Testimonials and ResearchTestimonials and Acclaim for the Subarctic Survival Situation"That night, [Colleen McGuffin, the Fargo general manager] led everyone out into the sub-freezing weather to stand and shiver for five minutes. Back in the warmth of The Rivery, she divided them into…teams. 'We picked some people who weren't working well together, and some people who've never worked together,' she explains. Each team was then given a sub-Arctic (sic) survival situation kit…by Human Synergistics International. …One group…had problems. 'There were lots of opinions, and two leaders with opposite views,' McGuffin says. "Later…McGuffin noticed that one member's scores were markedly better than the group's as a whole, a sure sign of lousy communication. …a previously quiet team member…suddenly spoke up.‘…I've been trained in Arctic survival. But I didn't say anything. I didn't want everyone to think I'm a know-it-all.’ Lesson: If you don't have the expertise, figure out who does; if you do have the expertise, say so. Communicate or die." Excert from: "To be honest, I also thought the Subarctic Exercise was quite instructive...." Excerpt from: Harvard Business School students, after completing the Subarctic Survival Situation, share their own parody of the simulation. “Congratulate Jeff Scherer and Steve Purdy on a job well done. In what may be the best spoof of all time, they created a video that turned the Subarctic survival into a reality much closer to home, "How to Survive FRC When You're Hung Over." The scene: It's 8:40 am. You stayed up all night drinking, and you are now severely hung over. You have only the six items in your backpack at your disposal: the case, a financial calculator, your fiancé, a cup of coffee, a bottle of rum, and a jar of maple syrup. You have to rank them in order of importance to your survival of FRC. Think about it, and I'll get back to you next week with the answers according to Dean Kim Clark (who struck a remarkable resemblance to Steve in the video)." Excerpt from: "Community building should be a key component to any 'Introduction to Engineering' course aimed at enhancing student success. An effective way I have found to introduce community building in my 'Introduction to Engineering' class is through the use of survival simulations. "One particularly effective survival simulation is the 'Sub-Artic Survival Situation' developed by Human Synergistics International. The objective of the simulation is to build team consensus and develop decision-making skills by presenting a survival challenge in a remote area. The sub-artic survival situation is a scenario in which a plane crash has marooned survivors in a frigid and isolated environment with only minimal salvaged items. Team members are required to rank these items individually and then as a group, according to their survival value. The team ranks are compared to an "expert’s" rank in order to provide a frame of reference. Generally, the team rank outscores the individual rank indicating efficient use of the group’s resources and team synergy. However, on occasion, individual rankings may outscore the group scores indicating a breakdown in group dynamics. Possible reasons for group breakdowns may be discussed with the students. Through this process, students are exposed to the behaviors and skills necessary for effective teamwork. "The exercise is easy to facilitate. Participant booklets and a video describe the scenario (complete with a topographic map of the sub-artic region) and present the survival challenge. A scoring grid facilitates individual and team score comparisons. Especially dramatic is the accompanying video, which uses a sight-and-sound reenactment to provide a sense of realism that immediately engages the students. "I have found that the sub-artic survival simulation is fun and naturally encourages student participation. It is a good 'icebreaker' for a freshman orientation class, and since the simulation is interactive and team-oriented, students gain an understanding of what is involved in the group decision-making process (group dynamics). Students learn that in order to 'survive,' they must cooperate and support one another, that the collective is greater than the individual, and that teamwork is necessary for enhancing their success in their academic and professional careers." Excerpt from:
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