Hello facilitators and non-facilitators!
Where do you look for ideas, inspiration and validation when you want to design, host or facilitate a great meeting? I have a set of people, books and weblinks that I often go to when I get started on a new project that involves facilitation of a meeting/workshop/conference/etc. Recently, thanks to Full Circle Associates, I was led to a website that shares the Group Pattern Language Deck. This is a deck of 91 cards describing ways to host, facilitate, and participate in an effective meeting. The site provides nine suggested uses from preparing a facilitated event to post-event reflection and getting un-stuck.
I have never used ‘cards’ before as a method to find my preferred technique but I can already imagine how this will make my designing practice more fun (I love games!). I also plan to use these cards when providing my training workshops on effective meetings and facilitation. For example, I tend to use scenarios and have participants design and present on different meeting types. The cards will be helpful for providing additional resources on the many ways to approach meeting scenarios as well as generating enthusiasm.
In general, it’s important that we look outside our day-to-day practice for inspiration, learning and new ideas. There are many online forums to make this happen including Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. The cards are another ‘tangible and tactile’ (i.e. beyond online!) way to open the door to new ways of seeing things.
If you think the cards are a great idea, share the links above or write a blog post about them too!
