Go Team – Kenya’s First Tech Based Team Building Product
Read on how this fun and memorable team building product has engaged teams over the last few years, and how it can benefit your team and organization.
March 8th, 2021 • 4 Mins Read
Two years ago, in 2018 we launched Go Team – Kenya’s first technology-based Team Building product. If you are familiar with team building activities in Kenya, you know that a lot of team building is full of physical initiatives. Most if not all team building activities are outdoors and involve a lot of running and physical movement. However, our experience over the years has shown us that clients are looking for a more diverse offering. And given Kenyan’s quick adoption of technology we felt that a tech-based product would meet our client’s need.
Go Team brings a new generation of team building activities to Kenya. Installed on tablets or mobile phone, the Go Team application features a unique mapping system that helps guide teams to their checkpoints. Once members arrive at their destination, GPS-triggered challenges are issued to the teams in the form of questions, clues, and pictures that they will work on together to complete. Updates, feedback, and scores are kept in real-time as teams progress through their amazing race. Back at home base, each team is monitored and can receive bonus missions at key points in their adventure. The Go Team experience is timed, and teams can view how long they have been playing. There is a leaderboard indicating which team is leading and how many points everyone has. There is a chat function allowing teams to communicate to one another, or to the Game Master if they are stuck.
Go Team is like The Amazing Race show that was popular in the 2000’s only this time the clues and challenges are on the application. Regardless of the personalities on your team or interests, the application will provide an insanely memorable and engaging experience. Look below at some of the use cases for companies here in Kenya.
Cellulant’s Go Team Experience
For a few years now, we have helped Cellulant bring their Africa wide orientation sessions alive with meaningful team building sessions that summarize the points brought out during in their orientation. In a past event, we started off with a fun team building session at a hotel in Kileleshwa, then each team was given an iPad and resource kit. The app then directed them to the Arboretum where the team spent most of their time. As with each client the journey and challenges are mapped out days before.
The app directed them to a shop where there were challenges to be completed. On ring road Kileleshwa at the site where the former Java and Shell were, they were prompted to take a photo and describe four toxic behaviors that destroy teams. There were video and photo challenges based on Cellulant’s values and corporate behaviors. Collaborative challenges where they had to work with another team. Creative challenges that required them to get into their team resource kits build something and take a photo of it and several other challenges. Go Team was a great way to recap the orientation session in a fun and engaging outdoor session packed with impactful takeaways.
Aggreko’s Go Team Experience
The Aggreko Africa HR team was in Kenya for a week of strategic and annual planning meetings. Several members of the team were coming to Kenya for the first time and we decided to give them a tourist experience. The experience would start at their hotel on Mombasa road, they would head to the giraffe center, BOMAS of Kenya and then finish off at the Hub over dinner.
After a session of ice breakers every team received an iPad, team resource kit, and had to do a collection of activities around the hotel. The application then instructed them to go to the parking and get into their respective team cars and race to the next location. The App then directed them to the Giraffe center, but on their way, there were several photo and quiz challenges that the team needed to complete on the application. At the Giraffe center they had to take a video of one of their team members feeding a giraffe with a food palette between their lips. Correctly answer questions about giraffes and complete a set of photo and video challenges.
We also had a set of activities at the BOMAS of Kenya that introduced them to the cultural behaviors of tribes in Kenya. At the end of the experience, they had recapped their corporate values, gotten to know their Kenyan colleagues and Kenyan culture a little better, challenged themselves, stepped out of their comfort zones and had a mini tourist experience.
Total Kenya’s Go Team Experience
Over a period of 6 months, we took several of Total Kenya’s departments through team building experiences with Go Team in Naivasha. The App allowed them to compete, explore the properties they were on, have fun but intentional conversations around their values and explore their photography skills. There were dance challenges (yes before TikTok). Forced photography perspective challenges. Photo, video, and quiz challenges based on Total’s corporate values and encouraged behaviors. One team used the app to shoot a video reenacting an elevator pitch with a business they were targeting. Another team used the app to explore conflict resolution techniques. There was a challenge to take a photo of wildlife on the app or capture a photo of another team.
The Total teams were looking for a fresh but fun team building experience and were the first organization in Kenya to try out the app! At the end of each Go Team experience we sit down to look through the various photos and videos that each team took. This is a great collaborative way to look back and see the strengths in each individual team and have teams poke fun at each other.
Going Virtual with Jacaranda Health
Jacaranda Health had a scheduled team building but because of the COVID-19 pandemic were not sure whether it would still take place. Their team reach out to us and asked if we had any virtual solutions. Paired with another fun virtual activity dubbed “Team Social” we set up a fun and engaging virtual experience using the GO Team Application. We started off by sending the team instructions on downloading the Go Team app, zoom meeting room details, charging their devices, and being prepared. Our first order of business was a practice round, this helped the participants know how to use the app and collaborate in the virtual breakout rooms.
We then had three other rounds that included challenges that only the leader could see, with the participants looking for the clues and answers on their app home page. Having three unique rounds helped keep the experience fresh and the participants focused, engaged, and interested in what was coming up next. They completed various challenges – from treasure hunts within the house, dress up or creative challenges, quizzes about work. Created short clips and shot various photo challenges. The result was a fun and engaging event that was supposed to be two hours but ended up being 3 hours long!
The Jacaranda team had not been together as a team for about a month and needed a break from thinking and discussing work with their colleagues. The virtual event was a great opportunity to bond, engage with one another and their company values and have some fun!
If you are looking to learn through play. For a new and fresh experience. A reminder of corporate values and behaviors. Or you would like your team to get creative and explore a given area. Then Go Team is the perfect team building product for you. Get in touch with us for a virtual or in person demo.
