Very Important Memo and Communication

Here is an idea I heard about, but, sorry to say, I can't remember who told me.
Key Learning Point: Miscommunication and how easily it happens.
Setup: One large group, three volunteers.

Make up a VIM, a very Important Memo from someone terribly important to the group. Could be the president of the university, the CEO, a star of the industry or whoever. Make sure the memo has lot of detail in it, facts, instructions, descriptions, details, details and details.
Ask three people to volunteer and send two of them outside of the room. With a lot of pomp read this memo to the volunteer left inside. Make sure he or she understands that it is a VIM and they need to pay attention to all the details. Once they have heard the memo there is no going back to check details, they have to catch it all the first time around. No note taking is allowed.Then ask one of the volunteers to come back into the room. In front of the rest of the group, have the first volunteer repeat back everything from the memo that they can remember. Repeat this with the last volunteer, the second one tells the memo as he or she remembers it and then the third volunteer recites it to the whole group.

Meanwhile, the group listen for areas of accuracy and places where the details are hopelessly lost.
Lead to a discussion of communication, how it can be watered down, and how we can ensure that all the people get all the information they need. You might also use it to look at which details got across to the group and why.
If you have a unique way of creating this same point, or another way of using this activity, let me know.

Here is a memo I would use:

To all trainers
from Presentation Wizard, Deb Calderon on May 13, 2005.
I want to make sure that you will all be available for an all group training session in Vancouver on June 18th. This training session will cover the following aspects of training: warm ups that work, how to get groups learning and laughing, how to add hot spice, what to do when things are lagging and how to handle props. There are only 30 spaces in the workshop and last time it was a sell out with over 35 people showing up. The workshop takes place in a very nice room at Slocan and Grandview in Vancouver which is on Vancouver's East Side near the boundary with Burnaby. The nice thing about the room is that is it held in a housing co-op so lots of light and window. You will even get a cup of coffee and a cookie, perhaps vanilla, but more likely chocolate.
I will be presenting with Ken Bellemare, fellow Presentation Wizard, who is the co-author of Wizbangers. He is not only a trainer, but a magician too. The workshop will start at 9:30 and go until 12:30. We like to keep the costs really low so that as many people can come as possible, so it will be a really good deal. Conact me at 604 874-7390 to get more information, or if you prefer, email me at debcalderon@telus.net
Cheers
Deb Calderon