facilitation techniques for working with groups. using a ‘creative cycle’ for public...

Facilitation Techniques for Working with Groups

Using a ‘Creative Cycle’ for Public Participation.

Note; the following notes are based on the author’s own experience as well as adapting the work (as allowed) of Lynn Kearny’s work as presented in “The Facilitator’s Toolkit – Tools and Techniques for Generating Ideas and Making Decisions in Groups”, HRD Press , 1995.


Public Participation processes can be viewed in one way as a ‘Creative Cycle” – i.e. they are a creative process designed to explore and generate new ideas, and then select appropriate options and make decisions.

The creative process is something like breathing – expanding (going out and diverging), narrowing (drawing in and converging) – and, like breathing, this ‘creative cycle’ keeps repeating.


Expanding

Gathering lots of information

Exploring different perspectives

Generating lots of ideas

Seeing possibilities


Narrowing

· Sorting and classifying

· Synthesizing and editing

· Comparing and evaluating


STARTINGGetting the group acquainted, oriented, clear of their roles and participating

EXPANDINGReally getting into the work: exploring, widening the field, getting lots of information and ideas for tackling the tasks ahead

NARROWINGNarrowing the field of choices to the most relevant and appropriate, refining options into workable actions

CLOSUREMaking a decision on what action to take. Making a commitment to:

A goal, An idea or solution, A project or action plan

4 phases


A Warning about ‘Pressure Points’

STARTING

CLOSURE


STARTING· Who is here?

Why are we here? What are our roles and how am I expected to behave?

How important is this? I am busy and I have lots to do- is this a good use of my time?

Will I join in or just sit here and watch?

Is it dangerous to speak up?

Can I get what I want out of this process?


CLOSURE

Have I been listened to and heard correctly?

· Have my ideas been seriously considered?

· Are my personal interests forwarded by my participation? Has my involvement undermined some principle or initiative that I am committed to?

· Do I believe we are making a good decision (informed, reasoned, productive) even if it is not the outcome that I would most prefer?

· What are the implications of making this decision for me? What actions will I need to take when I leave this meeting?


Issues for group members:

Who is here?

Why are we here?

How important is this?

Will I join in or just sit here and watch?

Is it safe?

Can I get what I need?

Facilitator must provide:

Introductions

Clear explanation of roles

Purpose and goal for this session

Norm setting activity – a demonstration that everyone contributes equally at least once

STARTING


Issues for group members:

Have I been listened to and heard correctly?

· Have my ideas been seriously considered?

· Are my personal interests forwarded by my participation?

· Do I believe we are making a good decision?

· What are the implications of making this decision for me?

· What actions will I need to take?

Facilitator must provide:

‘Air time’ – so each individual can finish expressing all their opinions and concerns

· Integration – a method of ‘pooling’ all the ideas together.

· An agreed and legitimate way of making the decision:

-By process …or, by an authority figure/group recognized as legitimate by the group

CLOSURE

The ‘Three-Step’ Creative Process.

- Step 1- Exploration, Focus, And Goal-Setting

- Step 2 – Idea Development And Selection

- Step3 – Implementation And Evaluation Planning

- Starting, Expanding, Narrowing , and Closure +4 phases

But in real life, and with all the realities of the real world….. participative processes often look like:

Step 1 (4 phases) Step 2 (4 Phases) Step3 (4 Phases)

The theory may be to go:

STEP 1: EXPLORATION, FOCUS AND GOAL SETTING

STARTING

Who’s here?

Why?

Is it important?

Am I “in”?

Different perspectives

EXPANDING

Gather information

Causes

Trends

Resources

Constraints

Needs & wants

NARROWING

Organize ideas and Information

Condense display

Discuss

Synthesize

Focus on key issues

CLOSURE

Select a clear goal

Write as a clear statement

Establish a measure for success.

STEP 2: IDEA DEVELOPMENT AND SELECTION

STARTING

Is it still important?

Am I still “in”?

Now I have different Knowledge and experience

EXPANDING

Generate lots of ideas and alternatives

NARROWING

Identify most promising ideas

Use them to develop alternatives

Develop selection criteria

CLOSURE

Select idea(s) to implement

STEP 3: IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION PLANNING

STARTING

What is involved ?

What are the politics?

Am I still “in”?

