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| Criterion |  Facilitation World Café |  Innovation How Might We |  Facilitation Fishbowl Discussion |  Facilitation Lean Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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 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 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 | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 60-180 min | 30–45 min | 45-90 min | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 12-100+ | 1-10 | 8-80 | 3-20 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Table Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared Questions | HMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts | Discussion Insights, Observed Tensions, Follow-up Questions | Prioritized Topics, Discussion Notes, Action Items |
Tagsno overlap | FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking | FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions | FacilitationDialogueLarge group | FacilitationAutonomyDialogue |