Perfection Ping Pong is derived from the Perfection Game, one of the McCarthy Technologies Core Protocols, and inspired by TDD Ping Pong.  This game will support you in your desire to aggregate the best ideas with people who are available only via communication channels such as email and IM.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ping-Pong_2.jpg

Player A and Player B are partners in this game.  Player A “serves” an idea for perfection to Player B.  Player B “returns the serve” by perfecting the idea.  Players “paddle” the idea back and forth until it is perfect.

Steps

  1. Player A writes the description of an act or an object. He sends it as email or IM to Player B.
  2. Player B composes a written response.  He rates the value of the performance or object on a scale of 1 to 10 based on how much value the Perfector believes he or she can add.
  3. Player B writes, “What I liked about the performance or object was X,” and proceeds to list the qualities of the object he thought were of high quality or should be amplified.
  4. Player B offers the improvements to the performance or object required for it to be rated a 10 by saying “To make it a ten, you would have to do X.”
  5. Player B sends his response to Player A.
  6. Player A responds similarly, beginning at step 2
  7. Players continue until the idea is perfect.

Commitments

  • Accept perfecting without argument.
  • Give only positive comments: what you like and what it would take to “give it a 10.”
  • Abstain from mentioning what you don’t like or being negative in other ways.
  • Withhold points only if you can think of improvements.
  • Use ratings that reflect a scale of improvement rather than a scale of how much you liked the object.
  • If you cannot say something you liked about the object or specifically say how to make the object better, you must give it a 10.

Notes

  • A rating of 10 means you are unable to add value, and a rating of 5 means you will specifically describe how to make the object at least twice as good.
  • The important information to transmit in the Perfection Game protocol improves the performance or object. For example, “The ideal sound of a finger snap for me is one that is crisp, has sufficient volume, and startles me somewhat. To get a 10, you would have to increase your crispness.”
  • As a perfectee, you may only ask questions to clarify or gather more information for improvement. If you disagree with the ideas given to you, simply don’t include them.