Human Line

Human Line is a participatory activity where participants must line up according to specific criteria, such as their birth date, time at the company, experience in a certain field, or any other relevant category. This quick and fun activity promotes group cooperation, problem-solving, and getting to know each other, making it an ideal energizer.

Preparation

1. Define the purpose:
   • Encourage group cooperation and problem-solving.
   • Help participants get to know each other through an interactive exercise.
   • Break the ice and create a dynamic, collaborative environment.
2. Set up the space:
   • Choose a spacious area where participants can move freely to form a line.
3. Choose the criterion:
   • Decide on a criterion based on the activity’s goal, such as birthday, seniority, etc.
4. To run the activity virtually:
   • Use collaborative platforms to create a space where participants can place virtual cards representing their position in the line.
   • Ask participants to interact via chat or use annotation tools to determine the correct order.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Introduce the activity:
   • Tell participants they will form a line based on a specific criterion you provide.
   • Mention whether they will do this silently (for added challenge) or with verbal communication.
2. Set the criterion:
   • Select a relevant criterion, such as birth date, work experience, etc.
   • Clearly communicate the criterion before they begin moving.
3. Form the line:
   • Ask participants to move around the space to form the line in the correct order.
   • If the line is incorrect, they can reorganize until it’s correct.
4. Reflection:
   • Review the final line and discuss how they organized themselves.
   • Invite comments about the process, such as challenges faced and strategies used.

Purpose

The purpose of Human Line is to foster group cooperation, problem-solving, and mutual understanding among participants in a dynamic and entertaining way. It also serves as an effective energizer in group activities.

Required materials

• Spacious area

Platforms

• Miro
• Mural

Practical recommendations

• Choose a clear criterion: Make sure all participants understand the criterion before starting.
• Add challenges: To make it more engaging, set a time limit or prohibit verbal communication.
• Adapt the space: Ensure the area is spacious enough to accommodate the group comfortably.
• Encourage reflection: Ask participants to discuss how they organized themselves and what strategies they used.
• Include variations: Change the criterion in additional rounds to keep the activity dynamic and engaging.

Inspiration

Useful variations for “Human Line”

• Line up by month and day of birth.
• Organize by length of time at the company.
• Line up according to the number of languages spoken.
• Form a line based on the distance they live from the workplace.
• Line up by experience in a specific area (e.g., leadership, technology).
• Form the line by family size (number of siblings, children, etc.).
• Line up by number of years of education completed.
• Organize by number of countries visited.
• Form the line based on time spent in the organization.
• Line up by current energy level (from lowest to highest).
• Organize by the number of pets owned.
• Form the line based on years of experience in their industry.
• Line up by the month they started their current job.
• Organize by number of books read last year.
• Form the line by the first letter of their first name.
• Line up according to eye color (from darkest to lightest).
• Organize by how long they’ve practiced a specific sport or activity.
• Form the line by height (from shortest to tallest).
• Line up by the number of languages they would like to learn.
• Organize by how long it took them to get to the event location.