One of the most important — and most unique — parts of Destination Imagination is the no-interference rule. A team's solution must come entirely from the team members themselves: the ideas, the building, the writing, and the performance all have to be the students' own work. Help from Team Managers, family members, teachers, or anyone else outside the team is called "interference."
THE TEAM'S SOLUTION BELONGS TO THE TEAM
The rule is simple: only the seven team members create the team's solution. Here is what that means in practice:
- If someone outside the team offers an idea, the team may not use it — even if they might have thought of it themselves later on.
- If someone outside the team builds or makes something based on the team's idea, the team can't use it. They must start over and make it themselves, in their own way.
- If someone tells the team how to do something, the team should politely say, "Thank you, but we need to do this ourselves."
WHAT ADULTS CAN DO
Team Managers and other adults are essential — they teach skills and keep students safe. The key is to teach skills, not to solve the challenge:
- Teach a skill — like how to use a sewing machine and sew a seam — without designing the costume for them.
- Talk about a topic in general — like different styles of humor, or the ways bridges are built — without editing their script or advising their specific design.
- Bring in an expert to teach a skill or explain a subject, as long as the expert does not solve any part of the challenge.
- Listen to the team's ideas — without adding your own.
- Provide a safe workspace, manage scheduling and logistics, and encourage and motivate the team.
WHAT COUNTS AS INTERFERENCE
These cross the line — even when they are well-meant:
- Showing the team how to make their costumes.
- Suggesting changes or improvements to their script.
- Advising the team on how to build their bridge or structure.
- Adding any of your own ideas to their solution.
- An expert telling the team how they would solve the challenge.
A NOTE ON POWER TOOLS
Even with equipment that can be dangerous, the students must do the work themselves. A Team Manager can demonstrate how to use a tool safely and supervise closely, but cannot cut or build the pieces for the team.
WHY IT MATTERS
The no-interference rule is what makes DI transformative. When the solution truly belongs to the students, they discover they are capable of far more than they thought — and that sense of ownership builds confidence that lasts a lifetime.
REPORTING INTERFERENCE
If you suspect interference at a tournament, you can report it to the tournament director. DI takes these concerns seriously and has procedures for looking into them.