Best Picture

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Select and compare concrete visual representations that illustrate abstract concepts.

Use it when: Use when exploring abstract themes such as trust, friction, agility, or leadership to anchor varied interpretations in concrete visual cues.

Skip it when: Skip when the session requires quantitative analysis or when varied photo decks are unavailable.

Group arrangement: Single table group of 3 to 7 participants taking sequential turns.

Timing: Source specifies 10 to 25 minutes depending on player count; 25 minutes allows up to 7 participants to complete one full round plus debrief.

Materials and tools

• One deck of 40 to 60 diverse photograph cards per table (everyday scenes, nature, workplaces, objects)
• One blank score sheet per participant
• One pen or pencil per participant
• Digital whiteboard platform (such as Miro or Mural) with private hand spaces and numbered tokens if running remotely or hybrid

Before participants arrive

1. Shuffle the photo deck and place it face down in the center of the table.
2. Place one score sheet and pen at each seat.
3. If running online, load 40 to 60 digital photo cards into hidden participant frames on the digital whiteboard.

Say this to open

Abstract concepts mean different things until we ground them in images. We are playing Best Picture. Everyone holds five photo cards. In each turn, one player calls out an abstract concept. Each person submits one photo face down that best illustrates it. We shuffle, reveal the photos, and vote at the same time to see which picture communicates the idea most strongly.

How to run it

1. Deal cards and inspect hands 3 minutes

   Speak the opening script. Deal five photo cards face down to each player. Participants inspect their cards secretly. Have players scan their cards to identify possible abstract themes suggested by the images, such as trust, strength, friction, growth, or alignment.

2. Play concept rounds and vote 18 minutes

   Rotate the caller role clockwise so each person takes one turn, spending about two and a half minutes per turn. The caller announces an abstract concept. Every player, including the caller, places one matching card face down in the center. A designated player shuffles the submitted cards thoroughly to preserve anonymity and deals them face up. Players inspect the images. No one may vote for their own card. On the caller's count of three, all players simultaneously point a finger at the best card.

3. Record scores and retrieve cards 1 minutes

   After votes land, players identify which revealed card was theirs and count the pointing fingers touching it. Each finger equals one point. Players record their points on their score sheets. Each player retrieves their card back into their hand. The caller role shifts clockwise for the next round until every participant has called one concept.

4. Tally scores and debrief 3 minutes

   Players sum their scores across all caller turns. Acknowledge the player with the highest overall score. Lead a brief discussion with the whole group using the debrief questions to examine how concrete visual cues establish shared meaning.

Debrief questions

• What visual details made a photograph immediately convincing as a depiction of an abstract idea?
• Where did two players interpret the exact same image in completely different ways?
• How can concrete visual anchors clarify ambiguous organizational terminology?

Finished output: A completed round of visual metaphor selections with recorded scores identifying the most compelling visual representations.

Remote

Use a shared digital whiteboard. Assign each participant a private board zone containing five digital photo cards. The active caller types the concept into chat. Each participant copies their chosen card face down into a central holding box. The facilitator shuffles the positions and turns cards face up. On the count of three, players drop a personal token onto their chosen image, excluding their own card. Players claim their cards to tally points.

Hybrid

All in-person and remote participants use a shared digital board from individual devices for hand management, card submission, and simultaneous token placement. Keep room and online audio bridged continuously so caller announcements and countdowns are clear.

Access and participation choices

• Provide high-contrast, varied imagery. Allow participants with visual impairments to pair with a partner who objectively describes image details without interpreting the concept.
• A participant who prefers not to play cards may choose to act as the table manager, who shuffles and reveals played cards, counts pointing fingers, and records scores on a master sheet.

If the session gets stuck

A player points to their own submitted card.

Remind players that self-votes do not count and have them immediately redirect their finger to another card.

A participant cannot find a card that obviously fits the called concept.

Encourage metaphoric or indirect associations; any card can be justified creatively.