This year, we will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of Teamformacja, which means that for 10 years we have been organizing, among other things, the iconic Goldberg Machine (known in our company as the Chain Reaction). During this time, we have carried out over a hundred projects. That seems like a good enough reason to dedicate a separate post to it. 🙂

Let’s start from the beginning — what is a Goldberg Machine?

A Goldberg Machine is a device designed to perform a simple task in the most complicated way possible, usually through a long chain of reactions. The name comes from Rube Goldberg, an American cartoonist famous for creating such complex and humorous machines. Building a Goldberg Machine requires creativity, planning, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, making it a timeless team-building activity for companies.

A warehouse awaiting participants in May 2021 – the first event after a year and a half of exclusively online team-building activities.

How long does it take to build a Goldberg Machine? Where can this team-building activity be organized?

The building process usually takes between 90 and 150 minutes. The overall event is slightly longer, as we first invite participants to take part in a team-building warm-up, and at the end, we celebrate the success together and optionally discuss it in the context of everyday collaboration. The construction typically takes place in a rented conference room or hotel, but the client’s office can also be a suitable venue. We use a space ratio of 2 m² per person, meaning at least 100 m² for 50 participants.

A Goldberg Machine waiting for participants at the client’s office.

Why do employees get involved in building a Goldberg Machine?

We usually strive to simplify processes, optimize, and achieve maximum efficiency in our actions. When building a Goldberg Machine, we get one of the rare opportunities in life to aim for maximum complexity. Framing the goal this way, along with access to a well-stocked warehouse, allows all participants to tap into remarkable creativity within just a few minutes.

“Is a Goldberg Machine really a good idea for our team? We’re not very creative.”

Despite organizing over a hundred Goldberg Machine projects, we are still surprised by both the participants and the clients. Participants often come up with solutions we’ve never seen before—innovative, often humorous, and usually colorful and simply aesthetically pleasing.

Clients, on the other hand, surprise us with their lack of faith in their employees—even if those employees usually perform rather uncreative, analytical tasks. Although we always bring booklets with inspiration to the project, they are usually dismissed within a few moments, and areas of the brain that had been dormant suddenly become active. 🙂

Inspiration booklet

Thank you for making it this far. If you want to learn more about the possibilities a Goldberg Machine can offer, get in touch with us!