So your team has selected a Destination Imagination (DI) Team Challenge—congratulations! That’s a big step. Now comes the exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) part: figuring out how to approach it.
Every DI Challenge is packed with creativity, problem-solving opportunities, and details that guide how your team builds a solution. The key to success is making sure every team member understands what the Challenge is asking for—and what it’s not.
Below, we’ll walk you through some best practices and quick tips to help your team break down the Challenge and start strong.
Step 1: Read the Challenge—Then Read It Again
The first read-through of a Team Challenge is just the beginning. Chances are, your team will need to read it multiple times. Each time you revisit it, you’ll catch something new. Encourage every team member to be part of this process so everyone develops the same level of understanding.
Pro Tip: Assign different sections of the Challenge to different team members for a group read-through, then come back together to share highlights and questions.
Step 2: Learn the Language of the Challenge
Certain words in the Challenge have very specific meanings. Understanding these will save your team time and prevent mistakes:
- Must – A requirement. Your team must do this, or you risk losing points or not meeting the Challenge.
- Must not / Will not / No / Not – A restriction. Your team is not allowed to do this.
- Will – Procedural or scoring information. Pay attention—this is how your solution will be evaluated.
- Should – Helpful suggestions. These can improve your solution or make it easier for Appraisers to score your work.
- May – Options and choices. This is where your team gets to make your own decisions.
Step 3: Break Out the Highlighters
One of the simplest ways to unpack a Challenge is by color-coding it. Try this as a team:
Highlight “MUST” in yellow – These are the non-negotiable requirements.
Circle “MUST NOT / WILL NOT / NO / NOT” – These are your red-flag restrictions.
Highlight “WILL” in pink – These give your team procedural, scoring, or other information about the Challenge.
Highlight “SHOULD” in blue – These are helpful tips that can strengthen your solution and/or help Appraisers to better score your Presentation.
Highlight “MAY” in green – These show you where you have the freedom to make creative decisions.
When you’re done, your Challenge will look like a rainbow of requirements, tips, and opportunities. This makes it much easier to see what absolutely has to be included, what’s optional, and where your team can let imagination lead the way.
Step 4: Connect Requirements to Creativity
Once you’ve highlighted the Challenge, work together to create a checklist of requirements and choices. Ask:
- What are the must-do elements our solution needs to include?
- Where are the creative opportunities (the “may” sections) where we can really make our project unique?
- What rules and restrictions do we need to avoid breaking?
This turns a dense Challenge document into a roadmap your team can actually use.
Speaking of roadmaps, don’t forget to check out our Roadmap resource in the DI Resource Area. It’s designed to help teams plan a successful season and includes worksheets, templates, and step-by-step guidance for building your Challenge solution. Many teams find it helpful to use Roadmap alongside the Challenge as a practical guide for scheduling team meetings, organizing ideas, and keeping track of requirements.
Step 5: Keep Revisiting
As your solution evolves, go back to the Challenge again and again. It’s easy to get carried away with creative ideas and forget an important requirement—or accidentally include something that isn’t allowed.
Think of the Challenge as both your instruction manual and your score sheet. The better you understand it, the more confident your team will be on tournament day.
Final Tip: Make It Fun
Remember, DI is about creativity, teamwork, and learning by doing. The Challenge is not just a set of rules but an invitation to experiment, collaborate, and solve problems in your own way.
By following these steps, using the highlighter method, and taking advantage of tools like the Roadmap, your team will be better equipped to navigate your first Challenge with clarity and confidence.
For more tips, ideas, and inspiration throughout the season, be sure to follow Destination Imagination on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
