The World Cafe is a simple method for holding meaningful conversations around important questions in large group meetings. It is an excellent tool to encourage participant interaction, as it can foster deeper engagement with complex or challenging issues. By dividing a large group into smaller subgroups, conversations can be more focused, relaxed and participatory, with greater opportunity for all participants to speak and contribute equally. The rotation of the groups from one table to the next adds value to the discussion, allowing a group to build on the previous group's thoughts and ideas about a particular issue.
WHEN TO USE IT AND WHY
The World Café is a creative participatory method best used for:
- Knowledge exchange: The World Café creates a safe environment for sharing. The informal nature of the café enables meaningful exchange between individuals. In a small group of 4 - 5 persons, the opportunity to contribute to a conversation is greater than in larger groups.
- Capturing collective knowledge quickly: The World Café can be used to tap into the collective knowledge of up to 30 participants on a topic of interest within 90 minutes. The method creates space for one group to explore a question or issue (within an overall topic), then invites a second and subsequently a third group to come in and provide additional insights, offer critiques and build further on the knowledge captured. The quality of experiences shared and knowledge gathered is rich and obtained in a relatively short space of time.
- Tackling multiple related issues: Ideally the questions addressed by a World Café are related, or represent different levels or aspects of an issue. The process of addressing them through multiple small groups can encourage greater participation and promote iterative thinking on key problems and challenges, more efficiently than can be done in a plenary session.
- Exploring diverse opinions on issues that matter: In situations where a diversity of ideas and opinions is sought, consider inviting participants with diverse backgrounds and/or expertise. The World Café creates a conducive environment for diverse viewpoints to be shared.
HOW TO?
- Identify the topic of interest, and craft a few specific questions or burning issues for discussion. This is the most important part of the World Café process. Ideally there should be 3 - 5 questions, one per table – enough for a minimum of 3 rotations among tables. Questions/issues should not be highly complex, as this is a rapid exercise. Ideally, they should be able to be explained in 2 – 3 minutes;
- Identify one host per question/table (in advance), and brief them on the responsibilities which they will have at the event. The hosts can be experts in the particular question, or people with a particularly strong interest in it;
- Set up 3 - 5 tables, one per question (or set up a similar number of discrete working areas with simple circles of chairs), and cover the tables with white flipchart paper (or paper tablecloths, if available) and provide marker pens in multiple colours. The paper is for participants to write, draw, or doodle in the midst of the conversation.
- Group the participants among the tables, randomly or strategically if required (see tips below), with equal numbers of about 4 - 6 participants per table, and brief them on how the event will unfold (each table will choose a rapporteur; after a 2 - 3 minute introduction by the table host participants will begin the discussion, and while they discuss, participants are encouraged to write ideas on the flipchart paper (or paper tablecloth) that covers the tables).
- Begin the discussion. Each round of the World Café should take approximately 20 minutes; keep track of time and emphasize that there is no time to waste.
- When time is up, use an alarm clock or a bell to signal to participants to wrap up their conversations and move to the next table. Instruct them on the order of movement, i.e., to the left or right, clockwise etc. Everyone at a table is to move to the next table, except for the host and rapporteur, who remain behind to welcome the new group and to share a quick summary (3 - 5 minutes) of the earlier session. Discussion then proceeds for about 15 minutes. Once again, signal participants when time is up.
- After 3 rounds of café conversations are completed, invite all groups to join in a plenary session for reflections on the topic and questions. Invite the hosts of every table to provide a 5-minute summary of key points and insights from the conversations that have taken place.
- Conduct a quick debrief of the World Café method by asking participants for feedback on how it has worked for them, what they liked and what can be improved for the next time.
- Write a summary of the main insights from the discussions and share with participants afterwards as appropriate, as part of the minutes of the workshop or as a stand-alone document.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
- Facilitator
- A host and a rapporteur per table
- 12 - 30 participants
- 3 - 5 tables (ideally round) and sufficient chairs for all participants
- One flipchart per table, plus marker pens
- Optional: Flipchart paper to cover the tables; Post-it notes or VIPP cards; marker pens multiple colours) for participants
- Bell or alarm clock for timekeeping 75 - 90 minutes (including concluding plenary)
MORE INFORMATION / SOURCES
- UNICEF, 2019. Knowledge Exchange Toolbox. A collection of tools "for anyone who needs to make effective decisions, facilitate or guide effective decision-making processes, or manage or coordinate group work in development that requires the knowledge of multiple persons to succeed."