first discussed a concept to build around--such was sorely needed due to the nature of the previous build. It appears that the original idea was to recreate a tepee with minimal effort to elevate the marshmallow. Our group headed out to a slow start as we were on different wavelengths of what to do. Thankfully, the mem...

Describe The marshmallow challenge is an exercise for teamwork, an essential skill to utilize in design thinking. A team must--with a limited supply of noodle sticks, tape, and string-- build the tallest stable structure that can hold a marshmallow at the very top. I unfortunately did not participate in the first marshmallow challenge due to certain conditions. I was able to catch a glimpse of the two results. The first structure was made by a group consisting of many engineering students, featuring great structural stability through the use of triangular supports. The second structure was difficult to describe, but outdone the first in height. Think/Feel Aside from feeling terrible from my absence and condition, I was genuinely surprised to see the second structure win. It had little stability and no resemblance to the original concept or method it was supposedly based off. I felt that having too many of the same minds potentially led members of the first group to clash and dela...