Back Tracking
Back Tracking is a mixer in which every participant wears an icebreaker question on their back that they cannot see, collects other people's answers to it, and then has to work out what the question was from the answers alone. The activity is credited to Mark Collard of playmeo. It inverts the familiar name-on-your-back guessing game: here others answer honestly and the wearer does the detective work.
Facilitation script
- 1
Attach a question card to each person's back, hand out paper and pens.
2 min - 2
Explain the rules: collect at least ten answers, answer truthfully, give no hints.
1 min - 3
Mingling: participants show their back, hear an answer, note it and move on.
7 min - 4
Circle up: volunteers read some answers, guess their question and reveal the card.
4 min
Tips
Test your questions by imagining the answers alone: 'coffee, tea, coffee, water' can be traced back, a list of yes and no cannot.
Remind people that they are answering for themselves, not helping the wearer guess.
In the circle, three or four reveals are enough; let the others turn around and check their cards with a neighbour.
Common pitfalls
Questions with yes or no answers: the collected list gives no clue and the guessing round fails
Answerers reading the question aloud or hinting at it: the puzzle is solved in the first minute
People forgetting to write answers down: at the reveal they have nothing to reason from
Having every participant guess in plenary: with 25 people the closing round takes longer than the game
Attaching cards without asking first: some participants are uncomfortable being touched and start the session on edge
Variations
For smaller groups, lower the target to five or six answers. Use questions related to the workshop topic so that the collected answers double as a quick poll of the room. Where taping cards to backs is unwelcome, people can hold a card against their forehead or wear it on a lanyard turned to the back. Pairs can work as a team, one collecting answers and one writing.
Where it fits
When to use it
A group of 15 to 30 who do not know each other and should each speak with many people in ten minutes
A kick-off or conference session where you want movement and a small puzzle instead of a round of introductions
The workshop that follows involves analysis or inference and a playful version of it sets the tone
You can prepare question cards in advance and have space for people to walk around
You want every participant to hear the same personal question answered by many different people
When not to use it
Fewer than about fifteen people, where it is hard to collect ten answers; use Check-In Questions in the circle
Participants cannot move freely or the room is fixed seating; a seated pair exchange works better
Touching people's backs to attach cards is inappropriate for the group or culture; use Impromptu Speed Networking with spoken questions
You need people to remember names and roles; this game produces many answers but little about who is who
No preparation time for a card per person; Mingle or a simple paired question needs no materials
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Back Tracking?▾
Back Tracking is a mixer credited to Mark Collard of playmeo. Each person has an unseen question on their back, asks others to answer it, writes the answers down and finally deduces the question from those answers. It runs for 10 to 15 minutes with 15 to 30 people.
How is it different from the name-on-your-back game?▾
In the classic game you wear the name of a person or thing and ask yes or no questions to find out who you are. In Back Tracking nobody asks guessing questions. Others give their real answer to your hidden question, and you reason backwards from the pattern of answers.
What kind of questions work?▾
Open questions with short, concrete answers work best, such as a favourite place, a first job or a preferred way to start the day. The answers need to vary between people but share a recognisable category. Avoid yes or no questions and anything too personal to answer to a stranger.
How many answers should each person collect?▾
The original asks for at least ten, which forces people to meet a good part of the group. With a smaller group or less time, five or six still give enough of a pattern to guess from.
Plan your next workshop with AI
Workshop Weaver helps you combine methods like Back Tracking 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 Mark Collard, playmeo.