Every year, our development team organizes a team event. This year, building cars was on the agenda.

Why did we decide to build cars?

Several methods and principles that we use daily at Netstream originate in the automotive industry. Lean Thinking comes from Toyota and aims at continuous improvement and optimization of all production processes. Kanban as a work method for increasing efficiency and Kaizen as an improvement process are also part of ourag work routine.

But that doesn't interest us in the slightest on theag of our team event.

What we had planned for the team event was supposed to be a surprise. But Sasha and Julian had already found out theag before that it involved building cars.

On theag of the team event, after lunchagset off by train and postbus (yes, they still exist in Zurich) to Uitikon-Waldegg.

The event organizers welcome us, divide us into three teams, and announce the task. Each team receives a jigsaw, a cordless drill, sandpaper, a tape measure, five sturdy wood screws, various small wood screws, severalag, a piece of string, and two pens. The base consists of a board approximately 240 x 130 cm and two sturdy wooden beams.

The requirements are low: The vehicle must be able to drive, be steerable, offer a braking option andagat least four team members.

Sounds easy? Maybe at first. Ever made a wheel out of wood without a compass? We have now. They turned out about as round as Pac-Man did back in the day on a Commodore 64.

The challenge for our development team, however, is this: Five team members with five different approaches, skills, ideas, native languages ​​and different levels of understanding are to build a car in a maximum of two hours that meets the minimum requirements and is of sufficient quality to survive the test track and, of course, get everyone safely to the finish line.

That's precisely what connects our everyday environment with this car manufacturing process: mastering complexity! So we should be as prepared as possible.

Time is running out. While some want to get started slowly with sawing and drilling, others feel the need for more precise planning. However, it is precisely this teamwork and mix that will make the team successful and the result usable.

After two hours, we're all ready for the test track. But before we start, the design is evaluated. It's striking: all three cars are built according to the same concept. The same type of steering, the same braking system, and the same construction.

The first team gets ready. Helmets are put on, the maneuver is reviewed one last time. Dom takes the wheel, Sasha commands the front, and Dominik and Marc work together on the brakes. Marko provides the push. They launch with considerable momentum. Full throttle down the ramp, and then crash. The axle has broken. But they quickly continue on foot, taking every screw with them, because every second counts. In the end, everyone arrives safely – except the car.

The second team, at least as nervous, also gets ready. Guenda is in the buggy position, Steffen is at the wheel, Simon, the powerhouse, is solely responsible for the brakes, and Julian and Meisti are theag. They've decided to use the string as a hippie hairband instead of for steering. Was that a smart move? Fear is written all over Guenda's face. One last scream and off they go. At the end of the ramp, there's a crash here too. The axle has broken.

Here too, all team members quickly take charge and, all safe and sound, walk to the finish line.

The third team, with Cinzia in command, Simon at the wheel, Bartosz and Patrick on the brakes, and Miguel pushing off, is now getting ready. Confident in their own contraption, the team forgoes helmets. And indeed: the axle holds. After two meters, there's a crash, but only into the wall. A quick shift into reverse (manual) and they're off again. This time on the vehicle, but at a much slower pace.

We've finished tinkering now and are looking forward to the awards ceremony. Team three wins the design prize and team two wins the prize for the best test drive. We'll celebrate with a team cheer, beer, and a good bottle of Prosecco.

Since we eventually ran out of drinks and started to feel hungry, we headed back into town. In Birmensdorf, we took the train to Zurich, where Guenda invited us to her home. We could definitely learn a thing or two about Agfrom Guenda's partner. After a quick phone call, he promptly went to fill the fridge with cold drinks! Many thanks! It was a fantastic team event.