Who?

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Help participants learn and reinforce each other's names through active physical repetition.

Use it when: Use at the opening of an in-person workshop, training, or kickoff when participants are unfamiliar with each other's names.

Skip it when: Skip when physical room movement is unsafe, floor space is restricted, or participants already know everyone's name well.

Group arrangement: Whole-room standing or seated circle around one central person.

Timing: Playmeo indicates several minutes of play; UWT allocates 10 minutes total for briefing, single-caller play, multi-caller variation, and debrief.

Materials and tools

• No special materials.

Before participants arrive

1. Clear furniture from the center of the room to create an open space large enough for participants to walk across safely.

Say this to open

Let's learn each other's names with a quick swap game called 'Who?'. We stand in a circle with one person in the middle. The center person points directly at someone, calls out 'Who?', and walks toward them. That chosen person calls their own first name loudly and walks into the center. The caller takes the open spot on the edge. The new center person immediately picks someone else. Walk at a steady pace and speak clearly. Let's do a slow demo first.

How to run it

1. Form circle and demonstrate 2 minutes

   Guide participants into an open circle facing inward. Stand in the center to demonstrate. Point directly to one person on the perimeter, call 'Who?', and walk at an easy pace toward them. That person says their name loudly, walks to take the center spot, and you take their former spot on the perimeter.

2. Run single-pointer swap round 4 minutes

   The new center person points to someone else on the perimeter, calls 'Who?', and walks across as the chosen person announces their name and takes the middle. Keep movement continuous at a walking pace for the full 4 minutes. If someone has not had a turn yet, encourage the center person to select them.

3. Add multiple callers 2 minutes

   Step into the center alongside the current middle player to introduce two simultaneous callers. Both players independently point to different perimeter members, call 'Who?', and swap spots. Stop the round promptly at the 2-minute mark.

4. Debrief and close 2 minutes

   Ask participants to remain in the circle. Pose two reflection questions to the full room. Take 2 or 3 brief volunteer responses to confirm name recall and conclude the exercise.

Debrief questions

• What helped you remember names as people swapped spots?
• Whose name was new to you that you now remember?

Finished output: The activity completes when every willing participant has stated their name to the group and engaged in the physical swap rounds.

Remote

This physical swapping activity relies on spatial movement across a room. For online video calls, run the related verbal alternative 'Name Pop': The facilitator calls out 'Who?' and names one participant on screen. That person unmutes, states their own name loudly, calls 'Who?', and names another participant. The cycle repeats until everyone has spoken their name once or the 5-minute mark is reached. The facilitator tracks speakers in the meeting chat to ensure no one is overlooked.

Hybrid

In-person participants form the active circle around a room camera and monitor displaying remote participants. When the center person points to a remote participant on screen, the remote person unmutes, states their name loudly, and nominates an in-person substitute runner. The substitute runner steps into the center to become the new pointer, while the previous center player takes the substitute runner's vacant spot in the circle.

Access and participation choices

• Participants who prefer not to walk across the room may sit in the circle and raise a hand when chosen; the center player walks over to stand near them while the seated player states their name and points to the next person from their chair.
• Any participant may pass on taking the center spot by stating their name and pointing to a volunteer to step into the center.

If the session gets stuck

Two center callers choose the same perimeter person or collide in the center.

Remind callers to look across the circle before moving and walk instead of run. If both pick the same person, the person chosen picks which caller to swap with first.

A participant speaks quietly and the room cannot hear their name.

Ask the whole circle to echo the name aloud immediately after the participant says it.