Izzat You?

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Test how well a team can locate specific peers and reconstruct a sequence using strictly limited verbal cues and audio tracking.

Use it when: Use as an active warm-up or sensory awareness check during an in-person workshop with open floor space.

Skip it when: Skip when the room has physical hazards, when participants cannot navigate safely without vision, or in remote settings where physical acoustic tracking cannot function.

Group arrangement: Single full-room standing circle.

Timing: UWT suggested duration based on a 5 to 15 minute band.

Materials and tools

• Open floor space clear of tripping hazards, chairs, and bags

Before participants arrive

1. Clear all obstacles, cords, and furniture from the center of the room to create an open floor area.
2. Form a single standing circle with enough room for participants to step inward comfortably.

Say this to open

Stand in our circle and look closely at the people directly to your left and right. Turn to the person on your left and say, 'How's it going?' Now turn to the person on your right and say, 'Izzat you?' Exchange these exact phrases two or three times. Listen closely to the sound and pitch of each person's voice.

How to run it

1. Voice calibration 2 minutes

   Each person turns left and says 'How's it going?' to their left neighbor, then turns right and says 'Izzat you?' to their right neighbor. Everyone repeats this back and forth several times until they are confident they recognize the voices of both neighbors. Anyone choosing not to close their eyes steps out to act as a safety spotter.

2. Dispersal 2 minutes

   Participants raise both hands to chest height with palms facing outward as bumpers. Everyone closes their eyes or lowers their gaze to their feet. On the facilitator's cue, participants walk slowly around the room to mix up the group. After 15 seconds, call 'Stop!' Everyone freezes in place with eyes still closed.

3. Acoustic reformation 4 minutes

   Participants must locate their two original neighbors and reform the original circle. They can only speak their assigned phrases: calling 'How's it going?' to find their left neighbor, and 'Izzat you?' to find their right neighbor. No other words, names, or physical pulling are permitted. Participants move slowly with bumpers up until everyone believes they are back between their original partners.

4. Reveal and debrief 2 minutes

   Invite participants to open their eyes and check whether the original circle is intact. Run a short whole-room debrief on how the group filtered background noise and navigated limited data.

Debrief questions

• How did you isolate your neighbors' voices once everyone was calling out at the same time?
• What signals helped you know you were standing in the right spot versus next to an unfamiliar voice?

Finished output: A reassembled circle verified by comparing original neighbors on both sides.

Remote

This activity requires physical acoustic navigation and cannot run online without changing into an entirely different exercise. For a remote team, use a distinct auditory sequence game instead: assign each person an animal sound, mute all webcams, and have participants unmute to take turns matching sounds to a displayed roster.

Hybrid

Hybrid delivery is not recommended because remote participants cannot navigate physical room acoustics or move among in-person members. If running in a hybrid meeting, assign remote participants to serve as spotters and auditors via webcam, tracking how quickly in-person pairs locate each other.

Access and participation choices

• Anyone uncomfortable closing their eyes may participate by keeping their eyes open and serving as an active safety spotter or room caller.
• Participants may lower their gaze to the floor instead of shutting their eyes completely if closing eyes causes balance issues.
• Physical contact is strictly optional; people guide each other using verbal positioning rather than grabbing hands or arms.

If the session gets stuck

Participants bump into each other too hard or walk too fast while eyes are closed.

Pause the room immediately. Remind everyone to keep hands up at chest height, palms forward, and take slow shuffle steps.

Participants break the rule and start shouting names or extra instructions.

Call out a gentle reminder that only 'How's it going?' and 'Izzat you?' are permitted. If people persist, briefly pause the room and restart voice tracking.

Terms used here

• Bumpers up: A safety posture where arms are held loosely across the chest with palms facing outward to buffer accidental contact.