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| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Mind Mapping | ![]() Facilitation World Café | ![]() Facilitation Lean Coffee | ![]() Facilitation Open Space Technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a topic is still unclear and too many thoughts surface at once, Mind Mapping creates an open surface for ordering them. It makes connections, subtopics, and starting points visible without fixing them too early. | 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. | When a group without a fixed agenda needs to get into useful conversations quickly, Lean Coffee structures the start around interests rather than a presentation. The group itself negotiates which topics get time first and which wait. | When a complex topic does not yet have a fitting agenda, Open Space Technology hands topic ownership back to the participants. The format suits questions that only move forward when real interest determines the order. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 60-180 min | 30-90 min | 0.5-2 Tage |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 12-100+ | 3-20 | 20-500+ |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Table Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared Questions | Prioritized Topics, Discussion Notes, Action Items | Session Marketplace, Proceedings, Action Topics |
Tags1 shared | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking | FacilitationAutonomyDialogue | FacilitationLarge groupAutonomy |



