With the new semester underway, MS in Innovation and Management students are getting immersed in the cohort experience with an Improv Workshop.
Held as part of orientation, the Improv Workshop is an activity that allows students to familiarize themselves with the dynamics of working in a team and thinking under pressure. After taking a quick improv lesson with experts, MSIM students had just hours to meet and work on the assignment before convening with the class.
This year, MSIM students had to ideate an innovative new product that addressed the following problem statement: “We live in a time in which people are unable to do many of the activities they once enjoyed. We want you to create a product that will fill (a small part) of this gap, and can be shared among friends in a safe, socially distant way.”
With that problem statement in hand, MSIM students then had to create a 60 to 90-second commercial, adhering to a series of requirements for the product. From “a moment of fear” to “a literary reference,” MSIM students could interpret and implement these into their commercial however they wished.
Given the hybrid in-person/online format being utilized this semester, some groups had to get acclimated to working across time zones and new mediums. Despite these challenges, their creativity was on display during their presentations with fictional products like “Safe Touch,” gloves that cleaned surfaces, and “Scent It,” a tool that sends smells to others.
While their products may be fictional, the new students gained first-hand exposure to innovating new products and working with teams in a fun and silly way, kicking off their MSIM experience just like the program intends – jumping into hands-on creativity and team-based learning, no matter the situation.
We can’t wait to see their accomplishments in the year ahead!