EXPANDING

List tasks

Assign responsibilities

Set deadlines

NARROWING

Refine tasks

Schedule precisely

CLOSURE

Project plan for completion

Need Step(s) of creative process

1. a shared goal Expanding and narrowing (with closure)

2. a shared information base Expanding and Narrowing

3. a large pool of ideas or options

Expanding

4. a means of narrowing a large pool of options to a promising few

Narrowing

5. a means of deciding Narrowing (with closure)

6. a means of moving from idea to implementation

Expanding and Narrowing (with closure)

6 Basic Needs

Need 1.Goal - Reduce processing time on

Licence A

Need 3 : Generate IdeasWhat information could we get – how?

Need 1 Revisited: Interim Goal – learn more about licence A , its processes and customer requirements.

Need 2 – a shared information base: What do we know about Licence A? Processing requirements Processing time Problems etc

Need 4. Narrow Options: What information is really important and vital to us?

Need 5. Decide – So what information will we get, how will we get it?

Need 6: Implementation – who is going to get the information , by when? What happens if we can’t get it?

Need 1.Goal Revisited - refine the goal and make it measurable..Reduce processing time on Licence A from 15 days to a maximum of 10.

Gather information Make decision Closure

A quick word about Process

Define RESULTS for each meeting

Get basic AGREEMENTS

Suggest a PROCESS

Create and use GROUP MEMORY

Maintain GROUP FOCUS

Don’t forget the 6 BASIC NEEDS

Defining RESULTS (Group Deliverables)Here are some examples of meeting and workshop deliverables:

A measurable goal or problem statement – e.g. “We will explore and discuss the issue of juvenile crime in our town and then develop a list of information we need (to proceed) and actions to gain that information”.

Develop a list of……….. (whatever)

Make a decision on……….(whatever)

Make a recommendation on ………(whatever)

The following are NOT deliverables::

Discuss juvenile crime

Consider suppliers for town waste collection

Review the status of Project X

Examine future directions.

AGENDADeliverables: An implementation plan for moving office next week

CONTENT PROCESS TIME

What the new office will look like Draft schedule for moving day

Presentation by Jaya 20 minutes

Problems with maintaining workflow Dealing with enquiries

Brainstorm Agree on best option(s)

30 minutes

Packing and unpacking Presentation of issues/tasks by Director Discussion of alternative options Agreement of best option

5 minutes 10 minutes 5 minutes

Issues arising Group discussion 15 minutes

Summary and close Confirmation of Implementation Plan

Presentation by Director 5.minutes

Total Meeting time: 1hr 30 minutes

Start 10am Finish 11.30 am, Wednesday 5th, Venue: Jaya’s office

Develop an Agenda

Develop an Agenda

Staff Meeting, 11.30 am, Wednesday, Jaya’s officeItems for discussion:New officeSchedule for moving dayProblemsPacking and unpackingIssuesImplementation plan.

P.S.Bring your own cup of tea/coffee – no refreshments will be provided

…which do you think would work better?

ASK FOR AGREEMENT ON….. YOU MIGHT SAY

RESULTS OR MEETING DELIVERABLES Here’s what I think we should have by the end of this meeting/workshop…does that sound reasonable to you?(If people say no then ask “what do you think we could accomplish then?”)

AGENDA Here’s an agenda that I think might help us get to our target: Is there anything missing? Should we add/delete anything? (be prepared to make changes)

YOUR ROLE I will be the facilitator and my role is to help you get to where you want to go. I won’t (or will ..if that is what you agree on) add my own ideas. Is that okay with you?

PROCESS SUGGESTIONS (break complex group process decisions into simple yes/no decisions) I suggest we start by introducing ourselves so we all know who is here …is everyone agreeable to that? (No objections….a few nods) Okay then if you could tell us your name and briefly why you have come here to this meeting. Would anyone object if we took a 15 minute break before we tackle the next break.

Get Basic Agreements

Suggest a ProcessThis enables you to:

Build the foundation of small agreements

Keep the group on track by maintaining process agreements

Help the group learn and take responsibility for making the processes work.

Maintaining Group FocusPosting the project goal and the meeting/workshop deliverable clearly where everyone can see it , and by referring to it as you go.

· Posting a sheet called OTHER ISSUES.

· Following your agreed agenda

· Using group memory

· Stopping every so often to explore where you are up to

· Getting the group to reflect back on the original goal

· Asking “are we on track here?” or should we change the way we are working?”.

· Asking deliberate questions that force the group to re-orient itself and clearly articulate its position – e.g. “ I am sorry, I am not clear…where exactly are we?”.

· Suggesting processes and then maintaining them.

· Sticking to timeframes wherever possible… or , if you change them, then do so by way of agreements.

facilitation techniques for working with groups. using a ‘creative cycle’ for public...

Documents

creative cycle

creative process

public participation

lots of ideas

new ideas

lots of information

group members

good decision informed