Group Order
This activity energizes participants and helps them connect by exploring what they have in common. Use it to facilitate networking and improve group dynamics at the start of a session.
How to run it
- 1
Ask participants to walk around the room for about one minute.
- 2
Blow a whistle to signal participants to line up according to a chosen criterion.
- 3
Select a criterion such as distance from home to the workplace, birth date, number of countries visited, number of letters in their middle name, or number of pets.
- 4
After they line up, blow the whistle again to have them circulate for another minute.
- 5
Blow the whistle a third time and choose a different criterion for the next lineup.
- 6
Repeat this process as time allows.
Tips
Keep a checklist of criteria handy for quick reference.
Encourage participants to talk to each other while milling around.
Vary the criteria to keep the activity engaging and fun.
Variations
You can adapt the criteria to fit specific themes or objectives of your session, such as work-related experiences or personal interests.
Where it fits
Related methods
Plan your next workshop with AI
Workshop Weaver helps you combine methods like Group Order into a complete, timed agenda in minutes.
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 SessionLab. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.