Facilitation Facilitation method

Barcamp

A BarCamp lets an open program emerge from the questions, skills, and contributions of the people present.

A Barcamp is a participant-driven unconference. The program emerges at the start through short session pitches and a shared room-time grid. Hosts frame exchange, workshop or consulting sessions; participants contribute actively and may move between sessions.

Core question

Which sessions do the people present want to offer and attend today so that shared learning emerges?

Plan the work Method guide

Start comparison

Give feedbackIs this method useful to you?

Participants: 15-200 people
Time: Duration

Example and worksheet use the same method-specific structure.

Paper session grid with two time blocks, three rooms, colored session cards and an open topic pool.

Frame
Prepare participation and infrastructure
An open theme and reliable logistics enable spontaneous program creation.
Pitches
Open the community and pitch sessions
Everyone understands the rules, people and available session ideas.
Schedule
Build the session grid together
Interest, rooms, accessibility and conflicts become a visible day plan.
Sessions
Run sessions through self-organization
Hosts frame the exchange while participants contribute actively and move when needed.
Harvest
Share results and continue the network
Distributed learning becomes findable and the community can follow through.

Program and rooms adapt during the day; feedback informs the next event day or next Barcamp.

A good fit when

Useful for community learning, networking and a broad theme with self-directed participants. The open program is unsuitable for mandatory training with a standardized curriculum.

Ideal for

Community events
Internal conferences
Knowledge sharing

Not good for

Highly regulated training
Situations with fixed curriculum

Outputs

Session grid
Program built by those present across times and rooms.
Community harvest
Findable highlights, links, contacts and voluntary follow-ups.

Session grid

Fictional schedule

Fictional morning schedule for an internal BarCamp. The real grid is built with the people present.

Session grid
Time slot	Studio	Library	Online
10:00–10:45First session block	Frictionless course start · workshop	Reading support signals · exchange	Accessible video · Q&A
11:00–11:45Second session block	Sketch learning paths · co-creation	Meaningful metrics · discussion	Open clinic · consulting

1. Studio
10:00–10:45
Frictionless course start · workshop
11:00–11:45
Sketch learning paths · co-creation
2. Library
10:00–10:45
Reading support signals · exchange
11:00–11:45
Meaningful metrics · discussion
3. Online
10:00–10:45
Accessible video · Q&A
11:00–11:45
Open clinic · consulting

Room capacity, accessibility and interest conflicts were considered in placement.

THATCamp · Schedule Sessions

First step

Prepare theme, participation principle, accessibility, rooms, time slots and a blank grid. Keep sessions open until planning.

Open the method guide

Where to go next?

Facilitation

World Café

Deepens a topic that emerged from sessions in a structured conversation format.

Facilitation

Open Space Technology

Opens up a larger agenda for the questions surfaced at the barcamp.

Deep dive

Purpose

When many people can contribute knowledge and the flow should stay open, Barcamp provides a framework for self-organized sessions. The format channels energy without defining the content too narrowly in advance.

How it works

Participants offer topics, condense interest in the room, and form a continuously adjusted program from it. Sessions arise from demand, so relevance settles wherever it is actually present in the room at that moment.

In detail

A Barcamp works because content arises in a decentralized way and relevance grows directly from the questions, experiences, and offers of the participants. The method produces quality when sessions are clearly announced, carried with personal responsibility, and documented openly. Good application protects openness without neglecting minimal organizational structure, so diversity doesn't tip over into confusion.

Facilitation

A good introduction needs a clear frame, visible ground rules, and session planning that makes spontaneous contributions easy. The decisive moment comes in the first planning round; that's where it becomes clear whether there is enough energy and trust in the room. Close with a shared harvest of learnings, contacts, and materials, so the format keeps its effect beyond the day itself.

The method guide walks execution through 5 phases, timing, 5 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.

Open method guide

Your perspective

Does this method help with your work?

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Sources and topics

Topics

Facilitation Large group Learning

Sources

THATCamp · Schedule Sessionsthatcamp.orgCommunity-tested guidance for a blank grid, spontaneous proposals, conflict resolution and schedule publication.barcamp.io · Session Planningbarcamp.ioCurrent practice description of the live-built room-time grid.

Artifact templates

Barcamp: WorksheetPrepare the whole flow or one selected phase with real inputs.

markdown

barcamp-working-template.md

Prepare the whole flow or one selected phase with real inputs.

Barcamp: Worksheet

Question

To be confirmed

Desired outcome

To be confirmed

Scope

Prepare and run the Barcamp Time: Half a day to two days; preparation over several weeks

Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.

Preparation for this scope

Method setup

Materials: Large blank session grid, session cards, markers, interest signals, room and accessibility details, documentation platform.
Roles: Hosting organization for frame and safety, facilitator for scheduling, session hosts and active participants.
Advance information: Clarify audience, theme, capacity, accessibility, code of conduct, privacy and publication rules.
Overall time needed: Half a day to two days; preparation over several weeks
Setup: Prepare the grid with rooms and slots only. Set up blank session cards, pitch area, visible room details and a help point.