This activity foster meaningful conversations, enhance collaboration, and generate innovative ideas among team members in a relaxed, café-style setting.
Simply arrange the room (or outdoor space) with multiple round tables, each accomodating up to 6 participants. For each table there is 1 designated host that will remain at the table while others will move around every 15-20 minutes. The host takes notes.
Procedure:
Participants are randomly assigned to tables. A prompt or question related to the retreat's theme is provided to kick off the conversation. After the first round, participants (except the hosts) rotate to different tables, ensuring they meet new team members. The hosts briefly summarize the previous discussion to the new group. A new prompt or follow-up question is introduced. Participants continue building on the previous conversation, adding new insights and perspectives. After the final round, everyone returns to their original tables. Each host shares the key insights and common themes from their table's discussions with the entire group. These insights are captured on flip charts or whiteboards. The facilitator wraps up the activity, highlighting the main takeaways and discussing how these insights can be applied in the team's future work.
Timing:
2 hours
Number of people:
the activity can be adapted to every size of teams.
Results:
By the end of the World Café activity, participants will have engaged in rich, collaborative discussions, fostering a sense of connection and shared understanding. The collective insights gathered will help inform the team's strategies and actions moving forward.
This engaging and dynamic activity is designed to break down silos, encourage diverse viewpoints, and spark creativity, making it an ideal addition to any team retreat.
