A World Cafe at Microsoft’s Headquarters with teams from across the organization. The focus of the two day lab/hackathon was building a De-Escalation Learning Simulation.
On Saturday, September 23rd, storytellers, designers, makers, hackers, educators, caregivers, community organizers, activists and creatives working in all fields will gather for a special one day event at the Columbia University School of the Arts entitled Story I/O. Together, we will design and prototype simulations to de-escalate violence and provide empathic care. *Space is limited for this free event. Apply today.
At the Columbia DSL we design, produce, and facilitate emergent collaborative sessions, both on-campus and off. These range from a half day to multi-year programs. One element that makes its way into all of our sessions is a wonderful empathic conversation activity known as a World Cafe.
The World Cafe is a collaborative discussion that brings groups of people together to cross-pollinate ideas and enhance their capacity for creative and collaborative thinking. The World Cafe includes three rounds of conversation, each round addressing a different discussion prompt. Rounds begin with 4–6 participants seated together at rectangular tables. Each table is covered in butcher paper, to provide a shared space for participants to take notes and sketch as they’re inspired during the conversation. These markings become artifacts of each successive round as the conversation builds from one prompt to the next.
At the close of each round, participants form new groups around new tables, bringing with them the unique perspectives, ideas, and thoughts surfaced in the prior round. When participants arrive at their new table, they are greeted by a table host. Instead of transitioning to a new table, the table host stays behind to inform the incoming group about key insights from the previous conversation. This ensures that the collective intelligence of the group grows and evolves, sparking new ideas and discoveries.
We’ve staged World Cafes all over the globe, for groups ranging in size from 16 to 400 participants, working with organizations such as the World Economic Forum, Unicef, Cooper Hewitt, PBS, the City of Los Angeles, the US State Department as well as a number of community and neighborhood organizations.
There are numerous ways to stage a World Cafe. Some versions depend on a more moderated discussion in consistent groups, while others are more free keeping participants consistently forming, and re-forming new groups. Over years of experimentation, refinement, and collaboration with Freedom Lab, we’ve landed on a format that we’ve found to work best. We’ve detailed it for you below. that we’ve found to work the best is detailed below.
A scribe captures the discussion
Shaping discussion questions is the most challenging aspect of planning a World Cafe. You want to make sure that the questions fall some where between boiling an egg and boiling the ocean, meaning they need to have enough detail to help focus the discussion, but be broad enough to leave room for discovery.
Round One — empathy driven question
Example: When was a learning experience transformative for you and why?
Round Two — a challenge focused question
Example: What challenges do we face when creating transformative learning experiences?
Round Three — a question that explores an opportunity space
Example: What emerging tech could be used to create transformative learning experiences and why?
“We’re going to run an exercise known as a World Cafe. How many of you have participated in one? Okay for those who haven’t, a World Cafe is a collaborative conversation that consists of 3 rounds, each lasting about 18 to 20 minutes in length. Each round is based on a question.
Please note that this is a non-judgmental space. Make sure to speak with conviction and listen with intention. We’re going to embrace “yes and” thinking. Similar to improvisational spaces, the moment an actor says “no” or “but” it kills a scene. So try to build upon each others ideas when possible.
Before we get started we’ll need a volunteer from each table to act as a scribe, responsible for documenting the discussion as it unfolds. At the close of each round, everyone but the scribe, will get up and go and find a new place to sit with new people. The scribe will stay seated to share what was talked about at the table in the previous round, providing connective tissue from one round of discussion to the next. Scribes only volunteer one round at a time, and are still able to actively participate in the discussion, so have no fear. Plus everyone else at the table will be helping to jot down notes, thoughts and ideas!
Can I see a show of hands to see who are the scribes for round one? Thank you. Okay we’re ready to start. I’m going to give you the question for round one. Please make sure you’re writing with a Black Marker for this round. The only mistake you can possibly make is to not use that marker. In fact when we finish World Cafes, the paper is always filled with writing, drawings and ideas. So please take the caps off your markers.
Okay scribes can you please write down the following question:
INSERT ROUND 1 QUESTION HERE.
Before you jump into discussion, can everyone take a moment to think and jot down some notes related to the question? Once you have them, you can start taking turns sharing your answers.
Does anyone need any clarification before we start?”
