Infinity exercise

This is a useful technique to do at the start of a session with a group who have differing understandings of a critical concept. The exercise can double as an ice-breaker.

Method

• Ask each person to write 3 words to describe the critical concept.
• After a couple of minutes, form pairs and ask each pair to choose the best 3 words
• After a couple more minutes, form groups of four and ask each group again to choose their top 3 words.

Get each group to report back and record the top words on a whiteboard, clustering related words as more people report back.

It is useful to then check back with the group to see if there any words that people had written down in earlier rounds that didn’t make it onto the whiteboard. Discuss the group’s understanding in light of the critical concept