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| Criterion |  Facilitation 1-2-4-All |  Facilitation World Café |  Innovation How Might We |  Facilitation Fishbowl Discussion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When many people in a group too rarely get to speak, 1-2-4-All distributes thinking time more fairly. The format builds participation step by step and makes quiet or still-unformed thoughts usable faster. | When a group needs to connect many viewpoints in a short time, World Café creates a calm alternation between closeness and rotation. It sets thinking in motion without forcing the conversation into full-plenary rigidity. | With a stuck problem carrying many implicit assumptions, the method translates observations into open, workable questions. It sharpens the problem frame without pre-thinking the solution, turning frustration or fuzziness into a search space with clear direction. | When a controversial topic needs depth and discipline at the same time, Fishbowl Discussion makes the structure of the conversation transparent. The format keeps the core small enough for real dialogue and open enough for controlled turnover. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 10-20 min | 60-180 min | 30–45 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 4-100+ | 12-100+ | 1-10 | 8-80 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Idea List, Shared Insights, Emergent Themes | Table Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared Questions | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Discussion Insights, Observed Tensions, Follow-up Questions |
Tagsno overlap | FacilitationInclusionIdeation | FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | FacilitationDialogueLarge group |