When many people are learning or developing professionally together, they have different knowledge, experience, motivations, perspectives and personalities. When we’re planning activities in the SENSE. STEAM spirit, we need to think about this.
We should use tools and techniques to help everyone take part and learn from each other. These tools help to quickly create a positive and helpful environment, making sure that people can communicate in a cycle, that people can take action in many different situations and that they can use feedback to improve results and findings.
The first step in learning together is that we all have the same experience. So, it is important to clearly explain the context, timeline and resources available. We should also have some techniques and activities that can be adjusted to suit each person’s situation. This will make sure that everyone can take part and help create shared knowledge based on everyone’s experiences.
The list of facilitation practices below has also been found to be useful when developing and implementing the SENSE. methodology.
Facilitation Techniques
| Fast networking | Understand expectations of participants and energize participants of a workshop/event very quickly (every participant gets to talk, to move, to think); introduce topic and get people started to think about it; also, clearly creates a work atmosphere (i.e., the participants are the owners and not the facilitator) |
| Introduction with random fact | Introduce people; create some openness in the very beginning and potentially reveal common/interesting facts about participants (potentially as starting point for later conversations) |
| Timeline/introduction Map | Introduce people to each other; show similarities and common ground as well as potential differences; energize people |
| Star reporter | Introduce people to each other, create a relaxed atmosphere, create a deeper relationship in groups of two |
| Two truths and a lie | Encourage sharing of interesting facts; show similarities and common ground as well as potential differences |
| Laser feedback | Enhance awareness of own behaviours (through receiving feedback); advancing communications in a group about each other and the how of collaboration; practice giving/receiving feedback |
| Tent pole | Create experience for participants on team dynamics; have participants experience the importance of having a leader in a team; create awareness for own behaviour, when no team leader has been nominated; provide basis for reflection on teamwork; energize people |
| Finding commonalities | Increase “group feeling”/further getting to know each other; create awareness for the bounding effect of commonalities and thus relevance for the work context |
| Gallery walk | Discuss ideas in the team; foster ownership and commitment; encourage collaboration |
| Flashlight | Get opinions and feedback, needs, and expectations from everyone involved |
| Point rating | Get a quick prioritization of topics or a quick overview on preferences or opinions of the participants |
| Keep/Change | Ensure to get feedback on the process (the “how” of what we do) |