Alright let’s start Round One. (The important thing is to watch and make sure that everyone at the table has an opportunity to talk. This is critical, as Round One is designed to have everyone sharing stories. You can be flexible with the timing too, meaning you can adjust the length of the rounds based on the needs and energy of the room.)
(At the close of the round.) Okay can I have your attention please?
Can scribes stay seated? Everyone else please stand. Find a new place to sit with new people.
Before we start Round Two, I need a new scribe for this round. Can I see a show of hands. (Make sure you have a new scribe at each table)
This is important. Before you dive into Round Two’s question you’ll want to take a few minutes and listen to the scribe from Round One. They’re going to give you a brief summary of what was discussed at the table in the previous round.
Okay here’s the question for Round Two. You don’t have sit and write notes for this one. You can jump right in. Can the scribe for Round Two please write this down? Also can everyone please make sure you’re using a Blue Marker for this round.
(QUICKLY RESTATE THE FOLLOWING) One last thing please remember to take a few moments to hear from the scribe from the Round One. Once that’s finished you can dive into a discussion around the new question for Round Two.
Here’s the question for Round Two.
INSERT QUESTION FOR ROUND 2.
(At the end of the round.) Okay can I have your attention please?
Can scribes stay seated? Everyone else please stand. Find a new place to sit with new people.
Before we start Round Three I need a new scribe for this round. Can I see a show of hands. (Make sure you have a new scribe at each table)
This is important. Before you dive into Round Three’s question you’ll want to take a few minutes and listen to the scribe from Round Two. They’re going to give you a brief summary of what was discussed at the table in the previous round.
Okay here’s the question for Round Three. Can the scribe for Round Three please write this down? Also can everyone please make sure you’re using a Red Marker for this round.
(QUICKLY RESTATE THE FOLLOWING) One last thing please remember to take a few moments to hear from the scribe from the Round Two. Once that’s finished you can dive into a discussion around the new question for Round Three.
Here’s the question for Round Three.
INSERT QUESTION FOR ROUND THREE.
(Place a few 5x8 index cards on each table)
Okay can I have your attention please?
We’re in the final stage of the World Cafe.
Can everyone please stand?
Look down at the table in front of you. The writing in front of you represents the collective intelligence of the group. Take a moment to think about what you’ve heard and discussed over the course of the World Cafe.
On each table you’ll find a number of index cards. What I’d like you do is work as a team to come up with what you think is the biggest opportunity and the biggest challenge regarding the (topic or theme of the World Cafe discussion). This usually is in line with the Round Two and Three questions.
You’re going to have 5 minutes to come up with the biggest opportunity and the biggest challenge. You’ll discuss and decide as team. The critical element is that you be prepared to explain why you feel that they represent the biggest opportunity and the biggest challenge. Once you have them please write them on two separate cards. One for the challenge and one for the opportunity.
Does anyone have any questions or need clarification?
Okay go…
(You can be flexible on the timing here but also be prepared to use the ticking clock to help motivate the group to a final decision).
Can I have your attention please?
Each group is going to have 2 minutes or less to share the biggest opportunity and challenge that they’ve identified and why.
(If you have a large number of tables you can always have tables pair up with another table and share. Ex: 24 tables break into groups consisting of two tables which take turns sharing for 2 minutes each. That way you could have a large group share in a 5 minute or so amount of time. We’ll often have the each table hang their cards on a nearby wall so that they can be viewed throughout the day.)
The Columbia University School of the Arts’ Digital Storytelling Lab (aka Columbia DSL) designs stories for the 21st Century. We build on a diverse range of creative and research practices originating in fields from the arts, humanities and technology. But we never lose sight of the power of a good story. Technology, as a creative partner, has always shaped the ways in which stories are found and told. In the 21st Century, for example, the mass democratization of creative tools — code, data and algorithms — have changed the relationship between creator and audience. The Columbia DSL, therefore, is a place of speculation, of creativity, and of collaboration between students and faculty from across the University. New stories are told here in new and unexpected ways.
Join Columbia faculty and industry innovators as we explore the current and future landscape of digital storytelling.
For more information on upcoming Columbia DSL programs, prototypes and labs make sure to sign up for our newsletter. Plus, if you’re interested in connecting with other storytellers, game designers, hackers, makers, educators and fans of emerging technology we’ve started a Columbia DSL community. Finally if you like to partner with us we’re always up for a good collaboration!
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