World / Knowledge Café

What is this technique about

It is a structured conversational process to share knowledge between smaller groups of people that are discussing a topic. The idea is to create a “café” type atmosphere to facilitate the conversations. It starts off with a pre-defined set of questions or challenges, but the outcomes or solutions are not decided in advance and are an outcome of the collective discussion process, in which the group members move between the tables to continue the discussions and reflections from the groups that preceded them.

Where does it come from 

In 1995 a group of business and academic leaders met at the home of one of them to discuss a specific topic in a large circular setting, when it started raining, people broke out into smaller groups to find cover. Conversations went on in smaller groups, and the participants started taking notes on the paper table-cloths. Spontaneously they started moving around the tables and found out that recollecting the results from the different discussions allowed to identify patterns in their thinking.

World Café or Knowledge Café got its name because it imitates a café setting where small groups (4 or 5 people) are all conversing together around tables.

For which purposes it is used (why in your engineering teaching)

The goal of the technique is to see different views and drill into new ideas related to one or more challenges, but it can also be used to think critically about a particular context, circumstance or situation. It is especially well-suited for larger groups.

The participants gather in clusters of small groups and engage in conversation about an issue that matters to them or some work they are trying to do together. It is an ideal way to find out what a group is thinking and feeling about a topic.

How to use it

There are some design principles which are to be taken into account:

1. 1. Set the context: think carefully about what you want to achieve, as knowing the purpose of the activity will allow you to select the elements needed to realise the goals, e.g. what questions will be most relevant, what sorts of results will be more useful, etc.
   2. Create a hospitable space: you need to create an environment in which the students feel safe and comfortable, inviting them to think, speak and listen creatively. The physical set up of the classroom can contribute to create this type of environment.
   3. Use powerful questions: these type of questions attract collective energy, insight and action. Depending on the aim and time available you can focus on one single question, or use progressive questioning to deep-dive into the them through several conversational rounds.
   4. Encourage all to contribute: it is important to encourage all students to participate actively and contribute providing their perspectives and ideas, however you should also allow someone who merely wants to listen to do so.
   5. Connecting different and diverse perspectives: the moving around the tables, an integral part of the technique, increases the possibility for new insights and ideas as students carry key ideas across the tables and exchange perspectives.
   6. Listening for patterns and insights: the quality of the listening taking place during a World Café is a key factor (if not the most important one), as it allows to detect patterns and get a sense of a connection. Encourage your students to listen to what is not being spoken, apart from what is being shared.
   7. Share collective discoveries: the last phase is the process is called “harvest” and is the process of making the pattern of the World Café and the contributions visible to all. Ask the students to reflect and think about the questions and conversations that went on in the smaller groups and what has been reflected on the graphical representations. Ask them to share their thoughts and insights with the rest of the group.

The World Café addresses one overarching theme, which is divided into a limited set of subthemes. During the introduction the teachers presents the overall theme and the subthemes to the students. The students are then divided into smaller groups and sit around a table (in a similar matter as they would in a café or bar). 

The students need to be instructed, so as the make sure that they understand that the aim is not to criticize other people´s ideas, but to try and find as many good/relevant ideas as possible. 

In each of the tables, a host is assigned (which can be a student or other teachers) who is responsible for the subtheme assigned to that particular table/group. The table is to be covered with blank paper, so as to allow the students to take notes during the discussion. The host is in charge of ensuring that all comments, ideas and suggestions are written down on the paper.

The smaller groups at each table then discuss for about 10 minutes the challenge, problem or situation identified in their subtheme. After these 10 minutes the groups move tables (preferably clockwise or counter-clockwise for easier tracking of the movements). 

However the host does not move and stays at “their” table throughout the full duration of the session. When the new group arrives at “their” table, the host is responsible for summarising what the previous group has discussed, and includes the new group in this discussion. Again the participants take notes on the papers (which are now already filled with comments, ideas and suggestions from the former group) and the host again takes notes. The rotation time for the table is 15 minutes (5 minutes more than the initial one as the host needs to explain the discussions from the former group(s)). 

After the rotation, the host of each table summarises the results, which are then analysed and commented by the teacher. 

The idea is that each group visits each table once, therefore it is advisable that there are maximum for tables, with 1 host and 5 people per group approximately.