There are few things I enjoy more at work than designing team building events. I have done close to a dozen over my career and today’s was one of the best for sure. The challenge involved building boats out of cardboard and duct tape and then racing them to determine a grand champion. The rules governing the competition were designed to focus the teams on designing for durability and robustness (characteristics we are seeking to improve in our products). The winning boat would have to complete, in the least time, a total a six 100 yard laps with six different paddlers in head to head rowing. The weather could not have been more perfect and the Abe Bashara Boathouse in Lowell proved the perfect venue. Construction of nine boats took the entire morning with racing and debriefing occupying the balance of the day. More than half the boats finished all six laps with at least one photo finish and a few highly entertaining capsizes.

Feedback from the team was extremely positive and I am confident that the lessons learned about robust design will not soon be forgotten.