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| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Timeline | ![]() Facilitation World Café | ![]() Operations Gemba Walk | ![]() Facilitation Fishbowl Discussion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a project, incident, or change process is only remembered in fragments, Timeline brings the sequence back into a readable form. It makes turning points, precursors, and after-effects recognizable over the course of time. | 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 there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | 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 | 30-90 min | 60-180 min | 30-120 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-12 | 12-100+ | 2-6 | 8-80 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Timeline, Milestones, Insight Notes | Table Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared Questions | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Discussion Insights, Observed Tensions, Follow-up Questions |
Tagsno overlap | TimelineFacilitationSequence | FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking | LeanObservationProcessOperations | FacilitationDialogueLarge group |



