The Derdians

Participants are divided into two mixed-gender groups:

• Engineers (10 people) – tasked with teaching the Derdians how to build a bridge.
• Derdians – a group with specific cultural behaviors and expectations.

Each group receives separate instructions, which must not be shared with the other group. They prepare in separate rooms or areas. If there are more than 20 participants, additional participants can act as observers, but they should not know the instructions until after the simulation. Observers take notes on what they see and report their findings at the end.

• Instructions for Derdians and Engineers
• 10 sheets of heavyweight paper (8×10)
• Tape
• Scissors
• String
• Pencils
• Ruler
• 2 chairs

This activity highlights the challenges of cross-cultural communication, teamwork, and problem-solving in high-pressure situations.

Once the activity is complete, the groups (including the observers, if applicable) use a flipchart to reflect on the following points:

1. Facts: Note only objective observations, not perceptions.
2. Feelings: What emotions were observed?
3. Interpretation: Describe the situation based on what was seen.

The situation

You live in Derdia, a country where your town is separated from the next by a deep valley. To reach the market, you currently have to walk for three days. A bridge across the valley would reduce this journey to just two hours. Your government has contracted foreign engineers to teach you how to build a bridge.

• The bridge will be made of paper, tape, and string, using scissors, rulers, and pencils.
• You are familiar with the materials but have no knowledge of construction.

Social behavior

• Derdians prefer close physical proximity while communicating.
• Standing too far away or avoiding closeness is considered rude.
• In a group conversation, huddling together is expected.
• Greetings are essential: Every conversation must start with an introduction, e.g., “I am Jay of Derdia.” If the other person does not introduce themselves in return, it is considered rude.

Greetings

• The traditional Derdian greeting is to touch right elbows.
• Shaking hands is a serious faux pas and is considered disrespectful.
• Derdians feel insulted if not greeted properly or if someone stands too far away during a conversation.
• When insulted, Derdians shout loudly.

Yes/No communication

• Derdians do not use the word “No.”
• If they mean “No,” they shake their head up and down emphatically, frown, and say “Yes”.

Work behavior

Tools are gender-specific (or divided into Group 1 and Group 2 in single-gender settings):

• Scissors & rulers → Only men (Group 1) can use them.
• Tape & string → Only women (Group 2) can use them.
• Pencils & paper → Neutral (both groups can use them).

Interaction with foreigners

• Derdians are proud of their culture and expect foreigners to adapt to their way of life.
• Their behavior is natural to them, and they cannot explain their customs to outsiders.

You are a team of engineers working for an international company. Your firm has just signed a critical contract with the government of Derdia to teach Derdians how to build a bridge.

• You have 30 minutes to complete your task.
• If you fail to teach the Derdians, the contract will be canceled, and you will lose your job.
• Derdia is a mountainous country, making travel difficult. With a bridge, the journey would be reduced from days to just two hours.
• You cannot build the bridge yourselves – you must teach the Derdians how to do it.

Playing the simulation

1. Read your instructions carefully and decide how to approach the task.
2. Two team members will be allowed 3 minutes to interact with the Derdians before the task begins.
3. The team has 10 minutes to analyze the report from the initial contact.
4. The entire engineer group then goes to the Derdians to teach them how to build the bridge.

Bridge construction requirements

• The bridge must connect two chairs, spanning 80 cm (31.5 inches).
• It must be stable.
• All pieces must be drawn with pencil and ruler and then cut out with scissors.
• The entire assembly process must take place in Derdia so that the Derdians learn every step.

• What communication challenges did you face?
• What cultural misunderstandings arose?
• What assumptions did you make?
• Which assumptions turned out to be incorrect?