What needs to be finished first
One to three generative questions are formulated; each invites 20-30 min of table conversation and targets a different aspect of the topic.
If World Cafe follows an Open Space, the prioritized Open Space topics can be used as the question pool.
What needs to be ready before start
Round tables for 4-5 people with paper tablecloths or large A2 sheets; pens in several colors per table; central whiteboard for harvest; cafe atmosphere (coffee, tea, calm music if useful); question cards per table.
One host per table who stays between rounds and opens previous conversations; travelers who move between tables; one central facilitator guiding rounds and harvest; optional visualizer for live sketchnotes.
Communicate guiding theme and questions upfront; note that people may write and draw on tablecloths; explain host role for volunteer hosts.
90-150 min for three rounds plus harvest
Place tables so conversations are possible without disturbance. One question card and writable cover per table. Seating for 4-5 people. Harvest wall centrally visible. Introduction with three cafe etiquette points: listen actively, bring your own perspective, draw and write instead of relying on memory.
The one question this method answers
Which collective insights and new connections emerge when the same questions are discussed across several rounds in changing constellations?
Marker: Phase
| Step | Duration | Action | Hint |
|---|---|---|---|
1Phase 1: Introduction and cafe etiquette | 15 min | Facilitator introduces topic, questions, and mechanics. Hosts identify themselves per table (voluntary). Explain etiquette: write and draw on tablecloth, make connections, listen actively. | Without etiquette introduction, tablecloths stay empty. Visualization is part of the method, not decoration. The first 2 min at the table should already produce notes. |
2Phase 2: Round 1 | 20-25 min | Discuss first question at the table. Participants write keywords, sketches, and cross-references directly on the cover. Host does not structure but holds the space. | If a table goes silent, host checks whether the question is clear at the table. If not, brief shared clarification, then continue. |
3Phase 3: Round 2 with travel | 20-25 min | Hosts stay at the table, travelers move to new tables. Host summarizes the most important points of the previous round in 90 s. Then second question or deeper work on the first. | Hosts tend to repeat round 1 instead of building on it. Brief hosts upfront: "What are we building on?", not "What did we discuss?" |
4Phase 4: Round 3 with synthesis question | 20-25 min | Change again or return to the original group, depending on design. Synthesis question at the table: what are the two to three most important insights, what would we give back to the whole group? | Synthesis round without explicit question produces repetition. Prepare and display synthesis prompt. |
5Phase 5: Harvest | 20-30 min | Each table reports to plenary for 90 s: two to three core points. Facilitator clusters visibly on harvest wall. Then open reflection: which patterns appear across tables? | If every table gives a 5-min presentation, harvest turns into reporting. Strict 90 s, core points only. Depth happens in the clustering step through the facilitator. |
What comes out at the end
Photographed tablecloths from each table with sketches and notes, plus harvest wall with clustered core points and prioritized patterns. Optional cafe protocol with question, tables, clusters, and next steps.
Date, guiding theme, and participant count in header. New collection per cafe. If cafe is part of a series, cross-reference previous iteration and which questions from the last cafe were picked up.
Compact working template for World Cafe with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
Dialogue format with rotating small groups to connect knowledge and perspectives across several rounds.
When and for what do we use this method?
Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?
Short notes along the runsheet.
Owner, date, and success signal.
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Participants: 32 people from Product, Design, Engineering. 7 tables.
Pilot in Tribe Aurora from 2026-07-18, trio format with acceptance-criteria workshop, owner: @lisa. Review after 4 weeks.
Recognize symptoms and steer against them
Round-robin statements at the table, one speaker per person, no real connection or building on each other.
Repeat etiquette: build on each other, ask follow-up questions, draw together. Host moderates with follow-up questions instead of speaking rounds.
Tables have good conversations but no visible trace, harvest is thin.
Make task explicit: one word per contribution on the cover, connection lines between contributions. Host starts writing, others follow.
Host gives mini lecture at the start of every round; new people become listeners instead of co-thinkers.
Host briefing: maximum 90 s summary, then open question. Host is bridge between rounds, not expert. If repetition occurs, facilitator intervenes directly at the table.
Questions like "Are we well positioned?" produce yes/no answers and fast silence at the table.
Formulate questions with "How...", "What would change if..." or "Which connection...". Pretest questions with 3-5 people before the cafe.
Every table reports for 5 min; the result is 21 unconnected points without prioritization.
Facilitator clusters visibly during harvest, summarizes patterns, asks for cross-connections. Add dot voting or point allocation for prioritization.
Done signals checkable in under a minute
Go to the profile for purpose, similar methods, and sources or continue to the next method in the catalog.