--- title: "Go Fish" description: "Participants drag a fish token off a hidden prompt into a fishbowl area on a shared canvas. They read the uncovered question and answer briefly before passing to the next person." last_updated: "2026-09-07" canonical: "https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/go-fish/" --- # Go Fish Participants drag a fish token off a hidden prompt into a fishbowl area on a shared canvas. They read the uncovered question and answer briefly before passing to the next person. **Time:** 15 minutes. 15 minutes suggested by UWT based on the 5 to 15 minute source band **People:** 4 to 24. Individual selection with sequential whole-group or parallel breakout turns ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Familiarize participants with canvas navigation and object manipulation through a low-stakes question reveal. **Use it when:** Use at the beginning of an online or hybrid workshop when participants need basic practice dragging objects on a collaborative board before substantive tasks begin. **Skip it when:** Skip when attendees are already proficient with the digital canvas or when the meeting agenda requires immediate problem solving. ## Materials and tools - Shared digital canvas template with a pond area, question cards, movable fish tokens, and a fishbowl zone - Physical backup: 24 index cards cut into fish shapes and a physical bowl - Digital countdown timer ## Before participants arrive 1. Substantial setup: On the digital canvas, write one prompt card for each participant plus 4 extras. 2. Place movable fish tokens directly over the prompt cards. 3. Lock the canvas background, pond outline, and fishbowl container so only the fish tokens can move. 4. Verify edit permissions are enabled for all attendees. ## Say this to open Welcome. We will use Go Fish to practice moving objects on our shared canvas and hear from everyone. On screen, you will see a pond with fish. Each fish covers a hidden question. When called, drag any fish into the fishbowl, read the card underneath, and answer in 30 seconds or less. If you prefer to skip your card, you may answer our fallback question instead: What is one tool helping you get through this week? ## How to run it ### 1. Demonstrate the mechanic (2 minutes) Share the screen, welcome the group, and state the opening script. Demonstrate the mechanic once: select a sample fish token, drag it into the fishbowl, and show how the hidden prompt card becomes visible beneath it. ### 2. Orient and check access (2 minutes) Announce the turn roster alphabetically by first name. Invite participants to locate the pond on their own screens and zoom into an available fish token. If the group has 13 to 24 people, divide into two breakout rooms with identical board copies. ### 3. Reveal and share answers (8 minutes) Call participants in order. Each attendee drags one untouched fish token into the fishbowl, reads the prompt beneath it aloud or pastes it into chat, and shares a response within 30 seconds. Stop when everyone on the roster has taken a turn. ### 4. Debrief and transition (3 minutes) Ask the group the debrief questions. Collect two quick observations on navigating the canvas and two memorable answers heard. Transition participants to the first main working frame. ## Debrief questions - Which board navigation controls felt simple, and which felt awkward? - What is one surprising or memorable answer you heard from a colleague? **Finished output:** All fish tokens moved to the fishbowl and every participant having spoken or shared in chat while verifying board access. ## Remote Share the board link in chat. Ensure all attendees have edit permissions. Call names from the participant roster. Each person drags a fish to the fishbowl, reads their exposed prompt, and responds over mic or chat. ## Hybrid In-person attendees can join via individual laptops to move tokens on the same digital board, or draw numbered paper fish cards from a bowl in the room while remote members use the screen. The facilitator alternates turns strictly between one in-person speaker and one remote speaker. ## Access and participation choices - Participants may type their answer in chat instead of speaking aloud. - Anyone may pass on the revealed question and instead state their location or answer the standard fallback prompt without explanation. - High-contrast labels can be placed on tokens for participants with low vision. ## If the session gets stuck **A participant accidentally moves the background pond frame or deletes a card.** Remind participants to press Ctrl-Z or Command-Z immediately, and keep all non-token canvas elements locked. **Two people grab the same fish at the same moment.** Direct participants to wait until their name is called before selecting and dragging a token. ## Terms used here - Board controls: The mouse or trackpad actions used to pan, zoom, select, and drag elements on a shared digital canvas. - Fishbowl zone: A marked target zone on the board where participants drop tokens after revealing their prompts. ## Participant material: Starter Question Pool 1. What was your very first paid job? 2. What beverage starts your morning? 3. What is one skill you would like to learn this year? 4. What is your favorite season and why? 5. Share a book, podcast, or show you recently enjoyed. 6. What is your go-to lunch on a busy day? 7. What city or place would you love to visit next? 8. What is one hobby you enjoy outside of work? 9. Are you an early morning person or a night owl? 10. What piece of everyday technology could you not live without? 11. What is your favorite dessert or sweet treat? 12. What was the last concert, movie, or game you attended? ## Sources and adaptation Observed in Miroverse as an icebreaker template published by Check The Process. Retained the core reveal mechanic from the Check The Process Miro template where movable fish tokens cover hidden questions and get moved to a fishbowl. UWT adapted the activity into four concrete time-managed steps, established an alphabetical turn order to avoid drag collisions, added a fallback prompt, provided hybrid accommodation, and included a ready-to-use 12-question starter pool. [Miro](https://miro.com/templates/go-fish/) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/go-fish/