Name Tag

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NOTE: I have a source for this activity, but I can't find it right now – I'll add it when located. 

I've been thinking about this activity for a while now and have finally resolved some of my reservations about using it. One of my main concerns is the 'waiting' factor – waiting for 'your turn' is part of the process. Many of us know the variety of behaviors that can show up while people are waiting. However, there is also the argument that we can work on (practice) 'self-regulation' during such activities. 

Here's what I want to work on with this 'process-improvement' activity: 

• Problem-solving – several problems can show up and be solved during the process. 
• Remembering Names – maximum improvement, over time, will require each player to know every other player's name (or ask for help).
• Helping – maximum improvement will require helping and accepting help. 
• Trust – being unsighted is part of the process, so players will need to be mindful of others while moving around the activity area. 

• Risk-Taking – involving both physical (as noted in Trust above) and social since one person will be moving at a time, being 'seen' by others. So if a 'mistake' is made, others will know (and how the group reacts or responds to mistakes). 

Playing Name Tag

Needs & Numbers: One game spot for each player and a timing device (within each group). I plan to use this with groups of 12 to 18 participants. Multiple groups of this size can play at the same time (since it's about process improvement, groups can work at their own speed). 

Time: I'm considering 30 minutes for this one since I plan to really push the notion of identifying one problem at a time, solving that problem, getting data (doing the activity) using the solution to the problem, seeing if it works, fixing (if needed) or moving to the next problem. Continuing this process until a group believes they have reached their maximum best effort (or the 30 minutes is up). 

Set-Up: I plan to place the game spots out myself with a moderate distribution (similar to the image above). I want enough room for players to move safely through the crowd, and I don't want too much space between spots tempting players to move too fast throughout the crowd. [NOTE: I thought about letting participants manage the spots themselves, but moving spots can result in a super-easy solution (straight line), so I took this variable off the table – for me, at least.]

Preparations: At this time, I also plan to use Name Tag with newly formed groups – one's just getting to know each other – in order to put some 'pressure' on learning names. So, I will lead a few 'name games' before this one. (One of the problems to solve will be REALLY learning names.) See the Variation below for groups who already know each other.  

Directions:

• Ask each person to stand on one of the spots in the pool (if you have multiple pools in play, for larger groups, players can pick a pool to stand in. This process creates smaller groups). 
• Be sure there is a timing device within each group. You may need to provide stopwatches if Smartphones are not available. 
• Let the group know, "In a moment, but not yet" everyone will be asked to close their eyes. But first, you want to give them the rest of the directions.
• Before each timed attempt, (when the group is ready) one group member is chosen to start the attempt. This person instructs the group to "close your eyes," and then calls out the name of one person in their group.
• Once this first name is called, the time starts (the timer can have their eyes open until the time starts – so they can start the time). 
• During the attempt, one person (from each group) will be moving at a time. This person may only move after their name is called.
• Once the first person is called (and time has started), they can open their eyes and step off of their spot to move to another player in the group who has their eyes closed (whose name has not been called). 
• When they get to someone with their eyes closed, they say this person's name – loud enough for the rest of the group to hear (but don't yell into that person's ear!).
• This new person opens their eyes, and moves off of their spot, allowing the person who called their name to stand on their spot. 
• Now, the person whose name was just called goes to someone else in the group, with their eyes closed, and says their name...and the process continues until... 
• The last person to open their eyes (the last name in the group to be called), goes to the last open spot in the pool – the one left open by the first player who was called. 
• When the last spot is filled, the time stops. 
• Let everyone know that after their eyes are open (after their name is called), they can leave them open for the remainder of the timed attempt. And once they take someone else's spot, they must remain on that spot until the end of the timed attempt. 

One final piece of information, you can choose to share with your group(s), or not. Voices are never required to be silent, at any time, during the activity. 

Re-Setting the Activity
Before the next timed attempt, each group in play must 'reset their pool.' Each person simply exchanges places with one other person in the group. (If there is an odd number of people in the group, someone can exchange twice.) After everyone is standing on a new spot, someone can be chosen to start the next attempt. 

Once the group(s) understand(s) the requirements, they are free to work on their own (planning is encouraged) getting in as many attempts as possible within the time remaining. The product objective is to get the lowest possible time. 

Variations:

• When the participants know each other already (everyone knows everyone's name), play the 'adjective' (quality) name game. My name is usually, 'Creative Chris.' Now, everyone will want to remember the quality of each person so they can call out the quality during the game. For example, when someone moves to me during the game (and I have my eyes closed), they will say, "Creative Chris" or, "Chris is Creative." Then I can open my eyes and move. 
• To encourage some additional challenge, require that each person move to a different person during subsequent timed attempts – you can't keep going to the same person during every attempt. (Some memory is needed, but reasonable.)  

TOO EASY
Another reason I hesitated to share this one is because there is still a super-easy solution. If they plan enough before closing their eyes, they can simply decide ahead of time who they are going to move to. After that thinking I was telling you about, considering I'll do this with new groups, they might not have enough norms established to engage in some efficient problem-solving. And if they do, and they are 'super' successful, I will go to my standard question and comment: 

• What did it take from everyone to be so successful? (Discussion...)
• Let's see if we can keep using these behaviors throughout the program to build upon this success.

And we're off...

When Name Tags is more complex with your group(s), dive into some of the 'work-ons' I mentioned above. 

Please let us know how it goes for you and if you have additional suggestions on how to use this one. 

All the best, 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.