VAIO is a sub-brand for many of Sony's computer products. The brand was created to distinguish computing products that encompassed the use of consumer audio and video applications.

Objective

Sony VAIO wanted an event for their future leaders that linked to the division’s values of ‘realising dreams’. The group is constantly challenged to create and develop new technical products and so Sony VAIO wanted an experiential programme that would allow the participants to transfer the learning directly to their workplace.

Solution

Impact Japan worked with Sony to design a three-day programme that included a Community Action Learning (CAL) project. Participants were tasked with demonstrating to a group of nursery school children that ‘technology is fun’.

The participants had to utilise their leadership and management skills to successfully perform a creative and dynamic task. The project was made increasingly complex with the addition of new tasks – eg the school teachers requested that the children were also educated about the risk of excessive video game playing and TV watching and were given advice on computer care.

The participants designed two projects to teach the children about technology.

One group wrote and performed a sequel to a popular Japanese folk story. The hero was in trouble because his friend was too busy playing a computer game to help him. Whilst being entertaining it provided a lesson on the risk of excessive tv/video game action.
The second group designed a practical session, to make a telephone out of paper cups and string. This session was structured to demonstrate the importance of taking care of personal computers.

Result

The children were engaged throughout the sessions and learned about the fun side and the risks involved in technology. The headmaster said "the children’s earnest expression told everything. I cannot think of any points for improvement."

The participants used the review session to link their behaviour during the project to how they act in their workplace, seeking to more effectively prioritise tasks and meet deadlines. The project focused their attention on examples of good leadership and management. The final outcome gave each participant a great sense of accomplishment and key learnings to take back to work.