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| Criterion |  Facilitation World Café |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Facilitation Fishbowl Discussion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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 several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | When an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 60-180 min | 1-2 h | 60–90 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 12-100+ | 4-12 | 2-8 | 8-80 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Table Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared Questions | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Discussion Insights, Observed Tensions, Follow-up Questions |
Tags1 shared | FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | FacilitationDialogueLarge group |