Used well, icebreakers add value to a workshop - allowing an easy introduction to the session and making everyone's first contribution easy.
If you are tired of using the same old exercises, download the collection of ice-breakers that I've collected over the years.
And here's another set - published by Nottingham University! very much geared at introductions (and many for large groups) but worth looking at.
Here's a list of Introduction Questions that Stephanie Rothwell found and kindly shared...