Agile in Your Pocket - Meeting Formats for Large Groups

When you are dealing with a larger audience it is harder to get the people engaged and give everyone a voice to contribute to the goal. In large groups meetings the audience is usually in the listening mode and there is no shared responsibility over the topic.

Here are some examples of formats for larger groups of people that trigger engagement and creativity that can help you reach your goals in smarter ways.

World Cafe

Founded by Juanita Brown and David Isaacs in 1995, this format is the most commonly used format in corporations and institutions.

Participants: 12 - 2000
Duration: 2 hours -  2 days
Room arrangement: bar tables, coffee machine, nice bar table arrangements with coffee beans and table cloth to write on, the smell of coffee is everywhere
Scope: a structured conversational process aimed at creating collective intelligence around given problems and challenges.

Flow: people gather around bar tables in small groups and discuss the topics and write down on the tablecloth their insights. After a given time they change tables and one group member remains to welcome another group to the topic and build upon the previous insights. In the end the most important ideas are being discussed in the plenary and action points to be taken are generated

Good for:
  • generating innovative ideas for the company's future/vision
  • using collective knowledge and intelligence for solving complex topics
  • developing and strengthening interpersonal relationships
  • establishing principles and strategies

Not suitable for:
  • top down closed management culture

Open Space or BarCamp

Founded by Harrison Owen in 1985, this format is an un-conference format that is based purely on contributions from the participants.

 Participants: 30 - 2000
Duration: 1/2 day - 3 days
Room arrangement: one big main room where all participants meet and stay in a circle, chairs are optional, one big panel where the available room names can be listed and a time slot for each topic
Scope: find quick solutions to common challenges, grouped by interests

Flow: Everyone gathers in a circle and guiding topics/questions are generated and are placed in the middle. The topics are placed on a time/place panel and participants split by interests. In one group a chosen topic is discussed and everyone contributes to the outcomes. The most important outcomes are documented and presented at the end of the conference.

Rules:
  • Whoever came are the right people
  • Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened
  • Whenever it starts is the right time
  • When it’s over, it’s over

The Law of Two Feet: “If, during the course of the gathering, any person finds themselves in a situation where they are neither learning nor contributing, they can go to some more productive place.”

Future Conference


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