Starts With

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Articulate reflections on a shared experience using assigned letter prompts.

Use it when: Use at the end of a workshop, training session, or project milestone when the group needs a low-stakes way to voice takeaways.

Skip it when: Skip when the session requires deep root-cause problem solving, sensitive grievance handling, or when rapid vocabulary recall creates unequal pressure.

Group arrangement: Small groups of 3 to 5 people (or pairs if exactly 4 people split 2 and 2)

Timing: UWT suggested 15-minute duration based on two small-group sharing rounds and a whole-room debrief; Playmeo records brief single-topic debrief variations.

Materials and tools

• Two standard decks of 26 alphabet cards (A-Z) on index cards or cardstock, providing 52 cards total
• Timer or clock visible to the facilitator
• Scratch paper and pens for optional note-taking (one per small group)
• Meeting platform with breakout rooms and chat (for remote/hybrid)
• Pre-made randomized roster of participant names with assigned letter pairs (for remote/hybrid)

Before participants arrive

1. Prepare two sets of letter cards A through Z (52 cards total). Remove Q, X, and Z in advance if you want only common letters.
2. Place scratch paper and a pen at each small group table.
3. Arrange seating into small pods of 3 to 5 people.
4. For remote or hybrid delivery, create the roster in advance: list participant names, randomly assign two letters from the 52-card pool to each person (up to 48 letters for 24 people), and list remaining letters as an open backup pool.

Say this to open

We will reflect on our work today using letters as creative constraints. Each of you will receive two letters. When I announce a topic, choose one letter and think of words starting with that letter that describe your experience. Then share those words and a short explanation with your group.

How to run it

1. Form groups and assign letters 2 minutes

   Group participants into pods of 3 to 5 (or two pairs if 4 total). Deal two random letter cards facedown to each in-person participant (for remote participants, post assigned letter pairs in chat). Place spare cards faceup in a center draw pile. Read the opening script and give everyone 45 seconds of silent thinking time.

2. Round 1: Highlights and successes 5 minutes

   Announce the first topic: 'A highlight, success, or positive takeaway from our session.' Each person picks one of their two letters and takes up to 60 seconds to share 1 to 3 words starting with that letter, explaining their choice to their small group. For example, with 'P', someone might say 'Patience, because our group took time to listen.' Group members may jot notable words on scratch paper.

3. Round 2: Challenges and adjustments 5 minutes

   Announce the second topic: 'A challenge, friction point, or something to adjust next time.' Each person uses their remaining letter, or swaps it freely for any card from the center pile (or backup list) if stuck. Each pod goes around so each person speaks for up to 60 seconds.

4. Whole-room debrief 3 minutes

   Bring the room back together. Ask debrief question 1 and call on two or three volunteers from different groups to share words that stood out. Ask debrief question 2 to close the reflection.

Debrief questions

• Which word shared in your small group best captured our collective work today?
• How did having an assigned letter prompt help or limit the way you reflected?

Finished output: A voiced collection of reflective keywords across subgroups, with optional summary notes recorded on small-group scratch paper.

Remote

Split participants into breakout rooms of 3 to 5. Before the session, write a roster assigning two letters per person by drawing from two A-Z decks (52 letters total), reserving remaining letters as a backup pool. Paste this roster into the main chat along with the backup list. If anyone dislikes an assigned letter, they pick any letter from the backup list without asking. Subgroups complete both rounds, and volunteers paste top words into the main chat upon return.

Hybrid

Keep in-person attendees at room tables and place remote participants into online breakout rooms. Distribute physical cards to room participants and paste assigned letter pairs from the pre-made roster into the meeting chat for remote attendees. During the whole-room debrief, alternate between in-person speakers and remote chat posts.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may freely swap any assigned letter card with a fresh card from the center pile or spare list without asking permission.
• Anyone may pass on speaking aloud and instead write their chosen word on group scratch paper or into the chat.

If the session gets stuck

A participant draws an uncommon letter and cannot think of a relevant word.

Remind them they can freely take any card from the center draw pile, use a phonetic match, or use the letter anywhere inside their word.

One participant talks past their 60-second turn in the small group.

Ask each pod to designate an informal timekeeper who gently prompts the next speaker at the 60-second mark.

Terms used here

• Letter card: An index card or paper slip displaying a single letter of the alphabet from A to Z.