Uniquities Puzzle

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Enable participants to express individual perspectives through visual symbols and observe how their individual contributions fit into a collective group display.

Use it when: Use during team onboarding, orientation, or cohort kickoffs to facilitate low-pressure self-expression and mutual introduction.

Skip it when: Skip when the session lacks space for hands-on craft materials or when the team needs focused task planning rather than interpersonal introduction.

Group arrangement: Individual drawing followed by trios or quads, concluding with a full-room reassembly.

Timing: Playmeo suggests 10 to 15 minutes for artwork plus sharing; UWT allocates 25 minutes total to allow setup, individual work, small group sharing, and debrief.

Materials and tools

• 1 large sheet of poster paper pre-cut into interlocking puzzle pieces (1 piece per person)
• Assorted colored markers, colored pencils, or crayons (shared across tables)
• 1 roll of drafting tape or masking tape (for mounting or securing reassembled pieces)
• 1 flat display surface (large table or wall space)

Before participants arrive

1. Count the exact number of attendees expected.
2. On a large sheet of poster paper, pencil an interlocking jigsaw grid with exactly one piece per participant.
3. Number the back of each piece lightly in pencil along with a matching master sketch so pieces can easily be reassembled if needed.
4. Cut the pieces apart with scissors and distribute one piece randomly to each seat or workspace.
5. Place markers and craft materials at the center of each table.

Say this to open

Welcome. Each of you has an individual puzzle piece in front of you. Every piece has a distinct shape, yet it fits together with others into a single picture. Your task over the next 10 minutes is to decorate your piece in a way that represents an aspect of who you are, what you bring to our work, or something you value. You can use drawings, symbols, words, or simple colors. What you share is entirely your choice.

How to run it

1. Introduce prompt and hand out pieces 3 minutes

   Deliver the opening script. Clarify that artistic skill is not evaluated. Show an example of how words, colors, or icons work equally well. Invite questions and start the artwork timer.

2. Create personal puzzle artwork 10 minutes

   Participants work individually to decorate the face of their puzzle piece. Give a two-minute warning at minute 8. Anyone who finishes early may write their name or initials on their piece.

3. Share in small groups 5 minutes

   Direct participants to form small groups of 3 or 4. Each person takes up to 1 minute to explain one or two elements on their piece to their small group. Participants may choose how much detail to reveal or simply state one favorite color or pattern.

4. Reassemble the whole puzzle 4 minutes

   Invite all participants to bring their pieces to the central table or wall. Participants fit the pieces together into the complete original sheet. If participants struggle with placement, refer to the pencil numbers on the back.

5. Whole-room debrief 3 minutes

   Gather the group around the completed puzzle. Facilitate a brief reflection using one or two targeted questions. Accept 3 to 4 spoken reflections to keep within the time.

Debrief questions

• Looking at the assembled puzzle, what common themes or contrasts stand out across our pieces?
• What made it easy or challenging to translate personal qualities into visual symbols?
• How does seeing all the pieces joined together change your view of our group?

Finished output: A reassembled, collaborative puzzle artwork displaying the individual contributions of all present participants.

Remote

Use a collaborative digital whiteboard (such as Miro or Mural). Create a grid of interlocking puzzle piece shapes, assigning one shape to each person. Participants spend 10 minutes adding digital shapes, icons, colors, or short text. Break into video breakout rooms of 3 people for 5 minutes of sharing, then return to view the complete digital canvas together.

Hybrid

In-person participants decorate physical puzzle pieces on a table. Remote participants decorate pre-assigned digital puzzle piece frames on a shared board. A designated facilitator prints or displays the digital pieces on a video screen adjacent to the physical puzzle board so both sets of contributions are visible during the share and debrief.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may use words, simple stick figures, abstract geometric patterns, or single colors instead of detailed drawings.
• Any participant may pass on explaining their piece to the group or simply say, 'I chose this color because I like it,' without disclosing private personal information.

If the session gets stuck

Participants struggle to reassemble the puzzle at the end, causing a bottleneck.

Use the light numbers penciled on the reverse side of each piece and refer to your master sketch to quickly place anchor pieces.

A participant expresses anxiety about their lack of artistic drawing ability.

Reassure them that simple text labels, lists of words, or blocks of color fulfill the task completely.

Terms used here

• Interlocking piece: A puzzle cutout with tabs and blanks that fits physically alongside neighboring pieces.