Planning or Execution — Which Should Take Priority? Learning Through the Marshmallow Challenge in Field Basics

This is a report from Professor Masahiko Kamekura’s “Field Basics” class in the School of Commerce.

As it was the first session of the course, Professor Yūji Ono, Dean of the School of Commerce, also participated. Students engaged in an activity known as the Marshmallow Challenge—a team-based exercise in which participants use pasta, tape, string, and a marshmallow to construct a self-standing tower within a time limit, aiming to place the marshmallow as high as possible.

Through this challenge, students learned the importance of teamwork, role allocation, and communication in achieving a shared goal. Following the activity, a discussion was held on whether prioritizing planning or prioritizing execution leads to more effective outcomes.