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| Criterion |  Facilitation Question Burst |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Facilitation World Café |  Facilitation Lean Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a problem gets covered up too quickly with answers, Question Burst puts the better question at the center. The format opens the thinking space before the group commits to an interpretation. | Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-30 min | 1-2 h | 60-180 min | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-12 | 12-100+ | 3-20 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Question List, Reframed Challenge, Learning Prompts | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | Table Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared Questions | Prioritized Topics, Discussion Notes, Action Items |
Tagsno overlap | QuestionsReframingFacilitationSensemaking | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking | FacilitationAutonomyDialogue |