Desert Island
Teams must agree on 5 items to bring to a desert island - revealing decision-making styles and priorities.
20-30 min
4-30 people
medium
None needed
About This Game
Desert Island is a classic consensus-building exercise where teams choose which items to bring. The discussion process reveals how members prioritize, negotiate, and make decisions together.
Objectives
- Practice consensus building skills
- Reveal individual values and priorities
- Develop negotiation and persuasion abilities
- Understand team decision-making dynamics
How to Run This Game
Facilitator Script:
"You're stranded on a desert island. From this list of 15 items, your TEAM must agree on 5 to bring. Everyone must genuinely agree - no majority voting!"
Actions:
- Present the scenario
- Share list: knife, rope, matches, tarp, fishing gear, first aid, water purifier, etc.
- Emphasize: true consensus required
Tips:
- • Include mix of survival and comfort items
- • No obviously perfect answer
Facilitator Script:
"First, individually rank your personal top 5. Write them down privately - don't share yet."
Actions:
- Give quiet thinking time
- Have people write rankings
Tips:
- • Creates personal investment before group discussion
- • Ranking (not just listing) adds depth
Facilitator Script:
"Now discuss and reach consensus. Everyone must truly agree - not just give in. You have 15 minutes."
Actions:
- Break into teams of 4-6
- Monitor for genuine consensus vs capitulation
- Give time warnings
Tips:
- • Watch for dominant voices
- • Encourage quiet members
- • Note different decision processes
Facilitator Script:
"Each team shares their 5 items. Then: HOW did you decide? Did everyone feel heard?"
Actions:
- Teams share choices and reasoning
- Discuss process over results
- Highlight different approaches
Tips:
- • Focus on HOW not WHAT
- • There's no "right" answer
- • Process is the learning
Facilitator Tips
- Process matters more than final answer
- Watch for unequal participation - intervene if needed
- Variants: zombie apocalypse, Mars mission, office setup
Common Challenges & Solutions
Variations & Adaptations
Choose survival items for zombie outbreak
Tools for perfect home office setup
teams have used this game