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| Criterion |  Innovation How Might We |  Facilitation Nominal Group Technique |  Facilitation Fishbowl Discussion |  Facilitation World Café |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 loud voices could dominate a round, Nominal Group Technique protects individual thinking time from group effects. It collects ideas separately first and only then enables shared weighting. | 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. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30–45 min | 60-120 min | 45-90 min | 60-180 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 5-12 | 8-80 | 12-100+ |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Ranked Ideas, Clarified Options, Group Priority | Discussion Insights, Observed Tensions, Follow-up Questions | Table Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared Questions |
Tagsno overlap | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | FacilitationPrioritizationVotingInclusion | FacilitationDialogueLarge group | FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking |