Exploration Days
Exploration Days are set-aside working time, typically a day or a 24-hour block, in which employees drop their regular work to learn and experiment on ideas of their own choosing and show the results at the end. The name comes from Management 3.0 and Jurgen Appelo, who describe it as their version of internal hackathons and ShipIt days. The aim is self-directed learning and letting good ideas surface, rather than having management select ideas in advance.
Facilitation script
- 1
Kick-off: purpose, ground rules, timebox, and how the demos will work.
15 min - 2
Idea pitches and team formation from the idea board; each team states what it aims to show.
30 min - 3
Working block one. Organisers stay available for access and logistics.
180 min - 4
Midpoint check-in: one sentence per team on progress and blockers.
15 min - 5
Working block two, including preparing the demo.
165 min - 6
Demos: a few minutes per team on what was built and what was learned.
45 min - 7
Wrap-up: decide next steps for each result, collect feedback on the format, announce the next date.
30 min
Tips
Protect the time: one manager pulling people out for urgent work tells everyone the day is optional for the company too.
Ask for a demo of whatever exists rather than a finished product, and applaud failed experiments that taught something.
Keep it voluntary, since forced exploration produces token projects.
If you offer prizes, keep them small and playful, because a real competition pushes people to safe ideas.
Common pitfalls
Regular work leaking into the day. People answer tickets between experiments, nothing gets finished, and the next event has half the participants.
Scopes that are far too large. Teams have nothing to show at the demo and leave discouraged instead of having learned something.
Judging results by business value. People pick safe, incremental ideas next time and the exploratory character disappears.
No follow-up path. Promising prototypes are forgotten, and people conclude that the day is entertainment.
Running it as a single event. One day changes little; the learning habit comes from a predictable rhythm.
Variations
Individual format: instead of a shared event, each person gets a regular allowance of exploration time to schedule themselves. Themed day: set a broad theme, such as customer onboarding or internal tooling, while leaving the choice of project open. Remote: use a virtual office or one open video room per team plus a shared channel, and collect short recorded demos for people in other time zones. 24-hour version: start at midday and demo at midday the next day; make overnight work optional and plan for rest. Cross-department: mix teams on purpose so people work with colleagues they rarely meet.
Where it fits
When to use it
People have ideas and skills they want to develop and daily delivery leaves no room for them
The organisation says it values learning and wants to give it visible, scheduled time
Teams work in silos and would benefit from building something together across boundaries
A new technology is on the horizon and hands-on trial would inform decisions better than a slide deck
Small improvements to tools and processes have piled up without an owner
When not to use it
A deadline is close and leadership will not really release people. Postpone it; a half-protected day does more harm than none
You need a solution to one specific, defined problem. A Design Sprint gives the structure and focus for that
Management wants to assign the topics. That is a project day; use a facilitated ideation workshop and be honest about it
Results are expected to ship as product straight away. Output from one day is a prototype or a lesson, and treating it as a commitment ends voluntary participation
The only possible format demands working through the night. Use a normal working day so carers and part-time staff can take part and nobody is pushed past safe limits
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Exploration Days?▾
Exploration Days are scheduled time, usually a day or 24 hours, in which employees put regular work aside to learn and experiment on self-chosen ideas and then present what they made. The term comes from Management 3.0, which uses it for the same kind of event others call an internal hackathon or ShipIt day.
What is the difference between Exploration Days and a hackathon?▾
In format there is little difference: both give people a short, protected timebox to build something of their own choosing and demo it. Management 3.0 lists hackathons and ShipIt days as other names for the practice. Its description puts the weight on learning and experimentation, and it explicitly extends the scope beyond product work to processes and office culture.
How often should Exploration Days take place?▾
Often enough to become routine. Management 3.0 describes one day a month for a whole team, or exploration time each person schedules individually; many organisations settle on a quarterly event. Fix the next date at the end of each one.
Should participation be mandatory?▾
No. Management 3.0 advises against making it compulsory, because people who are forced to take part contribute little and lower the energy for others. Make it attractive and easy to join instead, and ensure managers do not schedule other work on the day.
What can people work on?▾
Anything they want to learn about or try that could be useful to the organisation. That includes product ideas and prototypes, but also internal tools, process fixes, new skills and improvements to how the office or team works. The only firm requirement is to show the outcome at the end.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Management 3.0 (Jurgen Appelo).