Future Search is a structured multi-stakeholder process aimed at building a shared vision with ”the whole system in the room”. Over 3 days, participants learn form each other by revisiting the past, exploring the present and external trends, constructing scenarios of their preferred future and agreeing on common ground.  Changing the conditions of governing interaction allows for new relationships between groups, cultures, functions, hierarchical levels, and creates the possibility for committed actions with greater meaning, coherence and renewed energy.

Future Search was created by Sandra Janoff and Marvin Weisbord


 

World Café

Architecture of

collective intelligence

Most of our working time is spent in meetings. The quality of our conversations is the key to the performance and the life of any organization. There is an alternative to death by Powerpoints and political boardroom games. Each meeting holds the possibility of truly exploring a question, others, and oneself. There is no limit to the experience of being together apart from those that we impose on ourselves though fear or by habit.

Future Search

Open Space

Tailored elegant designs

World Café is a process of deep conversations with the aim of sharing knowledge, building community, creating new possibilities, stimulating meaningful individual and collective action. Juanita Brown and David Isaacs formulated seven principles of World Café : clarify purpose, create hospitable space, explore questions that matter, encourage everyone’s contribution, connect diverse perspectives, listen for insight and share discoveries. Pierre Goirand has been a pioneer of World Café in France and is sharing his practice regularly through yearly workshops


Each participative meeting- whether a day seminar for a group of 10  or a large group gathering of 300 participants over two days -  results from a well-established process of inquiry and co-creation with our clients. Right from the first meeting with the convener onwards, we focus on creating a space in which authentic conversations can take place that serve the purpose of the gathering. Some elements of design are inspired by internationally recognized social technologies such as World Café, Open Space, Future Search, dialogue inspired by David Bohm, Research Cafés, and many more...

Examples


Open Space, was pioneered by Harrison Owen, as a way of accessing the energy that emanates form a group when allowed to organize itself as a living system around what truly matters. Imagine 50 to 400 voluntary participants gathered around an important challenge for 1 to 3 days of self-organized collaborative work. In the first hour the agenda is created by the participants themselves based on their commitments and passions. Everyone is invited to work with others where he can learn and contribute the most. Alternating between small group meeting and sharing in plenary, makes it possible to the interconnect ideas. Actions stem from the group dynamic and a heightened sense of responsibility.