Participatory Methods

Last Updated: September 2011

In order to facilitate discussion and planning amongst groups of people, a great number participatory methods have been developed. These methods include charrettes, World Cafes, focus groups, expert panels and consensus conferences. Ryerson has hosted interdisciplinary charrettes and World Cafes on a variety of topics.

• An overview of fifty different participatory methods, as well as instructions for using thirteen of the most useful methods can be found in the Participatory Methods Toolkit: A Practitioners Manual [pdf], developed by Slocum Nikki in collaboration with ViWTA and King Baudoin Foundation, Brussels.
• For additional examples of participatory methods, see People and Participation's database

The LTO has selected two of these methods, World Cafe and Charrette, and has collected a series of resources that can help the Ryerson community integrate participatory methods into their classes, conferences, meetings, or events.

Table of Contents

• World Cafe
• Charrette

World Cafe

"The World Cafe method relies on a cafe atmosphere to develop clusters of conversations evolving through progressive rounds and culminating in collaborative dialogue, active engagement, and constructive suggestions for action on a central issue."

"The strength of this format as a teaching tool is that it does empower participants by valuing their contributions and encouraging them to deliberate upon ideas and questions throughout the conversation cycles. Overall, the World Cafe is a powerful format for the educational arena as it fosters social interactions that enhance an open learning culture and provide endless developmental possibilities."

Cunningham, S. (2007). Reflections of a Innovative Teaching or Group-Work Method: The World Cafe. STLHE/SAPES Newsletter. Number 47.

"The World Cafe is an innovative yet simple methodology for hosting conversations about questions that matter. These conversations link and build on each other as people move between groups, cross-pollinate ideas, and discover new insights into the questions or issues that are most important in their life, work, or community. As a process, the World Cafe can evoke and make visible the collective intelligence of any group, thus increasing people's capacity for effective action in pursuit of common aims."

The main principles which guide the World Cafe:

1. Set the context
2. Create a hospitable space
3. Explore the questions that matter
4. Encourage everyone's contribution
5. Connect diverse perspectives
6. Listen together and notice patterns
7. Share collective discoveries

The World Cafe, developed by Juanita Brown and David Isaacs in their book The World Cafe: Shaping Conversations that Matter, Berrett-Koehler Publishers. 2005.

For more information on the World Cafe method, we have videos of an interview with Juanita Brown, creator of the World Cafe method, and a discussion of the method produced by the World Cafe Europe:

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Charrette

A method that is very popular amongst the design community, a charrette is "a creative burst of energy that builds momentum for a project and sets it on a course to meet project goals. It can transform a project from a static, complex problem to a successful, buildable plan. Usually, it is an intensely focused, multiday session that uses a collaborative approach to create realistic and achievable designs that work."

"Charrette planners and facilitators use strategic planning to overcome conflict. Part of their strategy is to focus on the big picture and the details of the project to produce collaborative agreement about specific goals, strategies and project priorities. Charrettes establish trust, build consensus, and help to obtain project approval more quickly by allowing participants to be a part of the decision-making process."

Lindsey, G. et al. (2009). A Handbook for Planning and Conducting Charrettes for High-Performance Projects. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 2nd Edition.

"Here are the usual components of a charrette:

1. definition of issues to be resolved
2. analysis of the problem and alternative approaches to solutions
3. assignment of small groups to clarify issues
4. use of staff people to find supporting data
5. development of proposals to respond to issues
6. development of alternative solutions
7. presentation and analysis of final proposal(s)
8. consensus and final resolution of the approach to be taken"

Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision-Making. United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration.

For more information on charrettes:

• Planning and Conducting Integrated Design (ID) Charrettes
  By Joel Ann Todd and Gail Lindsey. The National Institute of Building Sciences. 2010.
• The National Charrette Institute
  
  

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