Surprise!

Often, it’s the simplest part of a plan that’s the most important. When planning an office prank, it’s essential to keep in mind that if you allow a minor detail to escape, all your work will be for naught.

For example, all pranks rely on the element of surprise. Knowing that, you now hold the key to a successful office war in the palm of your hand: Keep your prank a secret, Grasshopper.

This shouldn’t be too hard—even for novice prankers. There are, of course, just a few more things to keep in mind when it comes to maintaining secrecy. Among these are keeping in mind when you are going to set up your prank, and whether props will be needed. If so, it’s essential to make sure that they’re concealed well enough.
Things like strings and wires should be as close to the color of where they’re set up as possible. They should also be placed near the ground, out of the view of your unsuspecting target.

You should also remember how everything was placed before you got there. Many office dwellers are creatures of habit, and any little change could tip them off. For example, when tampering with furniture, it’s always a good idea to take a quick picture or make a quick sketch of how everything is laid out, so that you can replace it all quickly when you’re done. Sometimes, a camera phone can be a prankster’s best friend.

Another element that can spoil your fun before it’s even begun is people that know about the prank. They may not realize it, but if everyone is watching one person as they come into the office, your potential victim will be alerted that something is up. And an exposed prank—especially one you’ve worked hard on- is simply no fun.

My personal rule of thumb when it comes to setting up a juicy prank is very similar to a military operation: it’s strictly a need to know basis. If you have no need to know, then you’ll find out at the same time as the victim!