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World Café - A Collaborative Dialogue Method for Inclusive Sessions
As part of our Think Tank Factory at Architecting Collaboration, the World Café method offers a powerful way to bring stakeholders together in a format that prioritizes listening, idea-sharing, and collaborative thinking.
Whether you're convening a policy roundtable, an innovation sprint, or a civic engagement forum, the World Café helps create a conversational space where diverse voices shape shared understanding and actionable outcomes.
This method is one of several we offer under our Think Tank Factory approach, and can be integrated into both in-person and virtual formats, always tailored to your context, audience, and goals.
Hosting World Café Online
Our World Café format is equally powerful in a virtual setting. Using robust video conferencing platforms and interactive digital whiteboards, we facilitate meaningful conversations across geographies. The same principles of inclusivity, active listening, and collaborative inquiry apply—only now participants can join from anywhere in the world. Whether you're looking to engage global teams, foster cross-border dialogue, or include remote stakeholders, our online World Café sessions offer a seamless, engaging, and effective alternative.
What Is a World Café?
The World Café is a structured conversational process that fosters open, creative dialogue around critical questions in small groups. Participants rotate between tables, cross-pollinating ideas, and building on the insights of others, just like in a dynamic café environment.
This approach is ideal for:
Stakeholder engagement
Policy development
Innovation discovery
Community-driven problem solving
Strategic foresight
How It Works
Small group tables (4–6 people) discuss a focused question
After a set time, participants rotate to a new table
A "table host" stays to summarize and maintain continuity
Ideas are captured visually (on paper, graphic templates, or digital whiteboards)
A harvest session at the end brings together insights and key themes
Whether online or in person, we design and facilitate World Café sessions to be engaging, intentional, and outcomes-driven.
Why Use World Café in a Think Tank Context?
Democratizes voice — Everyone contributes equally
Builds collective intelligence — Ideas evolve through multiple perspectives
Strengthens trust — Informal conversations foster openness
Generates actionable insight — Themes emerge organically, ready for synthesis and action
References
Brown, J., & Isaacs, D. (2005). The World Café: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter
Designed for Impact
Our team at Debate Eximio Lda, or any of our Meeting Doctors at the collaboration store, will work with you to:
Craft the guiding questions
Design the flow and group rotation
Facilitate the session or train your team to lead
Synthesize the insights into meaningful outputs
Boost engagement and gather valuable insights at your next event. Schedule a one-hour consultation with Debate Eximio to implement our innovative methodology, or connect with our experts at the collaboration store
Still undecided?
Book a redeemable orientation call to explore how this method can serve your next think tank, policy forum, or innovation dialogue.